Abstract
With the advent of technologies, language learners are faced with unprecedented opportunities and a wide range of alternatives to engage with in their self-directed learning. However, a review of the literature indicates that studies investigating how learner autonomy is shaped and reshaped in online learning environments are under-researched (Reinders & White, 2016). Using a case study method, the primary objective of this study is to examine how a learner engaged with technology-mediated environments to meet his learning needs and goals and how his autonomy evolved in online environments. A qualitative analysis of the interview data collected at two different timescales reveals new developments in the learner’s autonomous learning. Instead of using limited online materials, the learner became a critical user of multiple online sources. Additionally, the learning conditions he was exposed to in New Zealand fostered an interdependent and social dimension in his autonomous learning. By the end of this research study, he was also found to be more capable of regulating his self-directed study. The results corroborate the argument that the notion of learner autonomy is fluid and dynamic, suggesting that apart from psychological factors of the learner, environmental factors, e.g. the guidance from the teacher and learning conditions also play a critical role in the formation of different dimensions of learner autonomy.
Highlights
Learner autonomy which requires a transition from teacher-control to learner-control is viewed as a prerequisite for success in learning
In order to detect developments, I compared his online learning activities reported in the first interview with those reported in the second interview
This case study reveals that Yong, acting as an active agent, availed himself of the unprecedented learning opportunities that technologies provided for him
Summary
Learner autonomy which requires a transition from teacher-control to learner-control is viewed as a prerequisite for success in learning. It is argued that autonomous learning is achieved when certain conditions are obtained These include psychological factors (e.g. learning strategies, motivation, and attitudes, etc.) on the part of the learner and environmental factors like an appropriate task design, optimal learning environments, a political power structure, etc. (Hamilton, 2013; Oxford, 2008) This view of learner autonomy acknowledges that autonomy “is learned at least partly through educational experiences [and interventions]” This definition includes both personal and contextual dimensions of autonomy, highlighting the fact that the notion of autonomy is complex and dynamic This study adopted this dynamic view of learner autonomy in the investigation, focusing on the evolution of a learner’s path toward autonomy in online learning environments. An affordance exists as long as the person (or animal) can take the necessary actions to utilize it
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
