





































Education, Language and Sociology Research 

ISSN 2690-3644 (Print) ISSN 2690-3652 (Online) 

Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr 

1 
 

Original Paper 

Exploring Dimensions of Learner Autonomy: An Ecological 

Perspective 

Sonia Sharmin1 

1 Department of English, Islamic University, Bangladesh 

 

Received: March 1, 2024         Accepted: March 20, 2024      Online Published: April 3, 2024 

doi:10.22158/elsr.v5n2p1          URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/elsr.v5n2p1 

 

Abstract 

A shift from a focus on the learner as an autonomous agent to one that places greater emphasis on the 

learner’s relationship with their learning environment is a hallmark of learner autonomy. Learning 

settings are complex, with many aspects influencing outcomes; metaphors like ecology shed light on this. 

Ecological perspectives highlight the importance of students negotiating their environment through 

purposeful behaviours within interrelated contexts. Awareness, flexibility, and goal-setting are the three 

main tenets of pedagogy for autonomy. This perspective tackles societal influences head-on, highlighting 

the need of welcoming spaces and being creative to boost independence. In general, the ecological 

viewpoint deepens comprehension by drawing attention to the ever-changing relationships between 

students and their classroom settings. 

Keywords 

learner autonomy, ecology, learners, environment 

 

1. Introduction 

When someone wants to know what learner autonomy is, he finds this easy definition like ‘the 

ability to take charge of one’s own learning (Holec, 1981). The learner is totally responsible for all 

of the decisions concerned with his learning and the implementation of those decisions. Here 

learner autonomy indicates to “more a condition than the capability of an individual being” 

(Palfreyman, 2014, p. 370). For establishing literacy or creating a lifelong learner, the above 

“situation” and/ or “ability” seem to be worthwhile with a view to augment instruction, or to 

substitute instruction by lessening reliance upon instructors. Later on, it is reaffirmed that the 

completely autonomous learner acts on freely of textbook, classroom or teacher. This perspective 

concentrates on an independent and single learner compared to, qualities of teaching -learning 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr              Education, Language and Sociology Research              Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

2 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

surrounding that often seem to be indispensable. So, this learner-centred view of autonomy uses 

textbook, class environment, teacher as powerful obstacle to self- education. 

The argument of Benson (2001) settles on liberty from circumstantial restriction: “Personal 

autonomy is [...] a quality of the socially produced individual being. Individuals must strive to lead 

autonomous lives and society must strive to respect the freedoms that such lives require” (p. 18). 

Within this paper, terms like context, autonomy and learning are looked at from a more beneficial 

disposition like, what type of situations promote agency, and in what way a student interconnects 

independently with his/her situation? In the current age, learning context has been treated as a 

metaphor like ecology. Metaphor is used here to get a good understanding and conceiving of 

everyday aspect of life. (cited in Palfreyman, 2014) 

The usage of metaphor works like an opening of our knowledge of learning throw our attention 

from the rest. Action of human as a form of metaphor is taken as ecology. Following the ecology 

which is of two types like natural ecology (a river or a jungle) and a cultivated ecology (an 

orchard), is an organization of negotiating entity that prey on one another, battle with one another 

or at times strive in synergy. For instance, in the river, fish exist on nutrient element and across the 

river and using oxygen and nitrogen that are left from biotic. Here, nutrimental sustenance for pest, 

parasites and so on are generated by the garbage and the river creature. Similarly, the situation of 

learning is an approach, Following the similar manner, the situation of learning is order, drawing 

out the interconnection between teaching learning materials, instructors, learners and extra 

materials. 

The metaphor of ecology is to converse about the kinship between context and language. It 

focuses on the unlikeness of residents and the alliance between the residents’ dwellers formed in 

organic and linguistic ecologies. To define “the community psychology”, importance is given on 

some features of ecology that can be noticed in communal organizations (cited in Palfreyman, 

2006, p. 72). Among these four, the first one is interdependence: Various branches of eco systems 

are inter related, hence alteration in one portion of it brings a wrinkle impact on the rest (p. 72); 

and then the next one is ‘the recognition, progression, and distribution of wealth within order’ (p. 

72). After that, the equal opportunity suggested by the first assumption is an active one 

(inhabitants and process need to endure and modify to swapping situation’ (p. 72) and finally, it 

needs a historical standpoint that will investigate not the current situation but to the previous 

sources and subsequent results.  

 

2. Rethinking Ecology 

Though the lens of ecology metaphor, learning can be viewed in different manners. Here the 

framework of resources suggested by Palfreyman (2006) such as material resources like a 

computer, internet or textbook can be used by the learner, as well as, social resources like 

sufficient contact with a role model like elder sibling or native speaker are used. Needless to say, 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr              Education, Language and Sociology Research              Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

3 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

only the existence of the resources in the environment of learners does not ensure their 

contribution to learning; different other factors moderate for learners’ intercommunication with 

these resources. For instance, a lexicography provides specific affordances like probable activities 

accessible in the situation to a learner, self-reliant of the learners’ capability to comprehend them.  

The idea of affordances has become very important in the theory of the usage of technology. 

Similarly, in traditional assets, it seems to be applicable. Like the technology, the lexicography 

contains pages with information of millions of words, idioms, phrases and expressions in a very 

chronological manner. The provided information works like a mentor so that learner’s acquisition, 

comprehension and production of a lexical item can be supported, but the content is an 

amalgamation of functional language as well as technical signs like phonetic transcription which 

urges for particular knowledge to decipher and to use it. The practicality of a lexicography of an 

individual pupil with his context relies on the motivation, skill and some other factors. For 

example, a student facing an unknown word in the magazine might not use of dictionary because 

of time constraint, unwillingness, even he might find the mistaken word, or incorrect meaning for 

the situation or might face problem putting the lexicon meaning to the situation where he meets 

the word; or he might misconceive the meaning or abbreviation. In the same way, aspects start up 

when a male student who faces difficulty in using a particular grammatical item and, upon the 

existence of social resource like a girl classmate having a profound knowledge on it, he cannot 

find the solution. For instance, he might not know that she knows how to use grammatical item, or 

she might seem so busy that he cannot ask questions, in such a situation, in spite of existing social 

resources, the boy student might wait for the teacher to ask and not regard the classmate as a 

dependable one of guidance. A complete set of affordances that are to be selected and exploited by 

learners as materials are elaborately mentioned here. Specifically, the focal point will be enabling 

resources like human beings or printing texts; they ease approach to learning resources namely 

motivation and knowledge that comes up with straight to learning. The components acting on the 

capability of learners to reap benefits from the elements of the lexicography or the peers can be 

classified into (i) characteristics of activity situation, (ii) teachable learning skills, (iii) emotional 

variables. These components associate with each other. For instance, a skill cannot be utilized due 

to time constraint or due to learners’ reluctance regarding the asset of learning. Moreover, the 

variants related to psychology have an effect to a large extent by how the pupil realizes the context 

of learning, and this is not an individual-centred fact; in some cases, for some students, female, 

male, junior sisters, senior brothers, native speakers of L2 or even teachers might be regarded 

inaccessible or not suitable for access because they know nothing on the certain area or those 

people are not interested in or the learner may not love to confront them. Issues like these are 

found, on a small level, on the basis of individual behavior, but at a broader perspective, on the 

cultural or social notions regarding what is valid or usual behavior. There is another resource 

termed as discursive resources (Palfreyman, 2006, p. 75), where ideas are passed on within a 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr              Education, Language and Sociology Research              Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

4 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

social cluster via non-formal as well as formal conversation on teaching and learning. Through 

listening, participating, absorbing countless dialogues focusing on learning, language, institution, 

triumph in life, etc., a learner (vis-à-vis a teacher) collects concepts regarding learning advances 

particular attitude towards what is a chance of learning and what is not.  

Inter-reliance is a remarkable specimen of ecology of learning. The ecological process of learning 

concentrates on the situation of learning along with social, material as well as discursive resources. 

Knowledge and learning survive more in the interactivity with the real circumstances, and less in 

humans only: learning is not a partial approach, rather an integrated one: the learner or 

professional is recognized as a person in action and in situation. He is identified by a power of 

action and that action can be manifested through the context where the person exists. 

Learners could be identified as talented or untalented within a particular context, not in the 

abstract (Barab & Plucker, 2002, p. 182). The term “ecology” means an organization of humans, 

beliefs, custom, principles and digital tools in a local situation to refer to “a system of living 

beings, insights, and technologies in a specific community context”, providing instances like the 

ICU in hospital, Xerox machine by self-service or a library. Looking the classroom as a centre of 

self-help might transform concentration from the perspective of teacher-domination to 

learner—domination following the situation as all inclusive, where diverse participants, their 

objectives, goals materials and interconnection are stressed. Situation of learning can be set out at 

different stages such as a pair, a cluster, a group, a family, an institution, a locality, a society. The 

ecology of learning refers to the sub-learning contexts from which learners grow up with 

knowledge after interacting at each instance of context. 

Learning from an ecological perspective consists of interactions among teachers, learners and 

diverse situations, communicated through their goals, actions and identifications, and the 

utilization of multiple materials. The components communicate in manners which might alter 

slowly or suddenly along with time. Hence, alteration in one portion of the process will bring a 

transformation to the other one, either increasing or decreasing from the early transformation. it 

will be observed in what way the individualistic idea of learner autonomy will be realized in 

learning ecology within the situations of non-formal as well as formal learning. 

 

3. Autonomy in Light of Ecology 

Not finding autonomous learners liberated from or released from their circumstances, rather how 

learners negotiating with their situation practice and foster autonomy will be considered. For this 

purpose, to overcome the challenge of the situation, the issue of ‘’mediated agency’’ (cited in 

Palfreyman, 2006, p. 25) can be incorporated here. The communication between institution and 

the real world will be addressed in a variety way so that learners can ponder, find out and discuss 

their problems in such a way so that that skill and capability can be transferred innovatively to 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr              Education, Language and Sociology Research              Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

5 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

other situation. For instance, the transformation of the skill is from the awareness of common 

sense to the activities of creative thinking in problematic context.  

 

4. Pedagogy for Autonomy 

From an ecological standpoint, learner autonomy just as “a capability for purposeful usage” 

(Holec, 1981, p. 81) in the situation of a multiple interconnected materials to reach learning 

objectives, will be contemplated. Purposeful refers to a special intention. One of the key factors 

here is awareness. An autonomous learner comprehends the material accessible to him. The 

awareness of availability becomes the foundation for him/her to utilize strategies of learning, 

meaningful negotiation with the situation that cover cognitive strategies as well as social strategies 

along with affective ones like confidence, attitude, motivation. Therefore, an autonomous learner 

will be ready to fulfill the plan, but not being unaware of his situation, inclined to be proactive.  

The core feature of an autonomous learner is the ability to contribute by designing material and 

finding material from the surrounding environment. Moreover, he will have the knowledge how to 

be flexible to new elements in the context, be capable to embrace the shifts of situations through 

finding novel materials or appropriating new modes of utilizing them. Learners need to know how 

to make active use of social elements. Similarly, learner’s identity well be upheld by finding the 

connection between the elements of the surrounding environment and his /her endevour to utilize 

it. Thus, repositioning herself in the eyes of the other reconstructs her identity.  

Undertaking a learning goal is another feature of autonomy. Having a goal supports the learner by 

giving direction to his experience. It contradicts with the endeavor of students who possess no 

specific goal of learning like being passed in a course or going with the course. This might be 

logical in their own terms, and might produce satisfaction for them. But they are never expected to 

take the lead in learning further. For autonomy in language learning, definitely the goal will be the 

ones related to linguistic achievement; for instance, making sense of songs or achieving a band 

score for proficiency test. Reaching any goal constructs identity for the learner.  

Going further from individual autonomy, the perspective of ecology supports us to invent how a circle 

or society may exhibit interconnected autonomy and eventually suits an organization of learning. 

According to other researcher (cited in Palfreyman, 2011, p. 76), “personal autonomy” that grows in 

the adolescent year, is comprised by two parts; (i) segregation from familial bonding and (ii) larger 

organized collaboration with fellow group. The fellow group gives help as well as compulsion to 

actively participate in the circle so that learners are ignited to foster autonomy. So far, our destination 

was ecological view of autonomy of learner as the purposeful utility in the situation of a variety of 

interconnecting materials to certain learning goals. At this point, the type of pedagogy that might be 

considered of promoting autonomy from the above-mentioned perspective is regarded. 

The way of fostering autonomy is to increase students’ awareness of the materials accessible to 

their surroundings, which can accelerate their learning. One foundational point for increasing 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr              Education, Language and Sociology Research              Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

6 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

awareness is utilizing the materials that learners have at hand (Barab & Plucker, 2002, p. 176). For 

this purpose, the usage of lexicography or digital materials to support them handling task. In the 

classroom environment, learners can be assigned with collaborated tasks problem solving 

activities, project with CLIL that can further develop their habit to tackle the similar type of issue 

in the real-life situation outside the classroom environment. Moreover, giving feedback on the 

provided resources and discussing on it will allow them to evaluate resources from their 

environment and select material for their own learning. 

Out of the class, a huge potential exists on the availability of materials that can support students with 

their decision making and performing activities. But these will help less to increase learners’ awareness. 

Following any podcast learners can practice listening and determine their performance as well as assess 

their progress. Even they can start writing on their own blog or their own page and go along with it. 

Learners can be directed to concentrate on chances to speak in English, to read magazines, or on the 

situations in which they write. Thus, after creating learners’ awareness about these things, they will be 

habituated in what to do, how and when to do and for what reasons. Thus, they create a habit of doing, 

rethinking, evaluating their insights beyond the class and look for occasion to produce the situation of 

learning. Thus, autonomy is fostered when ecology of learning is created. 

Pedagogy can increase consciousness of the surviving methods of learning. In addition, it extends the 

variety of students’ materials by focusing less scored or disregarded materials as well as assisting 

learners in choosing and positioning these in a diverse situation. After interacting in the same class on a 

certain project with different linguistic, ethnic and cultural students, learners can exchange and 

strengthen their perception of materials for learning. 

The core point of the pedagogy of ecology for autonomous learning is creating links between 

dissimilar factors of learners’ livings and to motivate them to find and produce innovative, 

analytical application of materials from one situation of learning to another one.  

After setting the scene of involving learners in classroom speaking, writing and discussion 

activities, teachers may attempt to recognize circumstances out of the class, where learners can 

exhibit a certain extent of autonomy. Upon the basis, learners’ needs may be given spaced and 

supported the whole class by letting them know what they can learn from the class and use outside 

it. The standpoint of ecology shows that the situation of learning is all inclusive, and everywhere is 

learning chances. Learners widening chances of learning through using lexicography, internet, 

negotiating with others, collaborating activities, discussing the possibility of materials for learning.  

 

5. Conclusion 

Using the world as a point of comparison to establish the learning environment for any level of 

learners is the ultimate goal of this paper. By identifying the predisposition and creating an 

ecology of learning, autonomy of learning can be ensured. When the notion of ecology is utilized 

in learning, it becomes very crystal clear that learning is a cyclical process rather than a straight 



www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr              Education, Language and Sociology Research              Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

7 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

one. Hence, ecology introduces us with the variety of elements like social, material or discursive 

characteristics of the situation.  

Though the approach of ecology multifaceted of instruments, diverse population and 

heterogeneous notion can be part of learning. For instance, a learner of one language who finds it 

difficult to get the meaning of another language, may ask for support from the learner of that 

language and engaging themselves in one activity they share their lived-experience. If any 

unanticipated element is found, researcher and educators can help teachers how to use them after 

modifying them. Even for multilingual communities and bilingual families, how community 

literacy can be developed through reading stories and telling stories, can be suggested by schools. 

For teacher development a good number of materials from the society can be utilized. 

The view of ecology points outs the mutual dependence of the materials as well as students. It 

clarifies that investigation and teaching go hand in hand to give us a glimpse of holistic approach. 

Learner is existing within a circumstance; so, everyone should concentrate on how learner is 

guided by the situation, how he is affected by his insight of the situation. At the same time how the 

situation as a complete one reforms the individuals and the communities, should be considered. A 

person of a context can be a resource of the other context. 

Mike Vermeeren (2022) argues that in the situation of ecology learners may attempt purposeful 

action of negotiating with the materials to reach the goal. Among many factors, the pivotal one of 

becoming autonomous is to be conscious of and able to create advantageous utilization materials, 

that can come up with learning crucial things like understanding, rehearse, identification on 

meaning, feedback on progress. Finally, the transformation of our knowledge on autonomy is from 

a highlight on the single person being liberated from the situation to the larger perspective of 

individual’s action within the situation as well as to the complete scenario of classroom 

environment, family, class, community, society where learning may take place.  

 

References 

Barab, S. A., & Plucker, J. A. (2002). Smart people or smart contexts? Cognition, ability, and 

talent development in an age of situated approaches to knowing and learning. Educational 

Psychologist, 37(3), 165-182. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3703_3 

Benson, P. (2001). Teaching and Researching Autonomy in Language Learning. Essex: Pearson 

Education. 

Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy and Foreign Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon Press. 

Palfreyman, D. M. (2006). Social context and resources for language learning. System, 34(4), 

352-370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2006.05.001 

Phil, B. (2022). Open Educational Journal. Autonomation, individualization and uses of space: 

Mapping out individual language learning environments. 

https://cushingterrell.com/author/mikevermeeren/
https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3703_3
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2006.05.001


www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr              Education, Language and Sociology Research              Vol. 5, No. 2, 2024 

8 
Published by SCHOLINK INC. 

Vermeeren, M. (2022). The Ecology of Education: Designing Optimal, Evolving Learning Environment. 

Education Expertise.  

https://cushingterrell.com/author/mikevermeeren/
https://cushingterrell.com/category/education/
https://cushingterrell.com/category/expertise/

