Investigation Of Self-efficacy In Web-based Self-regulated English Learning

Self-regulated English learning can be affected by many factors. According to social cognitive theory, it could be affected by learners’internal factors, behavioral factors and environmental factors. Personal factors mainly include self-efficacy, learning strategies, goal setting, attributions and emotion. Self-efficacy, one of the motivation factors of self-regulated English learning, plays an important role in influencing self-regulated English learning. It influences not only students’goal setting, effort and self-control, but also influences their use of English learning strategies.In view of the crucial role of self-efficacy in self-regulated English learning and the web-based English audio-visual classes in Southwest University, the present study intends to investigate the current situation of non-English major college students’ English learning self-efficacy in web-based environment and its relationship with students’individual differences in gender, major, English learning time after class, web-based English learning experience and attitude towards web-based self-regulated English learning, identifying the main sources and influencing factors of web-based English learning self-efficacy from the perspective of Social Cognitive theory. It attempts to improve students’self-regulated English leaning in web-based environment by improving their English learning self-efficacy. This study was conducted with the help of the two questionnaires answered by100non-English major college students from Southwest University. The data collected from the two questionnaires were statistically analyzed by SPSS17.0and Microsoft Excel. The study reveals the following results:(1) The current situation of non-English major college students’web-based self-regulated English learning self-efficacy is just above the medium level.(2) Students’personal factors, such as English learning time after class, web-based English learning experience and attitude towards web-based English learning, have great influence on their web-based English learning self-efficacy. Students’self-efficacy changed with the time they spent on web-based English learning after class. The more time they spend on English learning after class, the higher self-efficacy they have. Moreover, those who hold a positive attitude towards web-based English learning have higher sense of self-efficacy than those who not. What is more, they will exert more effort on web-based English learning.(3) The four specific factors concerning web-based English learning self-efficacy, that is students’perceived confidence in achieving web-based English learning goals, perceived capability, perceived effort and environmental feeling, are closely related to students’web-based English learning self-efficacy and they do influence students’ English learning self-efficacy in web-based environment.(4) Apart from the four main sources proposed by Bandura, other sources such as the use of learning strategies, hardware and software facilities, computer using skills etc. also exert great influences on students’web-based English learning self-efficacy.Based on the results of the study, the author proposed some suggestions to improve students’self-regulated English learning self-efficacy in web-based environment by improving the conditions of computer network facilities and students’computer using skills, providing positive instructions and applying multiple teaching evaluations.