A Study Of Project-based Learning Model’s Effects On Non-English Majors’ English Self-efficacy

With the advancement of economic globalization and the acceleration of internationalized higher education,English has become increasingly indispensable for college students.Within the transformation period of college English teaching in China,the cultivation of college students’ English comprehensive competence has been underscored(Yu Weishen,2017).Under such circumstance,project-based learning model guided by the principle of “learning by doing”,meets the requirements of college English curriculum reform,and has proven to enhance students’ acquisition and application of language.Relevant researches and a series of project-based learning practices have been carried out in college English education(Zhang Wenzhong,2010).A number of studies have verified the effectiveness of project-based learning in various aspects,including improving learners’ learning motivation,strategies,and interests,etc.However,investigations of learners’ self-efficacy in project-based learning are limited.It is believed that self-efficacy is a crucial emotional element of learners,and it could strongly influence students’ general orientation toward learning process,substantially affecting their language learning(Wu Yuhong,2013).Project-based learning provides favorable conditions and sources for EFL learners to form positive self-efficacy(Mills,2009);however,domestic empirical studies which are aimed to explore the effects of project-based learning on learners’ English self-efficacy are rare;therefore,due attention should be paid in this aspect.This thesis reports an empirical study to evaluate English self-efficacy possessed by non-English majors through project-based learning.The subjects are from three classes implementing project-based learning at Southeast University,and the instruments adopted include questionnaires,interviews and course self-reflections.The present study tentatively aims to answer the following questions: How does non-English major college students’ English self-efficacy change through project-based learning? In what specific aspects does the change occur? What key features of project-based learning affect students’ English self-efficacy? Which phase of project-based learning exerts greater impact on students’ English self-efficacy?Detailed analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data has yielded the findings as follows:1)the overall strength of non-English majors’ English self-efficacy was examined at a medium-level,which remains to be improved.The implementation of project-based learning exerted a significantly positive impact on students’ self-efficacy.Among sub-scales of learners’ self-efficacy,speaking,writing self-efficacy,and collaborative self-efficacy were strengthened mostly.2)seven project-based learning features all have positive correlations with students’ self-efficacy,among which authentic problem-orientation,skills integration and real evaluation turn out to be prominent features affecting self-efficacy;3)the phase of preparing and presenting project results,which focuses on language output activities exerts a greater impact on self-efficacy.Based on research findings,suggestions for PBL pedagogy to foster students’ English self-efficacy are discussed: provided that three PBL features identified as the most powerful factors contributing to learners’ self-efficacy,teachers need to make salient these influential factors,and improve the secondary ones.Given the phase of preparing and presenting outcomes substantially stimulates students’ self-efficacy,teachers need to create multiple language output opportunities for students to experience and internalize success.To maximize learners’ self-efficacy,teachers also need to: a)when considering students’ proficiency level and learning interest,allow students certain learning autonomy,provide tutorials and targeted guidance in different phases of project,and perform effective supervising functions within the whole project process.b)when feasible,with the support of information technology,provide students with ongoing personalized instructions and evaluations in a consistent way;c)implement project-based learning as an extension of traditional teaching in small class.In conclusion,integrative efforts in different phases and aspects of the project are called for to construct learners’ positive affective learning experience and to guarantee the successful implementation of “personalized,autonomous,and IT-assisted” project-based learning model.