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Understanding Learner Autonomy

The document discusses digital and blended learning, focusing on autonomy and individualization. It defines autonomy as learners taking control of their own learning by deciding what to learn and how to evaluate themselves. Individualization recognizes that different learners have different needs and teachers should make the pace and content appropriate for each learner. The document provides tips for teachers to encourage autonomy, such as having learners reflect on their learning and giving them choices in exercises through menus. Digital tools allow for more personalized learning and give learners more control over their learning process.

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Ilham Ary Maulana
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18 views2 pages

Understanding Learner Autonomy

The document discusses digital and blended learning, focusing on autonomy and individualization. It defines autonomy as learners taking control of their own learning by deciding what to learn and how to evaluate themselves. Individualization recognizes that different learners have different needs and teachers should make the pace and content appropriate for each learner. The document provides tips for teachers to encourage autonomy, such as having learners reflect on their learning and giving them choices in exercises through menus. Digital tools allow for more personalized learning and give learners more control over their learning process.

Uploaded by

Ilham Ary Maulana
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Digital and Blended Learning

What is it, and why does it matter?

Autonomy is all about the learner. It is not about studying alone; it is about the learner
taking control of their learning, and being responsible for how and what they learn. This
might include deciding what areas they need to improve their English, choosing exercises
to study and evaluating how they did.

Individualization is arguably more about the teacher and the learning materials.
Both recognize that different learners have different needs. Both should make the
pace or speed of learning, and also the content appropriate for each individual learner,
as far as possible.
Both autonomy and individualization matter for many reasons, most importantly because
research shows that autonomous learners are more successful.
By the time they enter secondary education, learners are able to reflect more on their
learning, so it's a crucial time to support their development in this area.
On top of that they are important now because of the impact of digital content and tools.
Firstly, increased access to the Internet is changing the 'teacher as knower' culture, and
giving learners more autonomy in terms of developing their knowledge - when they do it,
how they do it, what they learn about. Meanwhile, the rapid growth in the number of
digital materials available, along with digital devices, means that learning can be more
easily personalized.

Some practical tips

1. Awareness raising to encourage autonomy


Each lesson or each week, ask students to write down the answers to the following
questions: what they have learned, what they have found easiest, what they have
found most difficult, and what they can do to improve.
As a teacher, you can also raise awareness by telling them what you're going to do each
lesson, and why you're doing it.
2. Before and after a test
Before a test, ask them to predict how they are going to do. Ask them what areas
they are most concerned about. After the test, ask them to compare their marks with
their prediction, and also any areas that they need to improve on. Ask them how they
can improve (e.g. by doing more exercises, online or via a workbook).
3. Don’t give them the answers
Sometimes, after a coursebook exercise, don't give them the answers. As homework, ask
them to search online to investigate what the correct answers are. Obviously whether you
can do this will depend on the type of exercise - it's more suited to quizzes, but may work
with some language exercises too.

4. The menu at school


Have a regular 'menu' lesson, in which you give a list of exercises or activities that
learners can carry out either in their coursebook, workbook or online. Make sure they
relate to the syllabus, but cover different areas e.g. skills work, vocabulary building. While
they do it, monitor and offer support, and also set targets for distracted learners e.g. tell
them 'I want you to do at least three exercises'. At the end of the lesson get them to
share and make a note of what they did. Menu lessons work best if you combine them
with awareness raising activities.

5. The menu at home


Platforms such as Oxford English Online let learners study at their own pace and give
them freedom to work when they want. As a teacher you can personalize by assigning
different exercises to different learners. And of course you can follow their progress
by tracking their results online.

More from Oxford University Press blog:

A cocktail of ideas:
blended learning and student autonomy by Rachel Appleby

[Link]
ideas-blended-learning-and-student-autonomy/

Find more about our Learning Video Series:


1. Digital Learners
 Digital Literacy
 Blended Learning
 Learner Autonomy
2. Digital Teachers
 The Changing Role of the Teacher
 Continuing Professional Development
 Digital Tools for Teachers
3. Digital Tools
 Mobile Learning

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