Week 10 Reflection

Learner Autonomy and Tandem Learning: Putting Principles Into Practice in Synchronous and Asynchronous Telecommunications Environments

This article is mainly about learner autonomy and how various computer-mediated forms of language learning can implement learner autonomy principles.

Learner autonomy is defined as “a learner’s capacity for critical self-evaluation and self-determination, an ability to take control over and responsibility for his/her learning”. There are three approaches to learner autonomy. The first one is the individual-cognitive perspective which emphasizes that learners constantly try to improve their existing construct system. The second one is called social-interactive. Social interaction is regarded as a tool to increase consciousness, or conscious awareness which can be achieved through scaffolding or corrective feedback. The third approach views learner autonomy from an experimental-participatory perspective. Experimental work with tools and artifacts can raise awareness which learners can use to monitor and evaluate their learning progress.

Although learner autonomy means that learners should take control over their learning process, I think it does not mean that the role of teachers is no longer important. We have to help learners to build up their “capacity” so that they can assume responsibility for their own learning. For my students, in order to promote learner autonomy, the first step would be to arouse their interest in learning since most of them have very low motivation. I think rewards and positive reinforcement can help. Once they are motivated in learning, they would become more active in and take more responsibility for their learning.