The Analysis of Learner Autonomy and Autonomous Learning Practices in Massive Open Online Language Courses (MOOLCD)

Abstract

Edgar Faure’s (1972) ‘Learning Society’ continues to be a blanket for the everevolving forms of lifelong learning. Today, the very idea of learning in digital and interactive (social) ecologies is tempting for millions of people with different stories. In this regard, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are in demand. When MOOCs were evolving from lecturing form to an engaging, interactive, and collaborative form of learning, language courses began to rise within MOOCs. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOLCs), as referred in this study, are not deemed to be simple ways of knowledge delivery unlike some early MOOCs, because they encourage collaborative intelligence and active knowledge making by empowering better inclusion. This way, a shift from learner passivity (consumer) to active participant and maker (producer) has emerged. Hence, learner autonomy (LA) has become relatable to online learning environments. In accordance with this pedagogical development in language learning, this study investigates the following areas regarding LA and MOOLCs: (a) learner autonomy with MOOLC participants and to what extent they are autonomous, (b) learners’ perception of their own roles in language learning, (c) learners’ perception of teachers’ roles in language learning, and (d) the autonomous learning practices the learners are involved by participating in the MOOLCs. The mixed-method design is employed to gain a wide perspective regarding autonomous language learning in the context of English MOOLCs. 57 participants from three different English MOOLCs have contacted to conduct the Learner Autonomy Questionnaire (LAQ). The qualitative data is collected from discussion forum posts (interaction data of the participants) in order to form a frame for autonomous learning activities in these three English MOOLCs and learners’ attitudes towards them. The data analysis is carried out via quantitative (frequencies, means, standard deviations) and qualitative (content analysis) analysis. viii The results of the questionnaire show that the English MOOLC participants are highly autonomous and willing to take charge of their own language learning and be more responsible for their own accomplishment in online language learning. Also, the learners’ perception of their own roles indicates a positive inclination towards autonomy. On the other hand, it is found out that the learners do not find the role of teachers redundant in online learning once they adopt autonomous learning. On the contrary, they value the presence of a teacher and a supervised learning within the process of familiarizing with online learning. Furthermore, the interaction data confirms that the learners favor the learner-centered and autonomous language learning practices in the MOOLCs.