Motivation in a language MOOC: issues for course designers

Whilst several existing studies on foreign language learning have explored motivation in more traditional settings (Dörnyei, 2003), this paper presents one of the first studies on the motivation of participants in a MOOC. The MOOC, Travailler en français (https://sites.google.com/site/mooctravaillerenfrancais/home), was a 5-week open online course for learners of French at level B1 of the CEFR, and aimed to develop language and employability skills for working in a francophone country. It took place in early 2014 and attracted more than 1000 participants. Intrinsic motivation (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000), is directly linked to one’s enjoyment of accomplishing a task. We conducted a study based on the cognitive variables of the Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), and adapted the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory to the context of a MOOC in order to understand the expectancy beliefs and task values of participants engaging with the MOOC. Participants answered a 40 Likert-type questions on enjoyment/ interest (i.e. I will enjoy doing this MOOC very much), perceived competence (i.e. I think I will be able to perform successfully in the MOOC), effort (i.e. I will put a lot of effort in this MOOC), value/usefulness (i.e. I think that doing this MOOC will be useful for developing my skills), felt pressure and tension (i.e. I think I might feel pressured while doing the MOOC) and relatedness (i.e. I think I will feel like I can really trust the other participants). Results highlight significant factors that could directly influence intrinsic motivation for learning in a MOOC environment. The chapter makes recommendations for LMOOC designers based on the emerging profile of MOOC participants, on their motivation and self-determination, as well as on the pressures they might feel, including time pressures. Finally, the extent to which participants relate to each other, and are able to engage in social learning and interaction, is a real challenge for LMOOC designers

Interrelations Between the Psychological Needs for Autonomy and Relatedness in the EFL context: A Literature Review

In our time of having a vast variety of learning opportunities in EFL, spanning from group settings to autonomous learning processes, research interests have risen towards the possible effects of interrelations between group connections and autonomy. Deci and Ryan’s (2000) self-determination theory (SDT) conceptualized learners’ inner need for competence, autonomy, and relatedness, which serve as motivational forces in learning achievements. In the past decade, studies (Agawa & Takeuchi, 2016; Chang, 2010; Fukuda, Pope, & Sakata, 2015; Hu, 2016; Zainuddin & Perera, 2017) have investigated the connections between relatedness to peers within learning groups and autonomy which entails rather individual, self-managed activities that take place outside classroom settings. The article aims to present a theoretical inquiry into how peer- and group-relatedness interact with and affect EFL learners’ self-directed learning processes and reveal research fi ndings on the interrelated motivating effects of the two – seemingly distant but complementary – concepts. This paper intends to raise awareness of the niche in research beyond the Asian context (Noels, 2019), and relevance in online EFL instruction. Keywords: motivation, autonomy, relatedness, self-determination theor

Investigating the effectiveness of an online language teacher education programme informed by self-determination theory

Despite the centrality of motivation for all learning, few studies have examined the effectiveness of online language teacher education (OLTE) programmes within a psychological framework. This explorative study seeks to address this gap by evaluating the effectiveness of a two semesters OLTE course for German teachers in the Norwegian context. The course was developed to address students’ innate psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness within the framework of self-determination theory (SDT). The paper first details the steps taken to meet students’ needs, and then evaluates the effectiveness of the programme by analysing the data from students’ questionnaires, which were completed after each of the two semesters. The results showed that most students were highly motivated throughout the course, and that their motivation increased over time. Furthermore, most of the students felt that their psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness were met. Thus, we suggest that designing OLTE programmes according to SDT principles can be an effective means of professional training for future language teachers.publishedVersio

Self-Determined Motivation in Foreign Language Learning: Examining the Effects on Students\u27 Achievement

This study investigated the relationship between foreign language motivation and self-determined motivation, as well as the issue of students’ perceptions of strategies used to improve foreign language motivation and achievement among undergraduate students in the department of foreign language. This research was conducted in two mid-western universities among undergraduate foreign language learners. The participants were undergraduate foreign language learners. A total of 391 students from 18- 43 years old started the paper-and-pencil surveys in which they shared their views and perceptions about foreign language learning motivations and strategies to improve motivations and achievement. However, only 380 completed the majority of all sections. The study began on January 2, 2018 and concluded on February 5, 2018. All data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0, through which descriptive statistics were conducted to see normality among the variables. Correlations and regressions were conducted to examine the effects of each variable on students’ perceived success in a foreign language learning. The results of the study indicated that autonomy and competence predicted students’ intrinsic motivation and perceived success in learning a foreign language. The study also demonstrated that there were relationships between integrative and instrumental motivation with intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Also, the emotional control improved students’ motivation and perceived success in learning a foreign language. The autonomy competence, and integrative motivation contributed a significant xiii amount of variance in students’ perceived success. Finally, the fear of speaking in a foreign language predicted students’ motivation and academic success. The results strongly suggested that promoting self-determined motivation was an avenue to attaining success in foreign language learning, and teachers could improve students’ motivation by supporting their basic psychological needs

Learning the Host Nation Language While Living Abroad as a Military Adolescent, a Transcendental Phenomenology

High mobility in students has been shown to have a negative effect on academic achievement. Military children relocate six to nine times before graduating high school, with at least one of these moves being overseas. This transcendental phenomenology described the lived experience of military-affiliated students who learned the language of their host culture while living overseas. The theory guiding this study was Ryan and Deci\u27s self-determination theory. This study focused on the importance of self-determination for academic attainment, which is thought to be achieved through a feeling of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Through criterion sampling, 11 participants, ages18 to 23, who had taken the host nation language to fulfill their high school foreign language requirement while living overseas, were recruited. The study\u27s setting was an Army base in Italy, where all participants attended high school. Data were collected online through one-on-one interviews, reflective essays, and a focus group discussion while simultaneously being analyzed using Epoche, phenomenological reduction, and imaginative variation. The themes identified were disappointment in self, support, home, goals, and outlook. The findings led to the conclusion that military-connected students do not acculturate much, if at all, during their stay in a foreign country due to being surrounded by military culture and thus do not easily acquire the host nation\u27s language. Not meeting the participants\u27 basic needs of competence, autonomy, and relatedness could be a factor that contributes to this. Additional qualitative and quantitative research would be helpful to shed more light on this phenomenon

Motivation of Chinese heritage language learners: From a bioecological perspective

The purpose of this study is to propose a new theoretical framework for researching variables of motivation for language learning. It will contribute to the discussion on the motivation of Chinese heritage learners by using a new model: the bioecological model. The elements of the bioecological model are process, person, context and time. The bioecological model draws on three schools of motivation for language learning: the psychological process, contextual factors, and dynamic interactions. This study will answer two questions: Are personal attributes, proximal interactions and contextual factors predictors of heritage language learners’ motivation? Among these factors, do proximal interactions mediate the predictive power of personal attributes and contextual factors? The study used online questionnaires for data collection. Twenty-three questionnaires were completed and subjected to data analysis. The results support the hypothesis that personal and contextual factors’ effect on motivation for heritage language learning could be mediated by proximal interactions

Motivation of Chinese heritage language learners: From a bioecological perspective

The purpose of this study is to propose a new theoretical framework for researching variables of motivation for language learning. It will contribute to the discussion on the motivation of Chinese heritage learners by using a new model: the bioecological model. The elements of the bioecological model are process, person, context and time. The bioecological model draws on three schools of motivation for language learning: the psychological process, contextual factors, and dynamic interactions. This study will answer two questions: Are personal attributes, proximal interactions and contextual factors predictors of heritage language learners’ motivation? Among these factors, do proximal interactions mediate the predictive power of personal attributes and contextual factors? The study used online questionnaires for data collection. Twenty-three questionnaires were completed and subjected to data analysis. The results support the hypothesis that personal and contextual factors’ effect on motivation for heritage language learning could be mediated by proximal interactions

Motivating Students to Participate in the German as a Foreign Language Classroom

This details how to motivate students in the German as a foreign language class to participate and engage in the learning process. Increasing motivation in students is a struggle with which all teachers are familiar, but teachers of foreign languages have a particular challenge because of the intimidation students feel when faced with producing assignments and content in a new language. This topic is also of interest to foreign language educators because student retention is becoming a serious problem, leading many school districts to cut smaller language programs like French and German. Maintaining an engaging classroom environment, where students participate and want to take higher levels of the language is critical in advocating for the existence of language programs. In this paper, I examine various theories of motivation and how most literature on the subject of motivation in the foreign language classroom can be categorized into the three basic needs outlined in Deci & Ryan’s (1985) self-determination-theory – autonomy, relatedness, and competency. I analyze the results of five semi-structured interviews carried out with students in a German I classroom in a Nebraska high school and present a miniature unit plan based on the research in the literature review and the findings of the interviews. Results suggest that students in a German as a foreign language class are most likely to be motivated to participate when the needs outlined by self-determination-theory are considered, specific, time-bound, and measurable goals are set, and students are given ample opportunity for peer interaction through class activities

Social media and its effect on EL motivation. A mixed method study on upper secondary school students

Dette masterprosjektet utforsker sosiale medier og dens effekt på videregående elever sin motivasjon til å lære engelsk. Den tar for seg elever sin egen oppfatning av motivasjon i sammenheng med ulike motivasjonsteorier sine rammeverk. Dette er hovedsakelig gjennom The L2 Motivational Self System og Self-determination Theory som legger grunnlaget for data innsamlingen og analysen. Målet med studien var å utforske flere aspekter som kan være med å påvirke og utforske sosiale medier sin innvirkning på elevenes motivasjon til å lære engelsk. Den tar først for seg hvor motivert elevene er til å lære engelsk. Videre ser den på elevenes bruk av sosiale medier til å lære engelsk. Og til slutt, elevenes egen oppfattelse av påvirkningen sosiale medier har på deres motivasjon til å lære engelsk. Datainnsamlingen er basert på Mixed Method, med både kvantitativ og kvalitativ data innsamling og analyse. Den kvantitative dataen er konsentrert i en spørreundersøkelse som tar for seg elevenes motivasjon og bruk av sosiale medier. Den kvalitative dataen er fra ett spørsmål i undersøkelsen og semistrukturerte intervjuer. Spørreundersøkelsen var gjennomført på to klasser, en fra første og en fra andre klasse på videregående i Bergen, Norge. Til sammen svarte 55 elever på spørreundersøkelsen og fire av disse ble intervjuet. Prosjektet viser til at sosiale medier har en effekt på elevenes motivasjon til å lære engelsk. Resultatene indikerer at elevene er i stor grad motivert til å lære engelsk. Videre sees dette i sammenheng med elevenes bruk av sosiale medier til å lære engelsk. Det siste punktet referer til elevenes oppfatning til hvordan sosiale medier har en påvirkning på deres motivasjon. Resultatene som er gitt over, gir indikasjon på at sosiale medier i stor grad har en påvirkning på elevenes motivasjon.Engelsk mastergradsoppgaveMAHF-ENGMAHF-LÆFRENG35

University Student Choice and Attitudes Toward Second Language Learning: A Causal-Comparative Study

The purpose of this quantitative, causal comparative study was to determine if student language choice at the university level affects their attitudes toward second language learning. Current literature in second language acquisition primarily focuses on English as a second language; additionally, studies that address languages other than English are primarily conducted in the United Kingdom. This study addressed this gap in the literature and added to the existing body of knowledge to ascertain student attitudes toward L2 learning based on the language of study. Participants included 190 monolingual speakers of English enrolled in a first-semester language course in a North Texas university. Data collection methods included a valid and reliable 17-question, five-point Likert-type questionnaire related to valuing multilingualism and cognitive effects to measure student attitudes. Language choice was determined by student enrollment across the eight languages offered. Statistical analysis of data involved two one-way ANOVA’s to compare statistical significance of cause-and-effect relationships between the variables. Results demonstrate that student attitudes toward valuing multilingualism were statistically significantly different for different language groups. There was a significant difference between the Spanish group and the ASL group. Student attitudes toward cognitive effects were also statistically significantly different for different language groups. There was a significant difference between the Spanish group and the ASL group, and between the Spanish group and the Korean group. In conclusion, the researcher rejected the null hypothesis for both valuing multilingualism and cognitive effects. Further research is needed to address generalizability to different regions, age groups, and language levels