Abstract

This study investigated the role of students' motivation and attitudes in second language (L2) study within an online language course context (LOL). A major purpose was to examine the salience of factors that have been shown to influence L2 learning in other settings in this increasingly popular context.

Students' attitudes and motivation were examined within Gardner's revised socio-educational framework (Gardner & MacIntyre, 1993) while learning contexts were examined based on Dörneyi's components of foreign language learning motivation (1994). Data were collected from students, teachers, and language assistants in three French and Spanish LOL courses offered in Fall 2002. A modified Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) was used to measure students' motivation and attitudes toward L2 learning at the beginning and the end of the semester. Students' learning behaviors and learning outcomes were used as predictor and criterion variables in a series of quantitative and qualitative analyses. An in-depth investigation of the learning environment within LOL courses was conducted by using multiple methods of qualitative data collection to examine students' learning experiences.

The classroom observations and interviews helped to clarify how each teacher idiosyncratically implemented the LOL course, thereby creating a unique class culture. The results of AMTBs showed that students' motivation and attitudes toward L2 study were relatively positive and stable during the course. Students initially possessed high anxiety about the LOL courses due to their lack of familiarity with the specific LOL learning environment despite their advanced technology skills. Students' motivation was significantly and positively correlated with module test scores as was the language assistants' rating of students' performance in online chat sessions. Most importantly, students' motivation and attitudes significantly influenced the amount of effort that students expended to engage L2 learning activities regularly and persistently. In addition, teacher-related factors such as authority type directly affected students' motivation and attitudes toward studying L2 in the LOL context.

The findings reinforced the importance of students' motivation and attitudes in L2 study and perhaps equally importantly the continuing critical role of the teacher in technology-enhanced teaching.

Citation

Ushida, E. The role of students' attitudes and motivation in second language learning in online language courses. Ph.D. thesis, Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved August 7, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/128167/.

This record was imported from ProQuest on October 23, 2013. [Original Record]

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Keywords

• Educational Psychology Education
• Language and Literature Education
• Linguistics Language
• Technology of Education