Development in learner centered approaches in education has brought with it the significant notion of ‘learner autonomy’ which refers to the readiness of learners to be responsible for their own learning. However, this is an issue which is not independent of educational culture and context as context and culture construct the site within which the whole learning process takes place. Since autonomy depends on learners’ readiness to take charge of their own learning, it is dependent, to a large extent, on learners’ attitudes and perceptions of autonomy. These attitudes and perceptions, in turn, are shaped by the context and culture where learners live. Therefore, in any given context, it is necessary to assess the level of learners’ autonomy to predict the success or failure of a learner centered approach. This paper investigated tertiary level Bangladeshi learners’ attitudes and perceptions towards autonomous or independent learning. Data were collected from eighty undergraduates of the Department of English, University of Dhaka, using a survey questionnaire and focus-group interviews. The findings of the study revealed that learners share a highly teacher-dependent attitude and they perceive autonomous learning helpful only when there is a teacher to assist and guide them.
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Iram Mehrin (2017) studied this question.