This article analyzes the concepts and characteristics of autonomy, autonomous learning and self-regulated learning, the ways in which they can be favored in students, the conditions that benefit or hinder the development of this type of learning, as well as the function and contribution they have in the learning process; finally, an intervention proposal is presented in order to reorient teaching practices. The objective was to investigate the factors of formal and non-formal learning processes that affect autonomous development, promoters of independent learning and self-efficacy beliefs, as well as the meanings and practices that teacher-students have around this type of learning. This work is the product of a mixed methodological approach research that addresses the postgraduate level students of the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (Mexico) who are teachers of basic education. Among the findings we identify a clear relationship between the type of education, the parenting discipline and the development of an academic autonomy, so we presume that the educational aspiration to train autonomous subjects is not the exclusive responsibility of the school, however, the teaching practice has great relevance in promoting autonomous development processes.