FACTORS INFLUENCING TAIWAN ‘S ENGLISH E-LEARNER
Abstraction
The present paper was concerned about the factors associated with Taiwan ‘s English E-Learner Satisfaction. Four factors were identified to qualify satisfied English e-learners, including computing machine anxiousness, computer-mediated communicating apprehensiveness, metacognitive self-regulation, and end orientation. The present research worker proposed that since English e-learning environments need the usage of different computing machine engineering in an drawn-out sum of clip, so the person with extremely computing machine dying would be given to be at a important learning disadvantage comparing to his or her schoolmates with lower degrees of computing machine anxiousness. Then the research worker assumed that scholars with high degrees of computer-mediated communicating ( CMC ) apprehensiveness will hold low degrees of English scholar satisfaction in the context of e-learning. Next the research worker argued that pupils with higher degrees of metacognitve self-regulation usage are more likely to acquire higher degrees of English e-learner satisfaction than pupils utilizing less metacognitive self-regulation. Finally, the research worker pointed out that pupils with higher degrees of command end orientation are more likely to hold higher degrees of English e-learner satisfaction than pupils with lower degrees of command end orientation.
For the past 30 old ages, English instructors every bit good English scholars in Taiwan have experienced the integrating of the computing machine engineering into English instruction and acquisition. Computer-assisted linguistic communication acquisition ( CALL ) has bit by bit been introduced into the linguistic communication schoolrooms. Its powerful presence has fostered self-learning and a broad scope of chances for reliable interaction in the mark linguistic communication ( English ) in computer-based conditions. Web-based acquisition is going an even more powerful synergistic beginning that increases scholars ‘ cognition and that warrants measure and quality of linguistic communication input and end product ( Parcheco, 2005 ) . Influenced by the fast development of computing machine engineering, most of the universities in Taiwan have to the full developed internet-friendly learning environment. With the aid of cyberspace and web engineering, web-based English classs have been offered at some of the universities in Taiwan to suit the turning demands of market demands and womb-to-tomb acquisition. These English classs attempt to take the restraints of clip and topographic point, which have long clip been the major barriers impeding non-traditional pupils from coming back to school for farther English perusal.
Among the web-based English classs, the classs with asynchronous nature have been embraced by most of the grownup scholars. In an asynchronous acquisition environment, at any clip and any topographic point, 24 hours a twenty-four hours, 7 yearss a hebdomad, pupils with the aid of an internet connexion, can have direction, compose and submit assignment, and ask inquiries of the teacher and fellow pupils ( Sher, 2008 ) . The outgrowth of on-line linguistic communication acquisition has resulted in a major displacement in paradigm. This new paradigm, based on the constructs of constructivism, focuses more on pupils who actively process the information they receive, and build the new cognition through their ain old experiences. The function of educational establishments and pedagogues in this constructivist student-centered theoretical account is to supply pupils with a acquisition environment that encourages critical contemplation and cognition building through societal interaction with other pupils in a acquisition community ( Palloff & A ; Pratt, 1999 ) .
In the aspect of student-centered acquisition, web-based class scholars are perceived to hold more duty for their ain acquisition. Learners are no longer viewed as passively being “instilled” with information and cognition. Alternatively, they are actively involved in reorganising and retracing their bing cognition with new cognition ( Perkins, 1992 ) . Besides, pupils have the flexibleness and convenience to make up one’s mind when they will analyze, where they will analyze, and what and how they will analyze. Although on-line English acquisition has drawn particular attending from grownup scholars in Taiwan, for its geographical and temporal convenience, course-on-demand designing, and individualised and self-paced acquisition, non all English scholars are satisfied with on-line larning environments and go on to take another new web-based English class. Therefore, this paper attempted to place the single features of satisfied e-learners in footings of larning English through web. In other words, what kinds of e-learner features will assist scholars profit more from English e-learning environment is the chief focal point of this paper.
To place the single features of satisfied e-learners in the context of English larning environment, we should first see that a distance context for English larning present scholars with new demands such as computing machine mediated communicating ( CMC ) efficaciousness, learner independency, learner liberty, and motive. Online English acquisition ever happens through scholars ‘ interactions with teachers and equals by using CMC accomplishments. CMC skills that scholars need include communicating through confab, e-mail, poster, and treatment lists, and besides being able to direct and have fond regards. Thus the first feature of satisfied English e-learners is their good CMC accomplishments. These CMC accomplishments might be a great challenge for some English e-learners. Fuller ( 2006 ) mentioned an illustration about an person who is non comfy with, or is dying about utilizing computing machines, but wants to take advantage of class offered wholly over the web. Thus we can conceive of that if English e-learners have computing machine anxiousness, they may see larning troubles result chiefly from his/her psychologically negative reactions to the computing machine, but non from his/her comprehension or apprehension of the topic itself. Similarly, an person who is an discerning communicator may go handicapped in an e-learning class that requires regular interaction with the teacher or other schoolmates. In other words, these persons would experience tense and nervous when pass oning utilizing e-mail, chat room, and internet-messaging plan. Therefore, they might go afraid to pass on or interact with their teachers or schoolmates through utilizing computing machines if they have larning jobs. Research has besides offered some interesting findings: 1. females are more dying about computing machine than males ( Broos, 2005 ) ; 2. adult females in general had stronger negative attitudes toward computing machines ( Whitely, 1997 ) ; and 3. grownups were more fearful about utilizing computing machines than kids and adolescents ( Cambre & A ; Cook, 1987 ) . From these findings, we can deduce that females and grownups might see more anxiousness than males and adolescents while using computing machine to larn English.
In add-on to CMC efficaciousness, I think scholars ‘ “skill” and “will” might play the functions of equal importance in furthering on-line English acquisition which demands extremely independent survey. In English e-learning environment, why do some pupils know more about how to be after, command, and direct their mental procedure toward the accomplishment of personal ends? Why do some pupils use less clip and larn more stuffs? To reply these inquiries, we have to be familiar with scholars ‘ metacognitive or self-regulated acquisition schemes ( ability ) . Self-regulated acquisition schemes refer to scholars ‘ planning, monitoring, and modulating their ain cognitive actions and existent behaviours. Harmonizing to Pintrich ( as cited in Susimetsa, 2006 ) , be aftering refers to the scholars ‘ ability to put a clear end for their ain acquisition. Monitoring refers to scholars ‘ ability to track their ain attending, to self-check for apprehension and comprehension and to maintain path of the available clip for analyzing. Regulation is closely tied with monitoring and takes topographic point, for illustration, when the scholars realize that they have failed to understand something. Regulation is the scholars ‘ ain activity to rectify this failure by, for illustration, rereading the transition of text that was ill-defined or inquiring for elucidation. Some research has revealed that high winners reported more usage of self-regulated acquisition than lower achieving pupils ( Chen, 2002 ) . Similarly, because on-line English larning demands extremely independent survey, I expected that English e-learners using more metacognitive self-regulation acquisition schemes might be more likely to have more satisfaction in web-based classs. That is, if English e-learners can put ends for themselves in order to direct their activities in each survey period, can find which constructs they do n’t understand good, and can alter the manner they study in order to suit the class demands and the teacher ‘s instruction manner, so they will be satisfactory English scholars in e-learning context.
Another characteristic bing in an English e-learning environment is that some pupils are actively involved in the acquisition activities offered on line, but others merely passively wait for the teachers to delegate them prep. Why do some pupils visit the English class web sites more frequently than others? Why do some pupils spend more clip interacting with their teachers than others? To reply these inquiries, we have to understand the pupils ‘ motive ( will ) behind their behaviours. Pintrich and Schrunk ( as cited in Mattern, 2005 ) pointed out that one of the most applicable and prevailing theories used to understand pupils ‘ instrumental or academic motive is achievement end theory. Achievement end theory postulates that persons engage in academic activities to carry through different ends ( Mattern, 2005 ) . Some pupils are motivated to make good because they want to gain an “A” in the class, therefore showing to themselves, their equals, professors, and even parents that they are smart ( performance-approach end ) . Others are less concerned with showing their ability and more concerned with understanding the class stuff and developing their ability in a given sphere ( mastery end ) . Previous research has shown that those who pursue command ends tend to seek more challenges, have higher reported usage of effectual acquisition schemes, including metacognitive schemes, study more positive attitudes towards school, and have a higher degree of self-efficacy than those persons who pursue public presentation ends ( Mattern, 2005 ) . Because English e-learning context is characterized as student-centered acquisition, web-based class scholars are perceived to hold more duty for their ain acquisition, the present paper proposed that scholars with a command orientation would be more willing to accept the ambitious e-learning undertakings, have positive feelings towards the e-learning state of affairs, and have a long-run and high-quality engagement in larning. Performance ends, in contrast, would be associated with negative results of English e-learning. In other words, if English e-learners can prefer class stuff that arouses their wonder even if it is hard to larn, can acquire complete satisfaction from understanding the content every bit exhaustively as possible but non from acquiring good classs to demo their abilities to their household and friends, so they might acquire most satisfaction from larning English in e-learning context.
Like any new pedagogical attacks that have non been carefully tried and tested, I think the effectivity of larning English via web is in inquiry. Because of the built-in nature of e-learning, extremely independent larning environment, and its utilizing computing machine mediated communicating as a agency for acquisition, the present paper assumed that the scholars ‘ single features such as computing machine anxiousness, communicating apprehensiveness, self-regulated acquisition scheme usage, and achievement end orientation might play of import functions for finding if an English e-learning experience is honoring or thwarting in footings of pupils ‘ satisfaction. The present research worker besides assumes that a satisfied English e-learner might be the scholar who has low degrees of computing machine anxiousness and computer-mediated communicating comprehension, uses a batch of self-regulated acquisition schemes, and holds high degree of command end orientation but low degree of public presentation end orientation.
If all these premises can be supported by the future empirical surveies, so three deductions for instructions deserve consideration. First, to cut down CMC apprehensiveness, pedagogues can promote the pupils to familiarise themselves with the usage of electronic mail, chat room, and MSN every bit before as possible. Second, web instructors need to develop the ability to learn and determine pupils ‘ self-regulatory behaviours. Once the pupils are familiar with the metacognitive self-regulation schemes, web instructors should promote pupils to utilize them when necessary. Although e-learning environment may turn out beneficial for some scholars, it is merely non effectual for all scholars. Before forcing pupils into the e-learning context demanding high self-denial, the web instructors must do certain that their pupils possess the necessary metacognitive self-regulation schemes to get by with the challenges of unfamiliar e-learning environment. Finally, web teachers should happen some ways to promote their pupils to O.K. command end orientation instead than performance-approach end.
Mention
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