From 1990s, Chinese scholars also made some theoretical discussion on the substantive matters about autonomous learning; the subject consciousness and the cultivation of autonomous learning ability have reached to an unprecedented height. To train and develop the students’ subjective quality, to enable students to have the ability of self-education, self-government and autonomous learning, have become an important topic of the education reform in China. On the basis of learning the foreign theory, some scholars put forward the concept of autonomous learning clearly, and discussed systematically and completely on autonomous learning. In the theoretical circle, Dong Qi, Pang Weiguo and others made an intensive study of the internal psychological factors influenced on autonomous learning and autonomous learning conditions. Cheng Xiaotang studied on the meaning of autonomous learning, the ability of autonomous learning and it’s training, and how to create the conditions of the autonomous learning. Chinese scholar Pang Weiguo summarized autonomous learning as: “to learn” based on the consciousness development, “want to learn” based on the intrinsic motivation, “can learn” based on the some learning strategy, “keep on learning” based on the effort of will (24-28). Wen Sen thought that autonomous learning is a kind of active learning and independent learning. Into the New Curriculum written by the basic education section of ministry of education proposed that we must determine students’ subject status by changing the presentation of learning content, to promote students to learn actively. It urgently called for teachers and education management to create conditions to cultivate the students’ autonomy, and to ensure the overall improvement of the students’ intelligence and ability. The Compendium of Curriculum Reform of Fundamental Education (trial) also required teachers to cultivate the students’ independence and autonomy.
  From 1950s, autonomous learning has become an important research topic in educational psychology in Europe. Until 1970s, more and more foreign language education researchers abroad have paid attention to the research on autonomous learning in foreign language teaching. Henri Holec in his book Autonomy and Foreign Language Learning first introduced “learner autonomy” into foreign language teaching (103-115). Holec thought, autonomous learning is the ability for students to be responsible for their own learning in the learning process. It means that students can make decisions on various issues related to study in the learning process, including setting learning goals, deciding the learning content and progress, choosing learning methods and skills, monitoring the learning process, evaluating the learning effect and so on. About autonomous learning, many researchers, including Dickinson, Candy and Little, explained it from different aspects and viewpoints. Jeffries made more detailed definition: “Learning in which an inpidual or group of Learners study on their own, possibly for a part of course, without direct intervention from a tutor. They can involve learners in taking greater responsibility for what they learn, how they learn, and when they learn. It can also lead to learners being more involved in their own assessment. Independent learning is likely to be the most effective when at least some support is available”(46-53). In addition, some western scholars put forward that “when students become an active participant in three aspects of metacognition, motivation and behavior, his learning is autonomous”. 自主学习在初中英语教学中的应用(2):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_18618.html