The development and evaluation of a web-based college English outside reading system for EFL freshmen

Taipei County Hai-San High School Peggy516@hshs.tpc.edu.tw The main purpose of this study was to design a web-based English outside reading learning system for college students to study English reading outside the classroom by themselves. In addition to the main purpose, we explored the web-based learning system’s effects on students by comparing it with the reading of traditional printed materials. This web-based learning system included nine units whose topics were the life stories of nine contemporary celebrities. This study adopted a pretest-posttest nonequivalent group design. Control group students conducted English outside reading by studying paper materials on their own. Experimental group students studied the same materials in an asynchronous web-based learning system. The results of this research were that the group using the web-based learning system had significantly better English reading comprehension, higher English learning motivation, and greater learner satisfaction. Furthermore, most of the web-based learning students held very positive views of the design, presentation and functions of this web-based learning system.


Introduction
Experts consider reading ability one of the most important components of performance in a second language, especially in academic settings (Huckin, Haynes, & Coady;1993). As such, good English reading skills have become essential to Taiwanese college students. In Taiwan, every university offers some form of English as a foreign language (EFL) course for their students, with English Reading as the most common EFL course, nearly always a requirement. The traditional instruction method for English Reading comprises lectures focusing on students' syntax and semantic competence, but often neglecting students' synthesis comprehension (Wu, 2004). In addition, in-class instruction time for an English Reading course usually has a limit of two or three hours per week, and instructors spend most of the time teaching from textbooks. Therefore, it leaves little room in the schedule for extensive topic-related reading. Moreover, in larger English classes, teachers have difficulty addressing variations in students' learning tempos, and necessarily forego promoting self-directed study. Overcoming these drawbacks to broaden students' reading areas and improve their English reading ability constitute monumental challenges for university English teachers in Taiwan.
Assigning English reading homework for students to study outside the classroom seems like an efficient approach to extend students' reading areas. In traditional English outside reading assignments, teachers usually give students paper materials, and ask them to study by themselves. In doing so, both teachers and students avoid the restriction to available class time. However, the available learning materials, that likely offer limited information, and which developers cannot easily adapt to every student's ability, impose other restrictions on this method.
Outside reading is a self-directed learning activity that emphasizes independent study. Web-based learning (WBL) offers learners an independent learning environment, tailored learning material fitting individual needs, and is suitable for outside reading supplemental learning, in particular. Consequently, we decided to adopt the promising features of WBL to set up the Web-Based English Outside Reading System (WBEOR) to offer students a more adaptive English learning environment.
Web-based Learning (WBL) has distinct features such as hyperlinks, interactive group discussions, and a multimedia approach that constructs an open and attractive learning system. The benefits of attending WBL consist of its flexible accessibility, individual pace, assistive resources and absence of social labels. Learners can log into WBL class on a flexible schedule from anywhere and at any time. Learners can revisit course materials whenever they need, and pace the learning progress at their own convenience. Moreover, an abundance of study aid resources exist online, and this usually results in a higher learner motivation. Last but not least, lower-achieving learners will not feel labeled as less capable during their online learning process (Chen & Hirumi, 2004). All in all, WBL consists of a flexible learning environment with abundant information and multi-interactive mechanisms for learners to accomplish self-directed learning.
Web-based instruction's inviting features have made it a well-known option for application in English instruction. Much research has been conducted to study the applications of web-based EFL learning systems in primary schools, middle schools and universities. In university-based studies, most web-based EFL learning systems focused on writing courses (Chang et al., 2008;Chen, 2004;Daemmrich, 2007;Napolitano & Stent, 2009;Sue, 2006). Some found use in the teaching of English conversation and discussion (AbuSeileek, 2007;Chang, 2006;Chiu et al., 2007;Hsu, 2002;Liu, 2009). Some research analyzed how its presence affected the English learning achievement (Yang, 2006) and how the web-based learning environment affected learners' motivation and learning achievement (Chuang, 2002;Tanyeli, 2008).
Research regarding applications of CALL for EFL student English reading focused on two aspects: the use of glossing format and the acquisition of vocabulary (Liu, Moore, Graham, & Lee, 2002). By far the largest number of studies comprised the learning of vocabulary (Hubbard, 2009). However, some research explored the WBL system's effectiveness in EFL reading instruction, and found that would improve college students' reading comprehension and increase their motivation and confidence (Bartini, 2008;Tanyeli, 2008;Wang, 2005). On the other hand, some research found on-line EFL learning systems did not benefit students' English reading comprehension (Liu, 2007;Yang et al., 2008).
Review of existing studies comparing the academic performance of web-based learners to that of traditional learners reveals that no significant difference exists between the two (Liu, 2007;Kelly & Schorger, 2002;Navarro & Shoemaker, 2000;Thirunarayanan, 2001). However, some research indicated web-based English learning could promote learner achievement and satisfaction (Bartini, 2008;Tanyeli, 2008). As Liu (2007) pointed out, a majority of WBL on EFL reading system studies consisted of descriptive survey studies; however, experimental studies appear necessary. Therefore, the current study develops the WBEOR learning system to promote extensive reading among students, and also investigates its effectiveness on student reading performance, motivation and satisfaction in comparison to a traditional outside reading method.
Reading comprehension comprises a complex and active process of meaning constructing resulting from the reader's interacting with the text (Anderson & Pearson, 1984). This study adopted the interactive reading model to guide the WBEOR learning system's design. Heilman, Blair, and Rupley (1990) proposed the interactive model of reading, that readers employ bottom-up and top-down reading processes interactively and simultaneously during the entire reading process. The central notion of the bottom-up model regards reading as "a process of exact identification of letters, words, and ultimately sentences" (Lynch & Hudson, 1991). The top-down model describes reading as "a psycholinguistic guessing game." The reader's schemata -knowledge, experience, and concepts -construct meaning when brought to the text (Goodman, 1976: 498).
The interactive model of reading provided some implications for design of the WBEOR learning system. First, reading material should have closeness to students' background knowledge about the content and language. Second, the system should offer some mechanisms to activate students' prior knowledge. Third, in order to achieve reading comprehension, the system must offer some materials, practices or activities to help students connect their old knowledge with newly learned information.
Additionally, Hsu (2005) figured out the seven key components required to construct an EFL web-based reading system: (1) inquiring users' needs; (2) selecting appropriate materials, providing translations, designing interactive text, and supplying related hypertext links; (3) activating motivation by providing multimedia and predicting questions about texts; (4) providing learning guidance and the assistance of technology; (5) eliciting interactions by offering multiple communication channels with peers and instructors; (6) assessing performance by providing alternative tests and giving feedback in time; (7) enhancing retention and transfer by supplying related resources.
"What do we mean CALL improves his or her language?" Beatty (2003) suggested evaluation of learning efficiency, learning effectiveness, access, convenience, motivation and institutional efficiency of a given CALL system. We adopted Hubbard's criteria to evaluate the WBEOR learning system.

The present study
This study tried to integrate the advantages of WBL in developing a Web-based English Outside Reading Learning System (WBEOR), and set up an on campus e-learning platform for English Reading course students, enabling them to log in and fulfill their English outside reading, using online information. In addition, we wanted to explore the effect of the WBEOR learning system on users' English reading comprehension, motivation, and satisfaction, by comparing students using the WBEOR with those who only employed traditional paper materials in the outside reading method.
Four research questions represent the foci of this study: 1. Do students who adopt the WBEOR learning system perform better on English reading comprehension examinations than those who adopt the traditional paper material learning method? 2. Do the two learning methods affect students' English learning motivation differently? 3. Do the two learning methods affect students' English learning satisfaction differently? 4. How satisfied are students who adopt the WBEOR learning system with this system?

Participants and procedure
This study had the purpose of constructing a web-based English outside reading learning system (WBEOR) for university students, enabling them to access the system and learn by themselves. We hoped to shed some light on the instructional potential of this WBEOR learning system, as well as identify how the WBEOR learning system affects students' learning motivation and satisfaction. Four classes, comprising about 166 university students, who took English Reading courses participated in this study. Two classes were assigned to the experimental group (n = 87), and two were assigned to the control group (n = 79). Table  1 shows the number and details of the participants. This study adopted the pretest-posttest nonequivalent group design. Researchers conducted the study in Freshmen English Reading courses at a university in Taiwan. Both groups had the same learning materials, schedule and tests, with nine units assigned for study. The control group adopted the traditional outside reading method, wherein the teachers handed out paper reading materials to the students, and asked them to finish reading the assignments after class. If students had questions, they could make appointments to come and privately discuss them with their teachers. Researchers required experimental group students to access the WBEOR learning system for their study, and to hand in their assignments online. If they had questions, they could ask and discuss them with teachers or other classmates by e-mail or in a chat room. Both groups of students underwent unit tests and midterm exams in their classrooms.
To assess possible homogeneity of students from the two groups, researchers used a ttest to check results of the students' University Entrance English Exam and English learning motivation scale, which they had given both groups at the beginning of the study. The results are displayed in Table 2 and Table 3.  Based on the analysis shown in Table 2 and Table 3, we found no statistically significant difference between the two groups on reading comprehension competence and learning motivation, thus indicating that homogeneity of the two groups existed at the beginning of this study.

Material: The WBEOR learning system
Here, we present the WBEOR learning system whose address is: http://learn.tcu.edu. tw/1000110062/index.html Researchers adopted two web-authoring tools, Dreamweaver and FrontPage, to create the learning system. The principles for a good web page design demanded simplicity, clarity, and easy-access. Figure 1 illustrates the learning system environment that contained four hyperlinks connected to: 1) the course introduction, 2) an online dictionary, 3) a list of the nine individual unit themes, and 4) the teacher's e-mail. The web page for each unit included a picture of the famous person the student had to study, reading text, a vocabulary list, features of the celebrity, some related links, and homework questions.
In each unit, the text consisted of an article that introduced the life story of a celebrity. Each paragraph had an appended recitation voice file; through this feature, students could listen and practice verbal English, and by clicking on underlined words, they could connect to the vocabulary list to catch their meanings and usage. Each unit offered the celebrity's picture album and some video excerpts to tempt students to do further exploration (see Figure 2). We also offered some related links connected to other web pages. The system contained access to a public discussion area and an announcement board, making multiple communication avenues available for students and teachers. We used the course management system to process students' registration, access logs, assignment delivery, and feedback. We chose one of nine famous contemporary persons as the theme of each unit (see Table  4 and Figure 3).  Measures 1. Reading Achievement Tests: Reading achievement tests have the purpose of assessing whether online and off-line learning methods induced different performance levels of reading comprehension for each unit. To accomplish this, reading achievement tests included nine separate unit reading comprehension quizzes, along with two mid-term examinations and one final examination. We developed nine unit quizzes based on unit content, with each having five to seven open-ended questions, to determine students' understanding of the unit. After completing a block of three units of study, teachers gave students a mid-term examination or final examination which assessed students' overall reading comprehension, with item formats, including assessments of vocabulary, cloze, translation, short-answer questions, etc. In order to retain good inter-scorer reliability, two teachers independently rated all tests and quizzes.

English Learning Motivation Scale:
The researchers revised the English Learning Motivation Scale from Wu's scale (2004). Seven factors comprised it, including liking, commitment, competency, motivational intensity, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and requirement motivation (see Appendix A). This 5-point Likert-type scale has forty-nine items, in which a higher score meant greater student motivation. It had a Cronbach's α reliability coefficient of 0.92. We gave both groups this assessment at the beginning of the semester, and again at the end of the semester.

English Learning Satisfaction Scale:
The researchers composed this scale to evaluate students' satisfaction with outside reading material, learning activities, and their academic achievement (see Appendix B). It includes seventeen 4-point Likert-type items; again, a higher score meant higher student satisfaction. Teachers gave both groups this assessment at the end of the semester.

Web-based Learning Satisfaction Scale: This scale underwent revision from Hsu and
Liao's scale (2002). It involved three factors, including outside reading material design and presence, system functions, and an overall view of web-based learning -a 4-point Likerttype scale with thirteen items and three open-ended questions (see Appendix C). Only the experimental group received this scale at the end of the semester.

The WBEOR learning system's potential for promoting English reading achievement
Researchers collected results of the reading comprehension quizzes for all nine units, two midterm examinations, and one final examination. Using the pre-test, University Entrance English Exam scores, as the covariate, they employed One Way ANCOVA to compare the 12 test means of both the experimental group and the control group. The results are summarized in Table 5. Clearly, the ANCOVA results shown in Table 5 reveal the experimental group achieved significantly higher scores than the control group on the nine unit reading comprehension quizzes, two midterms and one final examination. We can therefore conclude that students who adopted web-based learning methods had better reading comprehension than students who only read paper materials. The results provided positive evidence to support our conviction the WBEOR learning system had a positive effect on students' English reading comprehension.

Motivation of the learning tasks
Using students' pre-test scores of the English Learning Motivation Scale, as the covariate, researchers employed One Way ANCOVA to compare the seven factors and the total scores of both groups. The result was summarized in Table 6. Table 6 shows that the experimental group performed significantly better than the control group on each factor except intrinsic motivation and requirement. The results suggest that a web-based learning method can better promote students' liking of English reading, and that they willingly commit more time to study, thus reinforcing their extrinsic motivation and motivational intensity, and increasing their English reading competence. Consequently, we can infer that using the web-based learning method to accomplish outside reading study can promote students' English learning motivation more than paper materials reading methods.

Learning satisfaction
Researchers utilized two scales to interpret students' learning satisfaction. They first used the "English Learning Satisfaction Scale" to investigate both groups of students' opinions on outside reading materials, learning activities, and academic achievement. They used the other, the "Web-based Learning Satisfaction Scale," to investigate the experimental group's opinions on learning material design and presence on the web pages, functions of the web system, and overall view of the WBEOR learning system. Table 7 shows that the experimental group had significantly higher satisfaction with reading materials, learning activities, and academic achievement. Compared to reading paper materials, we can conclude students feel more satisfied with the web-based learning environment. Web-based Learning Satisfaction. The scale required that the experimental group compare their experiences with the web-based learning method they presently used to those from the paper materials reading method used before. On material design and presence, more than 94% of the students believed web-based learning offered users more abundant, richer, and more varied content, and more suitability for individual learning. They especially noted that pictures, audio and video materials encouraged learning and memorization, and also made the courses more active and interesting (See Table 8 for details). According to Table 9, more than 93% of the experimental group agreed that the system platform and web page had clear and easily usable interfaces, and related links had broadened their knowledge. More than 84% of the experimental group agreed the on-line dictionary and recitation made their study more convenient. According to Table 10, 81.8% of the experimental group believed they needed more time to do web-based learning than reading paper materials, but more than three-fourths thought web-based learning enabled them to have better understanding of the reading materials and learn more. Over all, 83% of the students enjoyed web-based learning more than reading paper materials. To conclude, the experimental group's members felt highly positive toward the WBEOR learning system's design, functions and demonstration. They appreciated the WBEOR learning system.

Discussion and conclusions
The researchers geared this study toward designing and developing a web-based learning system, the WBEOR learning system, which enabled students to do their English outside reading studies online. Meanwhile, we maintained our overall hypothesis, that the WBEOR learning system would promote those users' reading performance, motivation and satisfaction.
Web-based learning satisfaction Jordanov (2001) found that learners preferred various learning styles on the Internet to learning in general situations, which made students move toward more active learning, when using the Internet. The same result emerges from the investigation of the "Web-based Learning Satisfaction Scale" in this study. In Table 7, we find over 80% of the students in the web-based learning group felt satisfied with material presence, functions, and interfaces offered by the WBEOR learning system. The experimental group reflected that, when compared to reading traditional paper materials, greater benefits of the WBEOR learning system consisted of extensive reading much easier to accomplish, allowing them to willingly surf and read more information, with its colorful pictures and audio-video information, which had attracted them to study actively, and given them a profound impression of the celebrities they studied. Here, we find not only the web-based learning group has high satisfaction with the WBEOR learning system, but also satisfaction with the WBEOR learning system has caused most users to more willingly and actively interact with the learning system.

Motivation of learning
In addition, according to Table 6, the WBEOR learning system promoted learner motivation, enjoyment, commitment and competency to a greater degree. In fact, the topics of reading materials consist of the biographies of contemporary celebrities with whom students already had some familiarity. Therefore, they enjoyed reading these life stories, and eagerly exploring their footprints and philosophies of life. The WBEOR learning system, which offers ample and desirable information about learning topics, combined with a colorful presentation of reading materials and various links to extended reading areas, has also attracted most students to enjoy interacting with it, and believe that will broaden their reading and knowledge acquisition. The liking, enjoyment and competency stemming from the WBEOR learning system have promoted web-based learning students' motivation and induced them to stay with the system longer, as well as engaging in reading the materials more profoundly.

English reading achievement
Based on Table 5, the researchers noted that the WBEOR learning system had significantly promoted users' reading comprehension achievement. Chen and Hirumi, (2004) indicated that students' motivation and engagement in the web-based learning environment contributed to improvement in reading comprehension. Jordanov (2001) also pointed out the active learning had a positive impact on students' attitudes toward, and performance on, webbased learning tasks. The inviting characteristics of the WBEOR learning system, attracting students to spend more time to engage with the reading materials actively, have heightened students' learning interest, motivation, and promoted student reading performance. As an associated benefit, users of the WBEOR learning system had to write and hand in their assignments online, reducing the occurrence of plagiarism. These results clearly further supported previous research findings in this area, as described previously.
To sum up, compared with learning by reading traditional paper materials, students felt more satisfied using the WBEOR learning system to study. They thought they learned more and gained more benefits from it. Therefore, they gave the WBEOR learning system a high approval rating. Furthermore, compared with other web-based courses on the campus e-learning platform, students thought the WBEOR learning system offered more abundant content and more attractive demonstrations. They expressed eager anticipation at the idea of having similar English reading courses in the future.

limitations
Based on the successful manner in which this system has been utilized within the university, we have planned further developments to expand the range and nature of support the system affords its users. However, some disappointments have also emerged in the new WBEOR learning system. Researchers found frequencies of teacher-student and student-peer communications fell far short of expectations. Moreover, due to web-based learning occurring outside the classroom, these interactions have some importance (Proske, Narciss, & Korndle, 2007). Even though the system offered several ways to communicate, in the future, instructors may need to set up some kinds of interaction mechanisms to impel users to participate, and respond in public discussions, so as to increase the frequency of interactions.
Additionally, the computer tracking mechanism, another shortcoming in the WBEOR learning system, can only monitor student's online learning behaviors, without creating student profiles, which record individual student learning modeling and performance. In the future, we should enhance this part, it will not only allow students to monitor their own online reading behaviors and stimulate their self-directed learning, but also help instructors understand students' learning status, and adjust their instruction accordingly.
Some lower English reading achievers responded that all the hyperlinks connected to English-language web pages, and this had made their reading load heavy, thus reducing their motivation to surf. In order to keep lower achievers, we plan to append some simple Chinese remarks next to English icons, and offer some related Chinese-language web pages to incite user interest.
12. Compared to reading traditional paper materials, I think I learned much more through web-based learning.
1 2 3 4 13. Compared to reading traditional paper materials, I had greater joy using web-based learning in studying English outside reading.