Abstract:

Educators seem to agree that the ultimate goal of teaching is to promote learner autonomy and help students become life-long, independent learners. Whilst considerable research studies have been conducted to identify conditions for promoting autonomous learning, a review of the literature indicates that the effect of learning task design on the development of learner autonomy is under-researched; therefore, there is a clear need for a study of this nature. The present study attempted to fill the gap in the literature, aiming to explore if a learner’s independent learning in online environments evolved and developed as a result of online learning task design. To this end, the case study research approach was employed. By focusing on a single case, the primary objective of the current study was to provide an in-depth understanding of the construct, learner autonomy, rather than extrapolate findings to other populations and contexts. It was hoped that the richness and depth of data this study generated would advance our knowledge of the phenomenon under investigation and lead to “a full and thorough knowledge of the particular” (Stake, 2000, p.3).

To detect developments, two in-depth, open-ended interviews were conducted over 20 weeks. By comparing the two sets of data collected on different timescales, the qualitative analysis reveals changes in their autonomous learning behaviours. Instead of using limited online materials, they became a critical, competent user of multiple online sources. Additionally, the learning tasks fostered an interdependent and social dimension in their autonomous learning. By the end of this research study, they were also found to be more capable of regulating their self-directed study. The results yielded by the study suggested that the notion of learner autonomy is fluid and dynamic. They also provided empirical evidence to support the argument that autonomous learning is by no means guideless and teacher-less learning, suggesting that apart from psychological factors of individuals, environmental factors, such as guidance from the teacher and learning task design, play a critical role in the formation of different dimensions of learner autonomy. The presentation concludes with pedagogical implications for classroom practice.

Keywords:

Learner autonomy, independent learning, case study, online learning, task design.