An Empirical Study On Asynchronous Teaching And The Fostering Of Vocational College Students’ English Learning Autonomy

To cultivate students’ English autonomous learning ability is considered as one of themain objectives of teaching in the newly issued College English Curriculum Requirements.There is an urgent appeal to teachers and higher education administrative departments tocreate conditions to develop the students’ learning autonomy. However, many of the HVCSdo not have this ability，and they learn passively. Therefore, to develop their Englishautonomous learning ability is particularly necessary. Asynchronous teaching method issuccessfully constructed by Professor Li Shifa from Hubei University. It is a modern teachingmode that students become autonomous learners under the guidance of teachers. The authorattempts to introduce asynchronous teaching into English classroom teaching in HVC, in ahope to change the present situation to promote the development of students’ autonomouslearning ability and to improve their academic performances.This paper aims to provide solutions to the following issues:1. What are the problems of English autonomous learning in HVC?2. What are the factors that influence the English autonomous learning?3. Can asynchronous teaching method promote the development of students’ Englishautonomous learning ability?This paper is based on the autonomous learning theory，constructivism theory, humanismtheory and lifelong learning theory. The author made an investigation on the present situationof English autonomous learning in HVC through questionnaire and interview, and conducteda one-semester teaching experiment in two classes. Asynchronous teaching method isadopted in experimental class, and the traditional teaching method is adopted in controlclass.The experimental results show: before the experiment, students’ autonomouslearning ability is at a low level. Most of the students are in lack of correct Englishlearning motivation, learning subject awareness, and scientific and systematic usage oflearning strategies. After the experiment, students’ academic performances inexperimental class are improved obviously, and there are significant differences intheir English learning motivation, usage of learning strategies, and self monitoring andcontrol. These differences fully show that the asynchronous teaching can effectivelypromote the cultivation of students’ autonomous learning ability.