本研究目的為建立高中生的英語自主學習能力、尤其是成績不佳的學生。該研究中自主學習定義為自社會文化方面的互相依存性，也是較適合亞洲英語課堂教學的方法。因此，本研究希望修過合作學習的活動，具體從成績不佳的學生與老師們以及成績較好的學生之間的互動，建立此對象的自主學習。
該研究使用行動研究方法，以花蓮縣某職業高中某一班的質性資料進行分析。29名學生在 10 週期間分為六個小組進行學習互動。研究結果表明，協作學習可以培養成績不佳的學生的自主性，體現於他們確定教學目標的能力和個人適應環境的能力。此外，他們的自主發展有利於共同目標。研究結果還表示了在建立自主學習環境時，成績優秀學生與教師的協助對成績不佳的學生學習過程中之重要性。研究結果並指出，成績不佳學生的增加自主性可以縮小成績不佳與成績較好學生之間的成績差距。根據成績不佳學生的自主發展，能提出相互依存自主的新概念。相互依存的自主性包括兩個階段：（1）積極依賴，指成績不佳的學生對成績較好學生的依賴；（2）積極的相互依存，是指成績不佳的學生為共同目標做出貢獻。

This research project aims to build autonomy at the high school level to benefit students in English learning, particularly low-achieving students. Learner autonomy in this research approached the socio-cultural facet referring to interdependence, which is assumed to be more appropriate in an Asian-context classroom. Thus, collaborative learning was expected to build up low-achieving students' autonomy through group interaction with high-achieving students and the teacher's supports.
This study aims to implement the action research method with qualitative data of a class including 29 participants at a vocational senior high school in Hualien County. Students worked in six groups through the research projects in 10 weeks. The findings showed that collaborative learning can build low-achieving students’ autonomy which was exhibited by their ability to identify the pedagogical goal and their individual adjustment to fit with the context. Moreover, their autonomy development benefitted the shared goal. The findings also reveal the importance of the autonomous environment created by high-achieving student and teachers’ assistance in low-achieving students’ learning process. The findings pointed out low-achieving students’ increased autonomy can narrow the performance gap between high-achieving and low-achieving students. Based on low-achieving students’ autonomy development, a new concept of interdependent autonomy can be suggested. Interdependent autonomy comprises of two phases: (1) positive dependence referring to low-achieving students' reliance on high-achieving students, and (2) positive interdependence referring to low-achieving students contributing to the shared goal.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I
ABSTRACT III
TABLE OF CONTENTS VII
LIST OF TABLES XI
LIST OF FIGURES XI
CHAPTER 1 1
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1. Background of the study 1
1.2. Purpose of the study 4
1.3. The significances of the study 4
1.4. Definition of key terms 5
CHAPTER 2 9
LITERATURE REVIEW 9
2.1. Learner autonomy in learning language 9
2.1.1. Learner Autonomy in different perspectives 9
2.1.2. Socio-cultural approach in learner autonomy 11
2.1.3. Learner autonomy in relation to language competency 14
2.2. Collaborative learning 15
2.2.1. Rationale for implementing collaborative learning to promote learner autonomy 15
2.2.2. Collaborative learning vs Cooperative learning 16
2.2.3. Collaborative learning basic elements 18
2.2.3. Collaborative learning strategies 21
2.3. The role of teacher in promoting learner autonomy 27
2.3.1. Teacher as a facilitator 28
2.3.2. Teacher as a counselor 29
2.3.3. Teacher as a resource 30
2.3.4. Teacher as a manager 30
2.4. Conclusion 31
CHAPTER 3 33
METHODOLOGY 33
3.1. Rationale for action research 33
3.2. Research Setting 35
3.3. Participants and collaborative partners 37
3.3.1. Participants 37
3.3.2. Collaborative partner 38
3.4. Data collections 39
3.4.1. Classroom observation 39
3.4.2. Interview 40
3.4.3. Groups’ Portfolio 42
3.4.4. Teacher’s journal 42
3.5. Data Analysis 43
3.6. Research procedures 45
3.6.1. Informed consent 45
3.6.2. Research cycles 45
CHAPTER 4 55
FINDINGS 55
4.1. Low-achieving students’ autonomy in collaborative learning 55
4.1.1. Collaborative learning builds up low-achieving students’ autonomy 55
4.1.2. Low-achieving students’ autonomy through the individual goal for shared goal 59
4.1.3. Leading members influences low-achieving students’ autonomy through their dependence 64
4.1.4. Leader-assigned group is the key to create equity among groups’ abilities but different benefits toward low-achieving students’ autonomy. 68
4.1.5. Low-achieving students’ autonomy improvement influence their English performance 72
4.2. Teachers’ role in supporting low-achieving students’ interdependence 76
4.2.1. Low-achieving students need positive assistance from teacher to change their negative attitude to English learning. 76
4.2.2. Low-achieving students need adequate supports from teachers 79
4.3. The researcher reflection 84
CHAPTER 5 87
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION 87
5.1. The overview of the study 87
5.2. Summary of Findings 88
5.3. Conclusion 90
5.3.1. Collaborative learning to improve low-achieving students’ autonomy in English learning 90
5.3.2. The importance of teachers to improve low-achieving students’ autonomy 94
5.3.3. Narrowing the achieving gap 97
5.4. Recommendation and Limitation 98
5.5. The researcher’s reflection 99
REFERENCES 103
APPENDIX 1 109
APPENDIX 2 111
APPENDIX 3 113
APPENDIX 4 121
APPENDIX 5 133
APPENDIX 6 139

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