Digital instruction and flipped classroom: Age and autonomy in the EFL learning context

The emergence of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has been a revolution in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning environment. Technological devices and the Internet have opened new teaching outlooks so students can learn synchronously or asynchronously. Moreover, the pedagogical use of ICTs is complex because it requires learners to be autonomous regardless of their age. This paper aims to measure students' Learning Autonomy at different educational stages in an EFL digital environment. Particularly, it addresses two RQs: (1) Does Digital Instruction show positive or negative results among EFL students at Secondary Schools in Spain? and (2) Do Age and Learning Autonomy af ect the ef ectiveness of the Flipped Classroom? The study took place at a Spanish secondary school with two groups of students with dif erent ages as the participants. Both groups followed the Flipped Classroom instructional strategy and a test was implemented to measure the students' Learning Autonomy. The obtained data of ered positive results in relation to Digital Instruction in the two groups, regardless of their age. However, results seem to prove that the degree of Learning Autonomy is higher among older students. Further research should analyse other variables such as motivation, digital literacies and learning strategies