Email this article 
Hide
Show all
Motivation and Autonomy as Predictors of Foreign Language Proficiency among the Iranian Students of Distance vs. Traditional Universities
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the possible effect of motivation and autonomy on students' English as foreign language proficiency in two universities - Payamenoor (distance) and Islamic Azad universities (traditional)- in the city of Gonbad-e-Kavous. To do so, 152 Azad University students and 144 Payamenoor University students were randomly selected. Three questionnaires each dealing with one of the three variables of motivation, autonomy and foreign language proficiency were distributed among students to collect the required data. Analyzing the data through Multiple Regression and Fisher's r to z transformation, the results revealed that there is a significant relationship between motivation and foreign language proficiency in both universities. In regard to autonomy, however, results showed no significant relationship between autonomy and foreign language proficiency in Payamenoor University, while in Azad University this relationship was revealed meaningful and significant. The findings of the current study will inform teachers and curriculum developers of the status of motivation and autonomy in the success of students in their academic performance, pointing out some procedures to enhance this idea.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Ablard, K. E., & Lipschultz, R. E. (1998). Self-regulated learning in high-achieving students: Relations to advanced reasoning, achievement goals, and gender. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 94-101.
Corno, L. & Mandinach, E. B. (1983). The role of cognitive engagement in classroom learning and motivation. Educational Psychologist, 18, 88-108.
Dafei, D. (2007). An Exploration of the Relationship between Learner Autonomy and English Proficiency. Professional Teaching Articles. Retrieved from www.asian-efl-journal.com/pta_Nov_07_dd.pdf
Dickinson, L. (1987). Self-instruction in language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. London: Lawrence Erlbaum associates.
Ehrman, M.E. (1996). Understanding Second Language Learning Difficulties. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Finch, A. E. (2000). A formative evaluation of a task-based EFL programme for Korean university students. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. Manchester University, U.K. Retrieved February 25, 2006 from http://www.finchpark.com/afe/index.htm
Gardner, R. C. (1985). The Attitude/Motivation Test Battery: Technical Report. London, ON: Univ. of Western Ontario. Retrieved from publish.uwo.ca
Gardner, R. C., & Smythe, P. C. (1981). On the development of the attitude/motivation test battery. Canadian Modern Language Review, 37, 510-525.
Ghanea. M., Zeraat Pisheh, H. R. & Ghanea, M. H. (2011). The Relationship between Learners’ Motivation (Integrative and Instrumental) and English Proficiency among Iranian EFL Learners. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 59 2011.
Grove, W. A., T. Wasserman, and A. Grodner. (2006). Choosing a proxy for academic aptitude. Journal of Economic Education 37 (Spring): 131–48.
Hashemian, M. & Heidari, K. (2011). The Interrelationship of Autonomy, Motivation, and Academic Performance of Persian L2 Learners in Distance Education Contexts. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 319-326, April 2011. doi:10.4304/tpls.1.4.319-326.
Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Holec, H. (1981). Autonomy and foreign language learning. Oxford: Pergamon. (First published [1979], Strasbourg: Council of Europe).
Hurd, S. (2008). Investigating affect in a distance language learning context: approaches and methods. RTVU ELT Express, China, 21(2).
Kashefian, S. N. (2002). An investigation into college EFL learners’ beliefs demonstrating their predispositions Towards learner autonomy. Unpublished master’s thesis, Shiraz University, Shiraz.
Kohonen, V. (2003). Student autonomy and the teacher’s professional growth: Fostering a collegial school culture in language teacher education. In Inozu, J. (2011). Developing learner autonomy in the language class in Turkey: voices from the classroom. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. (2011) 12:523–531. doi: 10.1007/s12564-011-9154-0
Madileng, M. M. (2007). English as a medium of instruction: The relationship between motivation and English second language proficiency.
Pallant, J. (2007). SPSS Survival Analysis. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.
Qi, A. (2011). On the Relationships between Learner Autonomy and Language Proficiency: An Investigation of Chinese English Majors. Energy Procedia 13 (2011) 9976 – 9982.
Rao, V. K. (2007). Distance Education. S.B.Nangia. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. Retrieved from www.books.google.com
Risenberg, R. & Zimmerman, B.J. Self-regulated learning in gifted students. Roper Revies, no.15, pp. 98-100, 1992. In Qi, A. (2011). On the Relationships between Learner Autonomy and Language Proficiency: An Investigation of Chinese English Majors. Energy Procedia 13 (2011) 9976 – 9982.
Rowntree, D. (1992). Exploring Open and Distance Learning. Retrieved from www.books.google.com
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
Zhang, L.X. & Li X.X. (2004). A comparative study on learner autonomy between Chinese students and west European students. Foreign Language World, 4, 15-23.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.3n.6p.113
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
2012-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.
International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature
To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the journal emails into your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.