A Study Of Influence Of Research-based Teaching Mode On Students’ Learner Autonomy In A Vocational College

Learner autonomy has attracted more and more attention since the publishing of Autonomy in Foreign Language Learning written by Holec in1981. However similar research has rarely been found as regards the influence of a teaching mode on students’ learner autonomy, especially that of the research-based teaching mode.Against such a research background, this study was designed to investigate the research-based teaching mode’s influence on vocational students’ learner autonomy. The ultimate goal of the study was to help push forward the implementation of research-based teaching mode so that the teaching could be conducted to the desired effect. For this purpose, this study seeks to answer three research questions:(ⅰ) What are the differences between research-based teaching mode and the traditional one in promoting students’learner autonomy?(ⅱ) What are the different influences of research-based teaching mode on students’ learner autonomy in relation to different English levels?(ⅲ) Why do the influences of research-based teaching mode on higher students differ from those on lower students?The theoretical framework adopted in this study was based on the constructivism and humanism. This study employed the mixed design of quantitative and qualitative approaches. For the quantitative part, a pre-experiment survey, a one-semester experiment and a post-experiment survey were conducted. Subjects were two intact classes of63students. Based on the pre-test, the two classes were grouped into control class (CC) and experimental class (EC). The treatments were the research-based teaching mode and traditional teaching mode used for EC and CC students respectively. The same questionnaire was used before and after the experiment, and the data were analyzed with SPSS17.0. Meanwhile the students in EC were divided into higher group and lower group according to the scores of national college entrance examination. And the data were collected and analyzed with SPSS17.0.For the qualitative part, interviews were made after the experiment. Six students were selected for the interviews and stratified into higher and lower levels.The data analysis generated the following results:Firstly, compared to the traditional teaching, research-based teaching is more effective in improving students’ learner autonomy, especially in students’ situation dimension which contains five categories:identifying objectives, formulating objectives, implementing learning strategies, monitoring learning strategies and monitoring learning process, with the implementing learning strategies at the top (P=.023), while in students’ attitude dimension which contains learning responsibility and the role of teacher, the difference is not so significant (P=.325;.407).Secondly, research-based teaching is effective on both the students with higher language level and those with lower language level although the influence exerted on higher students is more powerful, especially in implementing learning strategies and monitoring learning strategies categories in students’situation dimension (P=.001;.002).Thirdly, in implementing learning strategies and monitoring learning strategies categories, there is a significant difference in the higher students group, but not in the lower students group because the former can freely choose learning strategies under the research-based teaching mode while the latter is not willing to pay more attention to English learning compared to the academic curricula.Fourthly, in both the higher and the lower students, a significant difference cannot be found in the categories of identifying objectives, formulating objectives, monitoring learning process, learning responsibility and the role of teacher. But the reasons from the two groups are different. For the higher group, the reasons are as follows:(ⅰ) They pay much more attention to the examination, so they ignore the ultimate goal of learning.(ⅱ) One term is not enough to arouse the significance in the monitoring learning process category.(ⅲ) They have no enough confidence to take the learning responsibility.(ⅳ) Now they have not adapted themselves to the changes of the teacher’s role. As for the lower students, the reasons can be concluded as follows:(ⅰ) They think the teaching objective is up to the teacher.(ⅱ) Even if they know there is something wrong with their learning process they have no perseverance to correct it.(ⅲ) Their motivation of learning is not strong enough for them to be always initiative in taking the learning responsibility.(ⅳ) The heavy load of learning makes them want the teacher to do more.The major findings generated from this study may have some pedagogical implications:Firstly, teachers can fully understand research-based teaching mode’s importance in fostering students’learner autonomy, especially in identifying objectives, formulating objectives, implementing learning strategies, monitoring learning strategies and monitoring learning process categories, thereby improve students’ learner autonomy. Secondly, teachers should pay more attention to the lower students in implementing learning strategies and monitoring learning strategies categories and the emotion factor should also be emphasized to strengthen their learning motivation. And for the higher students, more guidance and encouragement should be given to make them more confident in their learning.Thirdly, students with different language levels should self-examine their learning and improve their weak points so as to facilitate their learning in the future. For the lower students they should autonomously take responsibility for their learning, while the higher students should set up the proper learning objectives.