Autonomous Learning Activities: The Perceptions of English Language Students in Indonesia

Autonomous learning is a process to be aware of taking control of learning. Yet, little attention is directed to exploring English language students' perceptions of autonomous learning. This study aims to explore students' perceptions of autonomous learning and students' proposed activities during the initiative, monitoring, and evaluation process in raising autonomous learning in the teaching-learning process. This study used a case study and a content analysis in the qualitative research. Seventeen students from the English language department of a private university in Pekanbaru, Indonesia participate using a structured interview in the study. The results revealed that the students perceived autonomous learning as fully independent learning, a learning situation with their own target, style, and strategies without teachers' assistance or without interference from outside parties or anywhere else. The activities students' proposed include getting assignments, getting the course outline, getting what students need, having guidance, getting innovative and creative tasks and activities, getting motivation, having feedback, having reward along with getting a warning, having a negotiation, having references of material, sharing experiences, checking students' performance, having an innovative project and getting regular measurements, doing negotiation, and doing publishing work. Yet, getting assignments is the proposed activity in all processes of learning. This study concludes with suggestions for teaching and learning programs that students' metacognitive knowledge about autonomous learning need to be improved since it enhances students' competency and learning autonomy, primarily in monitoring and evaluating along with teachers' support at all stages.