Fostering Autonomous Learning With the Aid of Online Technology

This article discusses some of the ways in which learner autonomy can be promoted with the help of online technology, as represented by WebClass (webclass.co). Although the system is rather teacher-oriented, in that its greatest merit lies in facilitating the creation, organization and assignment of materials and assessments, it also allows students to exercise their autonomy by making the best use of the available resources. Among other things, the system allows students to define their learning goals, communicate with the teacher and other learners, access (and edit) learning materials, take tests/quizzes, and monitor their progress.