IMPACT OF LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ON LEARNER AUTONOMY IN EFL LEARNING

The integration of interactive online communication in to different educational settings has been widely researched since the emergence of web 2.0 technology. It has been particularly identified to give EFL students more opportunities to express ideas, enhance their engagement in learning activities and promote their confidence during virtual interactions. These benefits coincide with attributes of a learning environment that can foster learner autonomy. Therefore, this paper reports on an investigation in to the impacts of the employment of a web 2.0 learning management system (LMS) in an EFL course. Data extracted from individual interviews with four undergraduate students in a Tehran University(Iran) was analyzed to illustrate possible effects of LMS in students' ability to initiate, monitor and evaluate their learning process. The presentation continues with a discussion on the cyclic relationship among these three capabilities. It also addresses the local students' perspective on socializing and academic activities as well as the relationship between them in the socio-cultural context of Tehran. It then concludes with implications for EFL teaching practices with the adoption of LMS and puts forward suggestions for further research.