A Study on English Majors'' Attitude toward Incorporation of Self-Directed Learning into a Conversation Class

• Main Authors: Ping-han Pan, 潘炳翰
• Other Authors: Mei-Ling Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/06673170837583082207

碩士 === 國立高雄第一科技大學 === 應用英語研究所 === 100 === With the growing awareness of the benefits brought by autonomous learning, self-directed learning (SDL) has become a trendy issue in modern language education. Researchers argued that SDL prepares learners for the best opportunities to develop problem-solving skills, to identify learning needs during the process, and to achieve academic goals (Benson, 2001; Gan, 2004; Gibbons, 2002; Takeda, 2002). Despite various advantages found in previous studies, there is hardly direct evidence to support the effectiveness of self-direction in the foreign language class in Taiwan. Particularly, it is unclear if classroom-based SDL could promote oral proficiency if students engage in the process of planning, monitoring, and evaluating their own learning in a speaking class. The purpose of the present study, therefore, is to explore the effectiveness of integrating SDL into an advanced conversation class targeted for college English majors. For this reason, the researcher and the course instructor co-designed a speaking class for 2 semesters with a weekly SDL session in the laboratory. Thirty-eight students were recruited to participate in the study from National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology (NKFUST). After the courses ended, the researcher conducted a questionnaire survey and oral interviews to investigate students’ perception toward SDL, their online research skills required by SDL, and their willingness to communicate (WTC) during speaking practice in class. The study yields positive results but with some cautions. First, the majority of the students held a highly positive attitude toward the use of SDL in the speaking class and generally thought SDL was an excellent way to expand their knowledge in diverse topics. However, only 37.2% of participants agreed they could control their learning pace effectively during self-study. Second, most students had a medium to high level of competence on using the online research skills required in the SDL course but seemed to show less confidence in their ability to evaluate the search results. Third, the majority of participants showed more willingness to talk to their conversation partners because of the preparation made during self-study. Besides, the cooperation among group members was found to be a crucial factor in classroom communication. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications are addressed.