An Assessment of ESL Learners’ Autonomy in Online Classes during Covid-19 at Postgraduate Level

Abstract

This study examined the multifactorial system of the autonomy of ESL learners in online classes during the COVID-19 period. The results showed that autonomous learning behaviors were significantly predicted by the factors of digital pedagogical affordability including the usefulness of online notes and other materials, use of social media websites, self-assessment, and flexible schedule. The methodology used by the researcher is quantitative, where data has been analysed using developed SPSS. The major observations of this paper have highlighted the specific infrastructure and policies-making to increase the independence of learners in online ESL instruction to make their contributions on the empirically based viewpoint. In addition, the results have highlighted the need to have specific pedagogical, infrastructural and policy interventions in order to maximize learner autonomy in post-pandemic, technologically mediated ESL-based instruction, hence, adding a valid and evidence-based voice to the growing discourse on digital language pedagogy.

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