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Getting To Know Autonomous Learning

1. Autonomous learning refers to a situation where the learner takes total responsibility for decisions related to their learning, including goals, materials, and evaluation criteria. 2. An autonomous learning model was developed to shift power in the learning process from teachers to students, allowing students to develop skills like responsibility, decision-making, and critical thinking. 3. For teachers to successfully promote autonomous learning, they need to change their materials, actions, and beliefs, acting as facilitators rather than leaders of instruction.

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219 views

Getting To Know Autonomous Learning

1. Autonomous learning refers to a situation where the learner takes total responsibility for decisions related to their learning, including goals, materials, and evaluation criteria. 2. An autonomous learning model was developed to shift power in the learning process from teachers to students, allowing students to develop skills like responsibility, decision-making, and critical thinking. 3. For teachers to successfully promote autonomous learning, they need to change their materials, actions, and beliefs, acting as facilitators rather than leaders of instruction.

Uploaded by

Rani Falantika
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Getting to Know Autonomous Learning

Dickinson cited in Benson (2006) described autonomy as the situation on which the learner is totally
responsible for all of the decisions concerned with his learning and the implementation of those
decisions. Autonomous learning is different from Independent study. Healey (2014) explained that while
independent learning is a process in which learner acquire knowledge on their own (Candy, 1991).
Autonomous learning represents situation in which learner chooses aims and purposes and sets goals;
chooses materials, methods and tasks; exercises choice and purpose in organising and carrying out the
chosen tasks; and chooses criteria for evaluation (Holec, 1982). Benson and Voller cited in Thanasoulas
(2000) described the term autonomy into these following ways:

1. for situations in which learners study entirely on their own;


2. for a set of skills which can be learned and applied in self-directed learning;
3. for an inborn capacity which is suppressed by institutional education;
4. for the exercise of learners' responsibility for their own learning;
5. for the right of learners to determine the direction of their own learning.

Betts and Kercher developed autonomous learning model in order to let students take away the power
in learning process from the teachers (Autonomous Learner Model, n.d.). Through this model, it is
expected that students will be able to develop responsibility, positive self –esteem, decision-making and
problem solving skills, critical and creative thinking skills, and a passion for areas of learning that interest
them (Autonomous Learner Model, n.d). The autonomous learning model is consisted of 6 components
(the detail of each components can be found in the other compulsory reading provided); those
components are pictured as follows:

Illustration of autonomous learning model


In autonomous learning model, autonomous learners are demanded to be proactive in their learning
process rather than simply reacting to various instruction and stimuli of the teacher (Boud, 1988;
Kohonen, 1992; Knowles, 1975; Thanasoulas, 2000). The following are seven main attributes of
autonomous learners (Thanasoulas, 2000):

1. Autonomous learners have insights into their learning styles and strategies;
2. take an active approach to the learning task at hand;
3. are willing to take risks, i.e., to communicate in the target language at all costs;
4. are good guessers;
5. attend to form as well as to content, that is, place importance on accuracy as well as
appropriacy;
6. develop the target language into a separate reference system and are willing to revise and reject
hypotheses and rules that do not apply; and
7. have a tolerant and outgoing approach to the target language.

Though autonomous learner model is more popular among online learning or distance learning,
autonomous learner model can actually be implemented well in classroom setting (The Autonomous
Learner Model, n.d.). Even though the students are given bigger part and responsibility on their learning
process, it does not mean that their role is redundant with the teachers’ role or teachers will no longer
have important role in the learning process (Thanasoulas, 2000). In autonomous learning concept, the
teachers are the facilitator of the learning (Benson, 2006). As a facilitator, teachers play important role
to promote autonomous learning in the classroom.

In past years, we have witnessed the difficulties of teachers to shift from teacher centered learning to
learner centered learning. Teachers nowadays are also experiencing difficulties in promoting
autonomous learning, even some of them gave up and went back to the traditional way of teaching
(Tϋtϋniᶊ, 2011). There are several things that need to be adjusted when teachers are attempting to
make changes in their teaching. Gardner in Tϋtϋniᶊ (2011) explained that teachers need to change their
materials, actions and beliefs to be able to completely adapt to new teaching method. Old materials can
be modified to meet current need and class activities can be changed to help learners to be more
engaged to their learning process and slowly they will develop their responsibility on their learning
process. The last that should be changed is belief. Believing that new methods will work is not an easy
process. Tϋtϋniᶊ (2011) in his research pointed out that teachers tend to teach their students based on
their previous learning experiences; as a result teachers tend to teach the way their teachers thought
them. It means that to help teachers to promote autonomous learning better, it is important that
teacher as the learning facilitator is autonomous learner himself.

To support the promotion of autonomous learning in the classroom, there are several ways that teacher
can do. The followings are ideas how you can include autonomous learning into your classroom
(Thanasoulas, 2000 & Autonomous Learner Model, n.d.):

1. Self Report or Learning Diaries


By assigning students to create self report or learning diaries, teachers will allow the students to
identifying the learning objectives, learning outcomes, things they need to learn further and also
ways to improve their understanding. Diaries will also help them to identify their personal
learning goal better (Thanasoulas, 2000). These assignments will help autonomous learner to
achieve the first and second component of ALM which are orientation and individual
development stage.
2. Portfolio
Portfolio which is also one of the types of alternative assessment tools can be used to help the
students to acquire autonomous learning model. By asking the students to keep record on their
assessment process and assignment the students will be able to monitor their own learning
progress. It will help them to know how far they have achieved the learning objectives of the
subject. Teacher and student can also build further communication through comment and
feedback mechanism that can be attached in the portfolio. In addition, portfolio will also help
them to develop the final stage of autonomous learning (in depth study) better. Tϋtϋniᶊ (2011)
in his research has found that the use of portfolio in language class has helped learners learn
how to take responsibility.
3. Technological Support
Technological advancement has helped us to access information from various sources. This
benefit will enable us to learn about many things wherever we are. Technology can be one of
the ways to promote autonomous learning to the students in the classroom. Various
applications can be used to improve the willingness to be actively involved in the classroom
activities. In addition, internet and technological advancement can be a good help for students
to enrich their knowledge about the subject (the third component of ALM: enrichment).
4. Persuasive communication to alter learners’ belief and attitude
It is very common to have students to reject on new way of teaching. Some students sometimes
are also less motivated to be an autonomous learner. A persuasive communication is a
discussion presenting information and arguments to change learners’ evaluation of topic,
situation, task and so on (Thanasoulas, 2000). By building up communication with less motivated
students, it is expected that they can get used to elements of ALM and slowly they can be more
motivated to do their task.

More ideas to implement component of ALM and promote ALM to the students in the classroom can be
found in the additional readings provided in this module.

REFERENCE LIST

Autonomous learner model. (2010). Retrieved from


http://www.det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/navigation/identificat
ion-provision-inclusivity-monitoring-and-assessment/provision/teaching---learning-
models/autonomous-learner-model/

Autonomous learner model. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://presentlygifted.weebly.com/autonomous-


learner-model.html
Benson, P. (2006). Autonomy in language teaching and learning. United Kingdom: Cambridge University
Press.

Healey, M. (October, 2014). Developing independent & autonomous learning. Retrieved from
https://federation.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/202791/Mick_Healey_Independent_Lea
rning_Workshop_Handout_Doc.pdf

Thanasoulas, D. (2000). What is learner autonomy and how it can be fostered. The Internet TESL Journal.
Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Thanasoulas-Autonomy.html

Tϋtϋniᶊ, B. (2011). Changing teacher beliefs and attitudes towards autonomous learning. In D. Gardner
(Ed.), Fostering autonomy in language learning (pp. 161-165). Ganziatep: Zirve University.
Retrieved from http://ilac2010.zirve.edu.tr

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