E-Learning and Learner Autonomy in an EFL Class in Vietnam

Abstract

Learner autonomy has long been a matter of great interest in the world of EFL pedagogy and practice. It is one of the qualities that teachers want to cultivate as they know that developing this core value is synonymous with training an independent, confident, and effective learner. There have been numerous studies on this subject in the educational setting; however, those conducted to examine learners’ ability to self-control their learning in the online context are still far from sufficient. This research was conducted with the exploratory survey to examine learner autonomy in EFL classes in Vietnam, where e-learning has recently been made mandatory due to the Covid 19 pandemic. It involved the total participation of 20 teachers and 100 students randomly selected from five Vietnamese tertiary institutions. Results showed a good understanding of the course instructors about the importance of learner autonomy in the online courses and the need to promote it. The students, however, were not well aware of their self-regulated learning tasks. From the study results, we could realize some problems regarding the students’ behavior in the virtual learning environment and differences in teachers’ and students’ perceptions of this notion. The research findings also supported the researcher in making recommendations to motivate self-controlled learners.