EFL TERTIARY STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF LEARNER AUTONOMY IN THE OUT-OF-CLASS LEARNING CONTEXT: SITUATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

Learner autonomy has been one of the central aims of education because of its significant role in lifelong learning. With the advancement of technology and the abundance of learning resources, students have many opportunities for learner autonomy development outside the classroom. However, the out-of-class learning context is under-explored in the Vietnamese context, and research about fostering learner autonomy in this context is also minimal. The current study aims to explore EFL tertiary students’ learner autonomy in the out-of-class learning context, filling this gap. The results of answers from 709 English majors in different universities in Ho Chi Minh City showed that students had average control in three dimensions of learner autonomy: situational, behavioral, and psychological. Even though students are averagely psychologically ready for independent study, they still lack autonomous learning strategies. Implications are then made for educators to guarantee the possibility of promoting learner autonomy in out-of-class learning.