Challenges and Opportunities of Fostering Learner Autonomy and Self-Access Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has represented a substantial challenge to educators worldwide with almost no predefined plans to deal with the negative outcomes of such crises and emergencies. The closure of schools and universities has forced public and private educational institutions to look for alternative methods for students to continue learning and understanding the remaining syllabi. Since attending on-campus classes has become impossible, and congregating in public places has become limited, self-access and virtual learning have become popular teaching modes implemented through self-access platforms. This paper sheds light on the negative consequences of COVID-19 on L2 learning and the different pathways self-access and virtual learning provide to students who have been deprived of face-to-face instruction. It also outlines the opportunities and challenges of these digital learning forms and online platforms that enhance self-access learning. Moreover, this paper provides an analysis of the practical mediums that foster learner autonomy in L2 settings and the responsibilities of students, teachers, and educational authorities in facilitating self-access learning. This paper eventually proposes that disrupted classes do not necessarily mean disrupted learning when self-access learning is facilitated, appropriate training is given, and students’ motivation and autonomy are enhanced.

Commemorating One-Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Indonesian and International Issues of Secondary and Tertiary Mathematics Learning

“…Schleicher (2020) depicts that learning out of school has undoubtedly placed greater demands on students' autonomy. Students from university and all other school levels are perceived as autonomous learners who are responsible for deciding their own learning techniques and monitoring their learning process (Al Ghazali, 2020). By searching information from various online resources, students are able to gain the necessary understanding and knowledge to solve problems given by teachers or lecturers.…”

Best Practices of School Teachers to Sustain Their Students Learning During Crisis

“…Teachers should be aware of technical, cultural, and social challenges students might face and prevent interacting and being fully engaged. Teachers must contact students' parents and communicate with them to offer better learning choices [ 22 ] .…”

“…However, to implement a successful learning experience, teachers should be aware of the students' needs and select the appropriate strategies to deliver and construct knowledge efficiently [21]. Even though there is no agreedupon definition of a best practice, UNESCO describes best practices as having four common features: innovative, different, sustainable, potency to be replicated [22]. Good or best practice of online learning is defined as a method that seeks more effective than other alternatives due to its positive impact on learning outcomes [23].…”

“…Also, they recommended that teachers not only assume the role of transmitting knowledge but also play the role of an "accompanier" through effective communication with their students online and continuously providing attention and feedback. [22] mentioned that digital equity is one of the priorities that have to be considered during online learning. [31] also conducted a study to investigate factors of best online learning practices among undergraduate students and found that best practices include collaborative activities and students 'self-creation through support groups in discussion forums.…”

Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Mathematics Achievement? A Case Study of University Students in Social Sciences

“…Certainly, one reason is the specificity of the study areas and courses, making the findings more difficult to compare and generalize. University students are perceived as autonomous learners responsible for choosing their own learning techniques and monitoring their learning process [10]. In addition, students entering tertiary education are expected to have much more experience and coping skills than students at lower education levels.…”