Learner Autonomy
In this section, you will:
- become acquainted with the term learner autonomy in education
- understand the difference between learner autonomy and learner agency
- know in what ways learner autonomy can be supported in the classroom
- understand how the capacity to be autonomous develops in learners
1. Autonomy in Education
1.3. Definition of Learner Autonomy
The term Learner autonomy in education is connected to the ability as well as the willingness of learners to take charge or control of their own learning process. Holec (1981) defines this act of taking responsibility for one's own learning as:
· establishing one´s goals
· outlining the content and sequence of learning
· determining the methods and techniques employed in learning
· overseeing the learning process
· evaluating the achieved results
Scharle and Szabó (2000, p. 4) add that responsibility in their understanding means „being in charge of something, but with the implication that one has to deal with the consequences of own´s own actions“. According to Benson (2001), learner autonomy is a multidimensional capacity that manifests in diverse ways for individuals, varying across different contexts or periods, even within the same person. Sinclair (2001) further clarifies that autonomy revolves around the learner's preparedness to take responsibility, emphasizing that readiness implies the learner's willingness and interest.