A Study On College English Learners’ Beliefs About Web-based Autonomous Learning

With a view to keeping up with the new development of higher education in China, College English Curriculum Requirements (Requirements hereafter) promulgated by Ministry of Education and effective as of January2,2004, provide colleges and universities with the guidelines for English instruction to non-English majors. Requirements explicitly states that colleges and universities should enhance learners’ ability to study autonomously and remould the existing unitary teacher-centred pattern of language teaching by introducing new teaching model with the help of multimedia and network technology.Web-based college English autonomous learning is demanded by keeping up with times and by implementing Requirements. It is a new teaching model on the exploring stage. So, it is a new issue for learners and college English teachers. In this new issue, learners are the focus. Requirements point out,"an important indicator of the successful reform of the teaching model is the development of individualized study methods and the autonomous learning ability on the part of students". Learners’ beliefs are of the utmost importance to the development of individualized study methods and autonomous learning ability. Positive beliefs will promote web-based autonomous English whereas negative beliefs will block it. Therefore, it is crucial to make clear learners’ beliefs on the initial stage of web-based autonomous English learning implementation, which is beneficial to prescribe the right remedy to the individual problems in the carrying-out process.In this study, questionnaire survey is the primary means for collecting data. The participants are117non-English major undergraduates from Guangxi Normal University. The web-based autonomous learning beliefs questionnaire is made on the basis of Cotterall (1999)’s autonomous learning beliefs questionnaire.The three research questions addressed in the present study are stated as follows:1. What are the general beliefs of college English learners about web-based autonomous learning in Guangxi Normal University?2. Are there any differences in web-based college English autonomous learning beliefs between the art majors and science majors in Guangxi Normal University? 3. Are there any differences in web-based college English autonomous learning beliefs between the male students and female students in Guangxi Normal University?Findings of the study can be summarized as follows:1. Under the present college English teaching and learning model, college English learners hold conflicting beliefs about web-based English autonomous learning. On the one hand, the college English learners by and large hold positive beliefs about English language learning and autonomous learning, and they are willing to shoulder responsibilities for their learning and are ready to learn autonomously in web-based learning situation. On the other hand, they have a low sense of self-efficacy and do not have much confidence in web-based autonomous English learning.2. There is no significant difference between art majors and science majors regarding autonomous learning beliefs in web-based college English in GXNU.3. There is no significant difference between female subjects and male subjects regarding autonomous learning beliefs in web-based college English in GXNU.Based on these findings, the thesis tries to put forward some suggestions for college English teachers and undergraduates:1. spreading teachers’roles in developing learner autonomy;2. stimulate students’intrinsic motivation for learner autonomy;3. emphasizing learning strategy training;4. forstering learning autonomy according to gender differences;5. enhancing learners’confidence;6. making proper learning assessment;7. changing student’s own roles in autonomous learning;8. converting student’s passive learning beliefs;9. being active after class;10. learning how to evaluate their learning.