In the past, people generally assumed that increased access to information, facilitated by technology, helps reinforce learner autonomy. When technology had taken over and information became easier to access, everyone was shocked when they discovered that access to information does not necessarily lead to enhanced learner autonomy. The latter does not mean increased opportunities, but rather the learner’s ability, capacity, and desire to become responsible for their own education. Learner autonomy began in the 1970s in Europe and was classified as an inapplicable practice in different places, especially in Asia because Asian societies influence the educational/teaching process. In these societies, the teacher has the ultimate authority in the classroom, and together with the curriculum, they are both considered the only sources of knowledge. Through this article, I would like to discuss learner autonomy as an applicable concept and prove that it is not confined to Western society. Furthermore, I will stress the importance of independent thinking among language teachers and learners, and how they should not succumb to a false stereotype that was created by the society in which they were born and raised.
The ambitious Saudi Vision 2030, associated with His Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, was unveiled in the second quarter of 2016. Initially, people thought that the Vision focused solely on economic transformation by shifting the KSA from an oil-dependent Kingdom to a better-rounded economy. Shortly afterward, it became clear that this Vision sums up all aspects of the Saudi citizen’s life from education, health, culture, and economy. In terms of public education, the Kingdom is undergoing a radical change as technology has been combined with education, a necessary step triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. As for teaching English as a foreign language, another type of change was underway as many requested to incorporate technology in teaching English and encouraged self-learning, which has proven effective in many aspects.
Holec defined learner autonomy as the ability to take charge of one's own learning. The learner is responsible for the entire educational process, from identifying the goals, choosing the class subjects, setting the activities and strategies, following up on the language progress, to finally assessing outputs. However, Benson recently reformulated Holec’s definition and said that learner autonomy means the capacity to take control of one's own learning. Benson defended this definition as convenient for experimental research. The point of contention between the two researchers revolves around the theory of learner autonomy. Holec insisted that the learner should take full responsibility, while Benson asserted the importance of the “capacity to take control.” Holec separated the learner from the surrounding environment. He focused on the learner’s psychological context, while Benson based his theory on social context. Recently, the latter has become popular among those interested in this field.
The challenges of learning English as a second language using technology
Technology is not free of problems. English language teachers across the Kingdom noticed how their students lacked motivation when e-learning. The reason may be due to the low language proficiency of the learners. However, many studies have praised e-learning as an encouraging and attractive environment. Some studies have confirmed the effect of e-learning on the visual input of English language learners since the conservative culture in the Kingdom took into account user privacy. Therefore, the Ministry of Education has allowed students and teachers to turn off their cameras during virtual classes.
The problem was not limited to students alone, because teachers were also involved. A research summary by Dr. Fatima Al-Balawi found that English language teachers, especially new hires, are facing difficulties in applying effective teaching and learning methods, which in turn reflect negatively on the performance of male and female students in learning English as a foreign language. In recent research conducted on English language teachers in 99 countries around the world, the researcher stressed that what mostly worried teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic was the motivation of students. However, the rapid transformation to e-learning has forced many teachers and students from around the world to use new programs and applications that they do not master.
When the researcher tackled the challenges and difficulties that learners and teachers face during e-learning, the reader may have a negative impression of e-learning. But despite the negatives, there are many advantages to e-learning and we will demonstrate some of them. First, e-learning allows students and teachers to attend virtual classes anywhere and anytime. Second, e-learning is multi-faceted, since various devices and applications can be used to access the same service.
One researcher organized a survey for a group of undergraduate students within the Kingdom. The results of the research showed that students are more likely to use their mobile phones for e-learning, which facilitates their access to educational materials. Moreover, the survey confirmed that this environment grants students the liberty to study and complete their homework more freely.
In a related context, e-learning has built the confidence of language learners, especially introverts, thus enhancing student interaction. Furthermore, shifting to e-learning increased the possibility of learning English casually through extensive exposure to the English language, a method also known as casual learning. People who study English as a foreign language are more exposed to English materials through technology compared to face-to-face learning. English is the most popular language on the internet, accounting for 25.9% of the available content.
In conclusion, based on the information laid out in this article, as well as the social, cultural, economic, and political development in the Kingdom, I am almost certain that the concept of learner autonomy will witness great development, not only in language education but in the educational sector in general.
References:
Saudi Press Agency (SPA), 2016. Public Announcement / The Council of Ministers Approves Saudi Vision 2030. Available through the link: Public Announcement / The Council of Ministers Approves Saudi Vision 2030 - Saudi Press Agency
Aljaber, A. A. M. (2021). The reality of using smartphone applications for learning in higher education of Saudi Arabia [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Glasgow.
Benson, P. (2011). Teaching and researching autonomy in language learning (2nd ed.; first published, 2001). London: Pearson Education.
Elyas, T., & Al-Grigri, W. (2014). Obstacles to Teaching English in Saudi Arabia Public Schools: Teachers and supervisors’ perceptions. International Journal of English Language Teaching, 89274, 74–89.
Hakim, B. (2020). Technology Integrated Online Classrooms and the Challenges Faced by the EFL Teachers in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 9(5), 33-39. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.9n.5p.33
Holec, H. (1981) Autonomy in Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon. (First published 1979, Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
Kim, K.-J., & Frick, T. W. (2011). Changes in student motivation during online learning. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 44(1), 1–23.
Statista. (2020). Internet: Most common languages online 2020. Statista. Available at
