STUDENTS’ AUTONOMY: THE DIGITAL LEARNERS / “E-LEARNERS” FACING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Nathalia O. M. BONATO

Communication in various types on the internet, amounts of different information from everywhere, and so on. This is the profile of this kind of resource into the contemporary society and it has been one of the most important resources used by non-native English speakers, in this case, Brazilians, to learn the language by themselves.

According to Holec’s (1981) definition, autonomy is “the ability to take charge of one’s own learning” (Holec, 1981 apud Collins 2008:531). Also, it is important to bring up that “In Holec’s view, autonomy is then a result of critical reflection and the capacity to make conscious decisions about one’s learning.” (Collins, 2008:531). In contrast with Holec’s definition, Little (1991) has a more psychological point of view about it

a capacity for detachment, critical reflection, decision-making, and independent

action. It pressuposes, but also entails, that the learner will develop a particular

kind of psychological relation to the process and content of his learning. The capacity

for autonomy will be displayed both in the way the learner learns and in the way he

or she transfers what has been learned to wider contexts (Little 1991:4 apud Magno e Silva 2008:473).

Now, going into the reasons to be a digital learner or an “e-learner”, the low cost of it could be the protagonist to be one, especially in case of Brazil, where the majority of people has no financial conditions for paying monthly an English course. The other one is that, learning through internet can be more attractive and even more interactive than in a classic classroom. People who have difficulties to express their English can overcome this by chatting with foreign friends. Administering the time is other point considered positive to this kind of learner. Such points are substantially represented on Reeve’s (2005) purposed schemes.

The web could be taken as an interesting and rich place to study languages in general. They go from the slangs to the formal style and it is an important enhancement for the learning. On the internet, there are several medias that could have a positive interference on the formation of a new speaker. However, as pointed out in Collins’ (2008) essay, an indirect social contact could not develop the capacity to critical views and reflections (apud Benson 2001).

The advantages of being an “e-learner” are many, but the negative aspects might break the process. The social aspect is the main one. A person that is in a learning process has to be in touch with other people to contextualize what he/she has been learned through the web. Otherwise, it will not make sense. It is important to keep both resources together and have people that can help in a professional way, being on the web or personally, but doing that in order to stimulate the “autonomous outcome of the student.” (Magno e Silva 2004:474).

 Besides all this, the most important thing to highlight is that there is no learning without a truth self engagement and motivation: “The behavioral intensity, emotional quality, and personal investment of a student’s active involvement during a learning activity.” (Reeve 2005:39).

REFERENCES

COLLINS, Heloisa. Distance learning, autonomy development and language: discussing possible connections. DELTA,  São Paulo,  v. 24,  n. spe,   2008 .

SILVA, Walkyria Magno e. A model for the enhancement of autonomy. DELTA,  São Paulo,  v. 24,  n. spe,   2008 .

REEVE, Johnmarshall How Teachers Can Promote Students’Autonomy During Instruction:Lessons from a Decade of Research, 2005, Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association, Annual Conference