CHALLENGES IN BUILDING UP LEARNER AUTONOMY IN RUSSIAN UNIVERSITIES

The subject of the research is building up learner autonomy in vocationally-oriented language learning (VOLL) in Russian institutes of higher learning (IHL). In order to achieve this target, the authors made use of LMS MOODLE and worked out the stages that facilitate the process of learner autonomy formation. These include: the stage of self-diagnostics, cognitive and creative stage and that of evaluation and assessment. Throughout the course the students learn to set goals, make priorities and independent decisions. They become more motivated and focused on the individualization of the learning process, get particularly interested in their future profession and life-long learning, master the learning material much better and faster, get accustomed to acquiring innovative techniques and methods, developing different groups of skills which contribute to success in becoming mature and autonomous learners. The article analyzes the pedagogic conditions to be provided to help students get used to the new learning standards and environments. The authors believe that such pedagogic conditions as students’ high value of autonomous learning, students’ training to work independently in LMS MOODLE, teachers’ ability and motivation to implement MOODLE will help facilitate language learning and take full advantage of the LMS. Special emphasis in the article is placed on the notion of learner autonomy and the necessary groups of skills to develop learner autonomy. On the basis of the research which has been carried out for a number of years, the authors prove the fact that after completing the three above mentioned stages of the course, the IHL students tend to become more autonomous and independent learners who are better prepared and equipped to apply their new vision of the learning process to multiple areas of life.