Autonomy as Determinant of Prospective Learning: A Study of English Language Learners

Autonomy plays a crucial role in the enhancement of important learning qualities in the learners. In that line of thinking، this study was launched to discover how English language learners exposed to an autonomously managed versus teacher controlled conditions would respond to the learning determinants. Two classes of English language learners at Isfahan University of Technology، Iran were thus treated under the two learning conditions. On the closing days of the semester، they were administered a questionnaire constructed based on three action phases of learning، namely، forethought، performance/volitional control، and self reflection. The questionnaire statements were rated on the Likert scale. The data analysis revealed that autonomy to a large extent determines the learners'' views of learning. The class where autonomy was practiced showed a great deal of motivational boost or what is reinterpreted as forethought. The other two categories of learning، namely، their performance and self reflection، were also distinctly better perceived by the autonomous learners. The results point out the significance of preparing learners through autonomy for the prospective independent and critical learning.