Integration And Implementation Of Web-Based Instruction To Enhance Fl Students' Learner Autonomy

This thesis reports on an empirical study of the learner autonomy in web-based instruction, which is conducted with a group of college students in Zhejiang Guangsha College of Applied Construction in China. The thesis proceeds by providing an overview of previous researches on web-based foreign language teaching at domestic and international levels, discussing that interaction can be used to overcome the negative impact of transactional distance in web-based instruction on learner autonomy, and exploring the theoretical rationale for learner autonomy in web-based environment. Interaction and Holec's goal-setting, learning strategies and evaluation are the research basis on which questionnaires and interviews are made in order to identify the characteristics of learner autonomy in web-base instruction. The empirical study involves 63 non-English major college students in the web-based language course for 12 weeks. The results of the research have shown that the students show the stronger positive attitudes towards web-based autonomous English learning, but they display the moderate frequency of web-based autonomous English learning behaviours. In contrast with the male students, the female students are more aware of autonomous learning and at same time are willing to make more efforts to do autonomous learning. The results of the research have also supported the fact that the web-based language course affects changes in learner attitudes towards web-based autonomous English learning at statistically insignificant level and influences changes in goal-setting, learning strategies and evaluation at statistically significant level. Teacher support, constructivist pedagogy and web-based learning environment can enhance the students'learner autonomy, and the students'misconception of learner autonomy and inappropriate group arrangement can hinder the students'learner autonomy. The thesis also presents the theoretical and pedagogical implications that web-based instruction should be designed to create interactive learning environment, to promote collaborative learning, to offer affective support and to enhance development of students'learner autonomy.