Promoting Autonomous Learning Through TBA: Qualitative & Quantitative Data from A Longitudinal Study YIN Zhuhui, LIA

1. Promoting Autonomous Learning Through TBA: Qualitative & Quantitative Data from A Longitudinal StudyYIN Zhuhui, LIANG Shuxinteachersofenglish@yahoo.com.cn

2. StructurePart I: Autonomous learning in China higher education Part II: TBA facilitates autonomous learning Part III: The present study Part IV: Discussion Part V: Conclusion

3. Part I:Autonomous Learning in China Higher Education Autonomous learning: An End but Not A Means • Interpretation & conditions for autonomous learning • Factors that restrict autonomous learning in the context of China

4. Hollec’s Interpretation of Autonomous Learning:Learners set goals and objectives, plan for developmental stages, select proper methods and techniques, monitor the learning process and evaluate the outcomes. Conditions for Autonomous Learning: The use of learning strategies. Inventories of strategies: • Oxford 1990a: direct & indirect • O'Malley & Chamot 1990: cognitive, metacognitive, & socio-affective

5. Factors that restrict autonomous learning in the context of China(Chen 2006) • Traditional Chinese culture • Technical problems. • Learners learning style and attitude.

6. Part II. TBA Facilitates Learner Autonomy • The underlying principle. (Willis 1996, Nunan2000, Ellis 2003). • The macro consistence of task sequences. (Liu 2005). • The micro consistence of the four task components.

7. TBA In View of Autonomous Learning • Its principle requests learner-centeredness. • The “macro coherence” encourages learners to keep an eye on their progress and changes. • The “micro coherence” guides & engages learners with steps of learning how-to-learn.

8. Studies of TBA Facilitating Autonomous Learning in China Qiu (2004), Ren (2003), Qu (2005), etc.

9. Part III: The Present Study 3.1 Subjects: 62 English majors from two classes with the course of Advanced English. Ne=32; Nc=30 3.2Research Design: Preparation Stage Pre-test Stage 5 stages Experiment Stage Post-test Stage Data-analysis Stage

10. Sample Tasks & Task Features • Sample Tasks in Table 1 & Table 2 • Task Features: • Task series • Task types • Task contents • Task difficulty and complexity • Teacher & Learner Roles • Teacher Role • Learner Role

13. 3.3 Instruments • Questionnaire: 15 statements of learning strategies (Zhang & Li, 2004) • content validity: Focus on meta-cognitive strategies (Oxford,1990a：17, O'Malley & Chamot, 1990). • Reliability: high correlation between similar items • Interview • questions: To elicit factors affecting autonomous learning, e.g., motivation, the planning in learning, involvement in classroom and extracurricular activities, and so on.

14. 3.4 Data collectionTwo-tailed T-test (acceptance level .05) 3.5 Data analysis Questionnaire data (Table 3) • Pre-experiment: t=0.52 < Tsig=2.00 •  Post-experiment: t=2.72 > Tsig=2.000 Interview data (list of reasons)

16. Interview data:Reasons for the difference between the groups • TBA centers learners in the learning. • TBA minimizes the psychological stress in communication. • BA helps foster a sense of achievement. • TBA teaches learners how to learn with self-administration.

17. Part IV. Discussion • Implications • Problems

18. Implications • Linked-up sequences of tasks based on needs analysis • clarified task types and directions • change of teacher roles and intensity of teacher workload

19. Problems • How to assign tasks of different difficulty levels to learner of varied proficiency? • How to properly monitor the content and time of the oral presentations based on pre-class reading? • Shall certain tasks be combined with students’ socialization activities to avoid repeated work and enhance efficiency?

20. Part V. Conclusion Thank You for Your Time! teachersofenglish@yahoo.com.cn