The effects of degrees of support for learner independence through web-based instruction and levels of general english proficiency on english reading comrehension ability of second year undergraduate learners

Abstract

The objectives of this study were 1) to compare the main effects of different degrees of support for learner independence, i.e. most support, semi-support, and least support through web-based instruction on Englissh reading comprehension ability of the students, and their effect sizes; 2) to compare the main effects of different levels of students' general English proficiency, i.e. high and low proficiency levels on English reading comprehension of the students, and their effect sizes; 3) to study the interaction effect of degrees of support for independence and levels of students' general English proficiency on English reading comprehension ability of the students, and its effect size; and 4) to investgate learners' attitudes towards learner independence through web-based instruction. This study took the form of the true experimental research design and had the 3x2 factorial design. Among the 108 subjects, 54 were high and 54 were low proficiency students. The subject compatibility was statistically ensured. The two-stage random sampling: cluster and individual random sampling was employed for the subject selection. The three groups of students randomly assigned to different degrees of independence based on the teacher's help and support received the learner training consisting of psychological and methodological preparations as well as the Web training. The findings revealed that 1) there was no significant difference among English reading comprehension ability of undergraduate learners learners learning through different degrees of support for learner independence by web-based instruction 2) there was a significant difference among English reading comprehersion ability of undergraduate learners with high and low levels of general English proficiency learning through different degrees of support for learner independence by web-based instruction, and the Eta squared effect size was 'huge' (n2 = 0.38); 3) there was no interaction effect of degrees of support for learner independence and students' levels of English proficiency on the English reading comprehesion ability, and thus no effect size; and 4) the attitudes towards learner independence of the high MS and LS groups were high, while those of the high SS group at the moderate level at the end of the course. The attitudes of the three low proficiency groups were at the moderate level at the end of the course. The study provided recommendations for teachers, educational administrators and researchers in order to apply the findings and to conduct further research on related issues.