Promoting Students' Autonomy Through Online Learning Media in EFL Class
Promoting Students' Autonomy Through Online Learning Media in EFL Class
4; 2020
Received: July 2, 2020 Accepted: July 20, 2020 Online Published: July 21, 2020
doi:10.5430/ijhe.v9n4p320 URL: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n4p320
Abstract
The trend of teaching English as foreign language in 21st century has changed from teacher centered to students
centered paradigm which results the need of students’ autonomy in learning process. Then, this research was aimed
to depict how the schoology as e-media to promote 25 VII A class students’ autonomy in learning English as foreign
language (EFL) in discourse analysis course. This was a case study qualitative research by applying triangulation of
the data. The results of this research mentioned that schoology successfully promoted learners’ autonomy by
considering some facts such as students active participations through logging in and commenting others’ idea;
students’ control on deciding learning modes, setting, and materials; and students’ enthusiasm to finish the lecturer’s
challenges. One unique thing was that shy students were more active in Schoology. Finally, this research suggests to
present schoology in teaching content course.
Keywords: autonomy, EFL, English discourse analysis, online learning media, schoology
1. Introduction
The trend of teaching English as foreign language in 21st century has changed from teacher centered to students
centered paradigm which the request students readiness to be the agent in learning process (Ardi, 2017). This shifting
demands the lecturers in tertiary education level to equip students with the attributes including technology and digital
literacy, critical thinking, being autonomous learner, and able to solve problem. Furthermore, the most essential
property for students is being autonomous learner (Holec, 1981). The characteristics of being autonomy in learning is
having the ability to manage someone’s own learning which then it influence the emergence of independent mentality.
Huang & Benson (2013) states that this needs to be in boosted as one of English educational goal since students are
mostly using the language without the guidance of lecturers. In addition, autonomy is pivotal aspect for lifelong
learning in real life because students are engaged in real situation with its freedom of opinion sharing and become the
decision makers after graduating the academic level pursuit. Furthermore, being autonomy is not merely appear
without the designed situation through training, but there is connection between students and managed situation or
designed society (Benson, 2011). Moreover, Chia (2010) states that the teacher has power to control the learning
environment which may be used as place for exercise to lead students’ autonomy.
Discussing the context of teaching English in Indonesia where English is known as foreign language or EFL and also
there is still some traditional convention in developing tradition inside teaching and learning, the English classroom
still shape students’ behavior to be dependent to the lecturer and less autonomous. The Asian students are mostly
obedient, dependent to teacher, and not active or passive (Nakata, 2011). This due to the traditional belief that
lecturer is the center of knowledge and becomes the most knowledgeable person in class. Also, there is a belief that
no students are able to confront the lecturers’ ideas. Furthermore, the inappropriate match of students’ understanding
on learning science must always be under the supervision of teacher hinder students’ creativity to inquire knowledge
by themselves. Implicitly, the classroom in Indonesia context has shown high power and authority between teacher
and students (Littlewood, 1999).Consequently, to make students are able to adjust themselves with need of education
in 21st century, a set situation in class the promotion of autonomous learning skill is needed.
In designing the learning space that promotes autonomy, lecturer may employ the benefits of technology as one of
literacy skill that is pivotal in 21st century and industrial revolution 4.0 era. The sophistication of technology
development of web 2.0 and mobile 2.0 technologies have led the proposal of autonomy in learning English as
foreign language since it gives more opportunities for learners to manage their learning. As mentioned by Villanueva,
Ruiz-Madrid and Luzón (2010) that technology trigger development to learn and practice the exercise more by
preparing more accesses to the authentic materials as learning sources, increasing possibility to interact between
users and any sources, boosting metacognitive ability as self-experienced learning, and sharing information and
discussing essential topics. Technology improves students‟ accessibility to new scientific inquiry approach, students‟
self-directive mentality to control the learning till reaching the targeted achievement, and develop students with
collaborative and cooperative self-directed learning as well as promoting independent learning (Benson, 2011).
Another benefit of using technology in EFL setting is enabling students to learn across time and space (Wang and
Heffernan, 2009). The conventional idea of learning mentions that the only place to learn English is only inside the
classroom. The use of Web 2.0 technology allows learners‟ mobility in learning which reults minimizing the
teacher‟s intervention, providing a lot of spaces possibility to accomplish job by themselves, creating links with
partners or classmates to create collaborative learning model, and creating chances of both inside and outside
learning experiences. Mohanty (2009) stated that the university will be outdated when they do not give access to new
approach in language learning and exercises with technology.
The use of Web 2.0 technology to boost students‟ autonomy in learning English has been popular in some countries
outside Indonesia. The research that used Blog as e-media for language learning has shown the it is very effective to
promote students‟ autonomy which was reflected by students‟ cognitive skills improvement on language and students‟
independence to choose the solution as well as the appropriate action to solve the problem (Bhattacharya and
Chauhan, 2010). Another one is a research which was done by Snodin (2013) that mentioned CMS were able to
initiate autonomous learning for Asian students.
Another benefit on the advent of technology in industrial revolution 4.0 is the development of School Management
Learning System (LMS). The LMS is used the resemblance of real school as place to provide education not in real
classroom building but in virtual spaces with electronic resources for learning. Furthermore, LMS is internet
operated system that allows user to explore more information and knowledge from many different locations in the
world. Hence, many institutions in various level of education have implement LMS for online learning, flipped
classroom model learning, and blended learning, or even extensive reading.
There are many kinds of LMS that are now popularly used such as Google Classroom, Edmodo, Blackboard, and
Schoology. Each of them has strength and weaknesses in case of features and operation easiness. Then, many
researches propose Schoology as LMS e-media that provide best easiness to use, security for students safety,
effective to supervise students activity, sufficient for uploading big data of resources, easy connectivity to scientific
groups across platform, and teacher‟s practicality to develop test and discussion (Snodin, 2013).Schoology is
accessible in www.schoology.com as online classroom management system that make possible the teacher and
students to interact and do collaboration. This platform is applicable in any mobile and computer operating systems
although there is minimum requirement.
State Islamic University of Mataram or UIN Mataram has requested the lecturers to equip their classroom activity
with technology as ransom of the lack of infrastructures after being crashed by 7.0 SR earthquakes including the
lecturers in English education department of tarbiya and teacher training faculty. The discourse analysis lecturer
employed schoology as e-media to bridge or even to multiply the learning meeting in the form of blended flipped
class model. Hence, it is needed to depict the use of schoology as e-media platform in case of promoting students
autonomy in learning English especially discourse analysis course.
2. Literature Review
2.1 Autonomy in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning
Many ideas define what s called as autonomy, but the basic concept of being autonomous according to Holec‟s idea
is that the learners must responsible for their learning success (Cotterall, 2000; Vanijdee, 2003; Sert, 2006;
Sanprasert, 2009; Lo, 2010). Similar sound had been mentioned by Smith (2008) that being autonomous means
having ability to manage the learning for practical as well as theoretical background by themselves. Correlating with
the English as Foreign language learning, the learners are able to control and direct themselves to learn English
without being forced or directed by someone else, though there is still guidance which is situated inside the textbook,
institution learning objectives, syllabus, and many other manuals to achieve success in language learning (Smith,
2008). Another characteristics of autonomous learning or self-directed learning as suggested by Holec in Benson
(2011) is that it is usually happens to the learning with the mode of technology or in Computer Assisted Language
Learning (CALL), distance learning, and personal access learning. Since, not all learners are able to work alone with
the technology; consequently, it is needed that they should be equipped with the training and counseling strategies to
make them automatically able to use it. Then, this becomes the role of teacher or lecturer to be the trainer and
counselor to develop learners‟ autonomy.
Another characteristic that support the autonomy in learning is „relatedness‟ (Sanparsert, 2009). He connected the
autonomy to the needs of being related. The needs are including need of support, contact, and need to be in
community or being part of group. Connecting with the context of this research that happened in Indonesia as part of
Asia countries, Littlewoood (1999) stated that Asia society learning habit is suitable with the concept of relatedness.
The learners‟ need on being autonomy and being part of community becomes the focus of relatedness concept. In
classroom context, the teacher or lecturer and the students are required to be related or having relatedness (Andrade
and Bunker, 2009).
Adrande & Bunker (2009) mentioned another important focus to develop autonomy that is having freedom of choice.
In classroom context, the learners do not relying on their choice to the lectures input only. Later, Cotterall (2000)
stated that the basic need for learner in deciding the learning mode or style is not about being controlled by the
lecturer as decision makers, but they are fostered with the scaffold instructions to find their own choice.
The aforementioned ideas on defining what is so called as autonomy, the learners chance to practice to be
independence is pivotal to control their language learning. According to Benson (2011), there are three dimensions
that need to be controlled to promote autonomy. First, it is control the learning management. This means that learners
know when, where, how to learn their targeted language (Huang & Benson, 2013). Second, the control on learning
materials. Every learner has preference to decide which materials are fit to their learning objectives. Learners may
also explore more sources not only relying on materials that have been situated by the lecturer. Last, it is a control on
cognitive process for cognitive achievement that means the learners are able to manage their psychological factors
that influence the learning success such as their belief, emotions, and motivation (Benson, 2011). In order to be able
to control it, learners are required to think and make reflection on their language learning (Little, 2009). Referring to
various types of humans characteristics, learners may have different portions of those dimensions. This is because the
autonomy produces different forms for any individuals, and even the same person in different cultural context and
time (Benson, 2011).
2.2 Promoting Autonomy through E-Media
The use of media has been suggestion to foster learners‟ autonomy in EFL classroom learning. It is because media
help to boost learning not only inside real classroom building, but also outside the classroom or virtual learning.
According to Benson(2011), media can give ample linguistics and non linguistics input by proposing new approach
in displaying new language. One of the examples is that Indonesia and Queensland students are able to enhance
learning using QUPNet (Hoven & Crawford, 2001). It means that technology in this case is e-media was providing
significant role to improve language ability. In addition, it also motivated those students to be autonomy since they
could use their personal computers and gadgets at home to learn language and motivated them since e-media
provided easiness more than face-to-face (FTF) learning. Another research with the same mode of learning using
e-media that was email, Liaw (2010) implemented a cross cultural email project with bilingual or ESL pre-service
teachers in US. Using the email, the Taiwanese students had less intervention from the teacher when interacts with
the US pre-service teachers and they got many useful cultural information.
Another idea that supports the benefits of the use of e-media from mobile learning according to Sung, Chang, and
Yang (2015) is that it is quite effective to enhance learner‟s autonomy in language learning. The reasons are mobile
learning helped students to be personally control learning by deciding the preferable time, place, and pace. Also, it
boosts students‟ interaction and cooperative learning between teacher and students or even peers. Finally, mobile
learning provided wide opportunity to explore more sources to support their comprehension through internet. But, in
their research, they suggested that the teacher role to guide and assist students to use appropriate mobile platform of
important to gain better autonomy since mobile platform is only machine or software that is not automatically
improve autonomy. Otherwise, the students will be distracted with unrelated sources.
2.3 Schoology as E-Media for Language Learning
Schoology is one kind of Learning Management System (LMS) which provides online as social learning interactive
mode. This e-media platform has been developed by four students namely Ryan Hwang, Jeremy Friedman, Bill
Kindler, and Tim Trinidad in 2007. Lately, the users of this e-media have reached over seven millions from various
levels of education (Sarrab et. al., 2016). This platform is able to be access through www.schoology.com with all
kinds of browsers like mozila firefox, chrome, puffin, internet explorer, and safari. Amazingly, the latest gadgets that
have been installed with Android, Apple, and Kindle Fire are compatible to operate this e-media which improve the
mobility usage. The great achievement of the e-media platform was as the winner of CODiE award seven years after
it was launched publicly by SIIA as best software for K-12 and higher education (Schoology, 20015).
Schoology as e-media platform which is provided online give social and pedagogical experiences in learning. The
learners may have interaction as well as collaboration during learning. As the learning management system,
schoology has many features like organizing lesson starting from planning, action, and evaluation; having discussion
rooms; having folder for resources; and owning external link to grab more information (Sarrab et. al., 2016).
Furthermore, teacher and students may give comments on each post as well as giving batch for awarding students
and the students‟ attendance is recorded.
This e-media platform has been designed to have capability to present video, picture, document, and even website
link as the sources of learning. This feature is accessible for both teacher and students. Another sophisticated feature,
teacher is also given link to connect to other professional group or learning network that trigger communication and
sharing among experts and academicians from all over the world (Trust, Krutka, and Carpenter, 2016).
3. Method
The present study was a case study qualitative research involving 25 students in VIIA Discourse Analysis class at
English Education Department of State Islamic University of Mataram. Hood (2009) mentions that case study is
applied when someone needs to deeply explore a bounded system form an object or group as well as the context
where the social action occurs. In the present research, someone represents the lecturer, and the context means the
classroom and university. The data that were collected were from multiples sources of information (Creswell, 2017).
The data were categorized into the following topics: Firstly, students‟ activities such as their log in process and their
interactions inside the e-media were observed to signal the outside classroom learning process. This can be seen from
the data in analytics which is able to be checked anytime that the researcher observes monthly. Secondly, students
participations on giving comments on others idea in updates features which may be categorized as personal comment.
Thirdly, students‟ activity on fulfilling the lecturer‟s challenge on some topics in Discourse Analysis. Fourth, students‟
comments as reflection of the use of schoology as medium to develop autonomy. Fifth, students‟ control on cognitive
achievements. Furthermore, all data are elaborated to grab deeper understanding and directed to meet the discussion
on promoting autonomy in learning (Benson, 2011).
After that, the triangulation was done to analyze them (Duff, 2008). Triangulation was implemented in order to
broaden and deepen the possible look of a variable from different angle (Hood, 2009). The Discourse Analysis class
was designed by applying blended learning model both real classroom meeting and online learning using schoology.
The aim of the present research is depicting the implementation of Schoology as e-media learning management
system helps students to be autonomous in learning Discourse Analysis not only in real physical class but also in a
space beyond their classroom or virtual class. The course has been aimed to help the students to grab the basic
knowledge of Discourse Analysis including the theory of discourse analysis to make them aware of the complexity
and functions of language so that they can analyze texts in various contextual environments with various activities
such as group discussion, individual text analysis through mini research, presentation using paper and electronic
media, and analyzing the published research article in field of discourse analysis.
4. Results and Discussion
Schoology has many features that makes ease the students to manage their learning period and model. The
followings are data that were collected as findings in the present research that indicated the increasing autonomy of
students in learning discourse analysis from schoology.
4.1 Students’ Active Participation inside Schoology
Schoology has shown both combination of being social users and pedagogy students which then influence students‟
enthusiasm to be active in using it. It is more flexible and applicable compared to another LMS and also social media
like facebook, friendster, instagram, and others. The students‟ enthusiasm to engage themselves in using schoology is
able to be seen from the activity analytics as seen in course analytics in figure 1 as one of features in schoology
which is provided for teacher to supervise the students participation.
the virtual classroom. When students used handphone or any other mobile devices, they were spoiled by the ability to
connect with other to communicate, share, and discuss something as long as their internet connection without being
limited by space and time boundaries. Collaborative learning and the interaction between students develop autonomy
in learning (Murray, 2014). In discourse analysis class, the students might do collaboration in the form of group
discussion though sometimes they were from different classes. The student had admitted this as in the figure 3 as
follows:
Figure 6. The students‟ reflection on learning without time and space limitation
Second, as the LMS which has flexibility in providing students with many types of uploaded files as sources,
schoology gives freedom for students to decide their preferred learning modes. Since they could learn not only what
is provided inside the real classroom, the students could choose the best ways of learning that match with their
preference. Gadgets and any mobile devices allow their users including students to customize and adjust their
English language learning (Sung et. al., 2015). The freedom to choose personal learning mode becomes very
important and meaningful. When students are able to decide the best suit mode of English language learning for
themselves, it means that they have a capacity to manage autonomously their learning (Huang and Benson, 2013).
Furthermore, this research has found that students in discourse class had ability to choose the best mode of learning
as in figure 7.