A Qualitative Study of Students’ L2
Motivational Change at an Online Education Institute in
(Abstract)
Beijing Foreign
Studies University Tang
Jinlan
E-mail:
tangjinlan@beiwaionline.com
With the
integration of information and computer technology (ICT), Online
education has become a new and vital force in higher education in
The
research (in the form of a questionnaire and interviews) focuses on identifying
participants’ sequential patterns of L2 motivational change after they have entered an online education degree program and on
identifying factors that assist and hinder participants’ L2 learning and their
language learning motivation. The results have revealed that most participants
have the highest motivation to study when they have just entered the online
education program, the beginning 2 months. Participants feel least
motivated to learn usually one year and a half later, and two years later
after the entry. Regarding factors that affect their learning and language
learning motivation, participants rate “tutor support” and “peer support” as
the most influential factors.
The article
consists of three sections: (a) an overview of motivation theory, with
particular focus on the study of motivation from a process-oriented
perspective; (b) the research results and discussions; (c) implications of the
research results for online education programs.
Appendix
A Qualitative Study of
Students’ L2 Motivational Change at an Online Education Institute in
Part 1
Background Information
Gender ___________ Age _______
1. How many years have you studied English? ___________
2.
Has your motivation to learn English changed over the years?
Yes _____ No _____
3. Why do you choose to study English
online?
A. Flexible study modes
B. To get a degree in English
C. Work pressure
D. Job promotion
E. Others, please specify _______________________
4.
How much do you understand about online learning?
A. Online learning means learning English through computer.
B. Online learning is the same as the face-to-face classroom learning, except that tutors are absent.
C. Online learning is an innovative way of learning English through the medium of modern technology.
D. Others, please specify _______________________
5.
What does online learning require of its learners?
A. Learners should be independent.
B. Learners should be able to take initiatives.
C. Learners should be capable of managing their own studies.
D. Learners should be able to seek various study sources.
E. Others, please specify __________________________
6.
When do you feel you have the highest motivation to study after you
have entered the online learning program?
A. The beginning two months
B. Half a year later
C. One year later
D. One year and a half later
E. Two years later
7.
Can you specify the reasons for your choice in Question 6? (Please
list at least three)
A. _____________________
B. _____________________
C. _____________________
8.
When do you feel least motivated to learn English after you have
entered the online learning program?
A. The beginning two months
B. Half a year later
C. One year later
D. One year and a half later
E. Two years later
9.
Can you specify the reasons for your choice in Question 8? Please
list at least three.
A. Less contact with tutors
B. No peer pressure
C. Questions unsolved
D. Work pressure
E. Family pressure
10.
When you don’t feel like to continue study, what do you do?
A. I give up.
B. I stop and reflect for some time.
C. I stop and analyze the causes and then continue to study.
D. Others, please specify _________________________________________
Part 3 Contributing Factors
11. What factors have had a positive effect on your English studies after you have entered the online learning program?
A. Interest
B. Tutor support
C. Better understanding of online learning
D. Use of self-regulatory strategies
E. Interesting courseware
F. Peer support
G. Others, please specify ___________________________________
12. What factors made studying English more difficult?
A. Fewer immediate feedback from tutors
B. Fewer face-to-face encounter with tutors
C. Loneliness
D. Technical problems
E. Not used to studying English online
F. Others, please specify _________________________________________
13. What do you expect the
online learning institute to do to enhance or sustain your motivation to study
English? (Please list at least three points)
A. _______________________________________________________
B. ________________________________________________________
C. ________________________________________________________
14. What are you going to do to enhance or sustain your motivation to study English? (Please list at least three points)
A. ________________________________________________________
B. _________________________________________________________
C. _________________________________________________________