Iranian EFL Learners’ Stance towards Technology-Enhanced Personalized Language Learning (TEPLL) for Developing Productive Skills: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective
Fatemeh Moazami Godarzi
1
(
Department of English language, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
)
Hossein Heidari Tabrizi
2
(
Department of English language, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
)
Azizeh Chalak
3
(
Department of English language, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
)
الکلمات المفتاحية: Keywords: Self-determination Theory (SDT), Stance, Technology-Enhanced Personalized Language Learning (TEPLL),
ملخص المقالة :
Abstract
This study was intended to explore the Iranian EFL learners’ stance towards Technology-Enhanced Personalized Language Learning (TEPLL) and how it influences language development. Specifically, this study investigated the relationships among learners’ stances towards TEPLL, relating to effectiveness, integration into daily life, autonomy, engagement, and satisfaction, with L2 speaking and writing motivation. It also examined how learners’ stances to the instruction of TEPLL were related to their progress in developing productive skills both in speaking and writing. In addition, instructional facets promoting and inhibiting learners’ progress were highlighted. With 120 EFL Iranian learners from five language institutes in Isfahan, Iran, the present project assigned participants to experimental and control groups with 60 persons each, according to the proficiency levels: pre-intermediate, intermediate, and advanced. Data were collected via a Learning Experience Questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The experimental group received instruction in TEPLL through Speechling for speaking practice and through Moodle for writing practice. The results generally indicated a positive stance towards TEPLL; the learners reported high scores regarding perceived effectiveness, ease of integration, autonomy, engagement, and satisfaction. They also demonstrated more motivation concerning the development of L2 speaking and writing. On the other hand, it established the challenges of technical problems, inadequate content, and poor preparation. Interviews with students showed that TEPLL is an excellent tool for practicing speaking and pronunciation but also brought to the surface the demand for better audio-visual quality, more content volume, and individual support. The findings suggest that while potentially very effective in bettering the language learning of Iranian EFL learners, TEPLL has to be administered with caution, and its administration kept under constant review to reduce the potential challenges.
Keywords: Self-determination Theory (SDT), Stance, Technology-Enhanced Personalized Language Learning (TEPLL)
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