Online self-access learning: A work in progress

Autonomy and self-learning are ongoing challenges for universities generally, and for their language centres specifically when it comes to language learning and acquisition. The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia has always paid attention to both fostering autonomy in its learners and developing customized language learning activities. Among all the activities the Language Centre deals with, we include self-access learning, through the establishment of proper laboratories, and traditional-teaching support measures, through the use of Moodle, as means to reach out to several non-attending students with supplementary materials. Although the Language Centre staff has been able to successfully complement teaching activities in class using Moodle, there was also a tendency to keep self-access learning within the physical barriers of its room, thus almost obliging users to go there to find language assistance and materials. However, a natural change in learners’ academic attendance and needs has lately led the Language Centre staff to rethink the whole idea of self-access learning, by having it transcend its walls and find a home online. Exploiting some of Moodle’s characteristic features – i.e. accessibility, flexibility, and customization – in the academic year 2018–2019, a new project will be piloted which will give learners the chance to get in touch with the language adviser via the web in order to receive counselling on language matters, and to find a network of extra services such as: Through these tools the Language Centre hopes to expand its range of self-learning activities so as to meet learners’ new expectations and attitudes.