The Effects of Self-directed Web-based Listening Activities on Listening Performance and Motivation

This study investigated the effects of web-based listening (WBL) activities for self-directed learning on listening performance and motivation perceptions toward WBL activities and English listening itself. The experiment included sixty-two university students in Korea who were instructed listening skills with one of two different WBL activities (pre-determined and self-directed). In addition, this study included different learning styles(visusal and aural) as one of individual and examined their influences on students’ listening performance and motivation when using each of two particular WBL activities. The results showed that the students with self-directed WBL activities outperformed on their listening comprehension tests no matter what their learning styles were, and both types of WBL helped students improve different aspects of motivation in terms of intrinsic goal orientation, control of learning belief, and self-efficacy toward listening. From these findings, the study concluded by indicating pedagogical implications for course developers and language instructors to promote learner autonomy and to create self-reflective (or metacognitive) instructions.