| Title: |
An Investigation of the Effects of EFL Students' Self-Efficacy in an Asynchronous Online Course with Interactive Contents |
| Authors: |
Yu-Ching Tseng; Mei-Rong Alice Chen; Yi-Hsuan Lin |
| Source: |
Educational Technology & Society. 2023 26(4):1-13. |
| Availability: |
International Forum of Educational Technology & Society. Available from: National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. No. 123, Section 3, Daxue Road, Douliu City, Yunlin County, Taiwan 64002. e-mail: journal.ets@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.j-ets.net/ |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
13 |
| Publication Date: |
2023 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Education Level: |
Higher Education; Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: |
English (Second Language); Self Efficacy; Asynchronous Communication; Online Courses; Second Language Learning; Academic Achievement; Educational Environment; Electronic Learning; Distance Education; Undergraduate Students; Foreign Countries; Second Language Instruction; Instructional Materials; Interaction |
| Geographic Terms: |
Taiwan |
| DOI: |
10.30191/ETS.202310_26(4).0001 |
| ISSN: |
1176-3647; 1436-4522 |
| Abstract: |
This study investigates the role of self-efficacy in an asynchronous online English course enriched with interactive features. Self-efficacy is a strong predictor of academic achievement in conventional classrooms. However, when learning happens in an online environment, the students' learning achievement is also affected by their psychological perceptions of online learning. In this study, the relationship between self-efficacy and affective factors (i.e., learner autonomy, learner-content interaction, and perceptions toward transactional distance) was investigated. The aims of this study were to identify the influence of different levels of self-efficacy on these factors and to explore their relationships in an online EFL course. In total, 286 students were administered the questionnaires before and after the curriculum to probe their self-perception of these affective variables. When asynchronous interactive learning materials came into play, learners with different levels of self-efficacy make statistically different learning achievements. The statistically significant differences were also found between the student's self-efficacy level, their learner autonomy, and their perception toward the interactive contents. However, the difference was not significant between self-efficacy and transactional distance. The cost of asynchronous learning is an increasing transactional distance due to the lack of instructor-learner interaction. This study suggests that interactive content triggered an opposite effect by making the instructor's role invisible rather than absent. A good online course must balance the student's self-determined learning and flexibility with the course structure. Interactive learning content can keep the balance between developing learner autonomy and fostering engagement by dissolving the teacher's role into interactive course material. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2024 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1407343 |
| Database: |
ERIC |