A Case Study Of EFL Perceptual Learning Style In A WebQuest Learning Environment

Studies on Chinese EFL learners'perceptual learning style indicate that teacher-dominated learning environment as well as the way the students are socialized and educated in Chinese socio-cultural background has resulted in a disappointing fact: a narrow and constrained set of distinctive perceptual learning styles (e.g., Littlewood, 1999; Rao, 2002). The rise of modern humanistic teaching theories and new ways of teaching with technology seem to offer theoretical bases and practical solutions to the perceptual learning style problems with Chinese EFL learners. Among many new ways of teaching with technology, a potentially effective method to enhance and extend individual students'perceptual learning styles is teaching with help of WebQuest. Pilot studies have been conducted to explore the potential of WebQuest in meeting diverse perceptual learning styles of EFL learners (e.g., Marco, 2002; Perkins & McKnight, 2003; March, 1998), but few empirical studies have been found on Chinese EFL learners'perceptual learning style development in a WebQuest learning environment.To bridge the gap in this area, the researcher employed Reid's (1984) model of six perceptual learning styles as the conceptual framework for the research design. A qualitative case study was conducted on a group of 33 Senior One students participating in a semester-long WebQuest supported EFL learning project in No.10 Middle School, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. The purpose of this study is to explore a specific group of senior high school students'perceptual learning style development in a WebQuest learning environment. It is also the researcher's desire to discover what other factors facilitate or impede participants'perceptual learning style development. In the research, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The quantitative data were obtained from the perceptual learning style preference (PLSP) survey before and after the project while qualitative data were accumulated from a semi-structured interview, field observation notes and student products to gain insights into the process of learners'perceptual learning style development. The three major findings are: 1) Moderate changes have been found in the student participants'all six perceptual learning styles; this result may attribute to the limitation of project time and the stable nature of perceptual learning style.2) Major changes have been found in visual learning style, group learning style and individual learning style. For visual learning style, it went through advancement in diversified visual input and output; as for group learning style, progress found in group interaction, group interdependence, group motivation and group output. With regard to individual learning style, its development is typically represented in goal setting, self reflection and evaluation, independent action and individual output.3) Many other factors exerted impact on the participants'perceptual learning style development process. The facilitating factors include the satisfactory physical conditions of the multimedia lab, students'positive attitude, the instructor's good project management skills and technical back-up while impeding factors including the afternoon time schedule, the existing teacher-centered, textbook-based and exam-prioritized educational system, and some Chinese cultural norms.The findings of the current case study indicate that WebQuest learning environment has great potential to bring positive changes to the perceptual learning styles of the project participants. However, the effects of such online resource-based EFL learning projects still depend on project design, classroom management and adequate support from school administrators, technicians, teachers and students.