Students' Online Autonomous Learning: A Case of Higher Education

Online autonomous learning has been a desirable goal for various educational systems around the globe mainly since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Consequently, some learning platforms have been suggested and financed. The rise of online learning and emphasis on learner autonomy (LA) raise the debatable issue about online autonomous learning and teacher-less learning. To investigate this central issue, the study employs a meta-analysis research method to answer the five research questions: What are learners’ attitudes towards online learning? Does online learning develop students’ autonomous learning? Is autonomous online learning synonymous with teacher-less learning? What are the teachers’ roles in online learning? What are the learners’ roles in online learning? By analysing twenty recent studies and literature review papers, the current study argues that although online learning seeks and fosters LA, it is not merely self-dependence-learning, nor is it necessarily learning without a teacher. However, while teachers' roles transform due to the digitalization of learning, their involvement remains crucial. Moreover, this study not only clarifies the nature of online autonomy but also proposes new paradigms for teacher-learner interactions in digital language learning environments.