College Students’ Autonomous English Learning in Computer and Network-Based Self-access Center

Abstract

This study investigated how college students use the computer and network-based Self-access Center (SAC) to their autonomous English learning, with the aim of finding out the current situation of college students’ autonomous learning ability so as to make practical suggestions to foster their self-leaning abilities under computer and network-based environment. By investigating 329 students of non-English majors in College of Arts and Science, Jianghan University, Hubei, China, the findings are: (1) there is no significant relationship between gender differences and students’ perception of self-access center; (2) although showing positive attitudes toward autonomous learning in SAC, college English learners have poor autonomous learning ability because of extrinsic motivation when they are learning English independently. (3) the effectiveness of students’ use of the SAC can be improved by teaching students learning strategies, cultivating students’ awareness and abilities of autonomous English learning, shifting teachers’ roles, providing rich materials and creating a favorable English learning environment.