Promoting Learner Autonomy in Generation-Z Engineering Students: ICT Needs and Perceptions of the Learners

Abstract

Learner autonomy is an essential skill for Generation- Z students irrespective of their backgrounds and disciplines. A survey entrusting the needs and perceptions of the students from an Engineering College in a rural region was conducted. The survey focused on two aspects, one on the use of ICT tools for the enhancement of autonomy and other on the perception of the students over the teaching-learning process and their expected needs from the teachers. Close ended questions with ‘Yes or No’ type of answers were obtained from the students for their use of ICT tools whereas Likert scale was used to measure their perception over teaching-learning process. The results show that the ICT tools were already used by majority of the learners in an informal manner that leads to autonomy of learning. The perception on teaching-learning process show the promising results on the role of a teacher while teaching which facilitates the learner autonomy.