University students’ autonomous learning of English through information and communication technology

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have transformed the process of teaching and learning foreign languages, especially English, which is fundamental for academic and professional development. The primary objective of this study was to investigate how the use of Information and Communication Technologies facilitates the development of autonomous learning of English as a foreign language among university students. The research was conducted using a quantitative approach with a descriptive character and employed a non-experimental design. The sample consisted of 276 undergraduate students enrolled in the Foreign Languages degree at the National Autonomous University of Honduras during the first semester of 2025. As an instrument for collecting information, a questionnaire containing 33 items was used, distributed across seven dimensions. The collected data were processed and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 30.0 software. The main results reveal a paradox in the use of Information and Communication Technologies for autonomous learning of English as a foreign language: although students exhibit positive attitudes and high technical self-efficacy, gaps remain in self-regulation skills and the productive use of tools. An apparent disconnect is detected between instrumental competences (the use of information and communication technology tools) and social competences (participation in digital environments through the use of ICTs), as well as a limited intrinsic motivation that does not arise spontaneously from access to and use of technology in the academic field.