EFL Learners’ Language Learning Effort and Autonomy in Online Distance Education in Higher Education

Yıl 2023, , 51 - 66, 25.03.2023

Emine Kuluşaklı

https://doi.org/10.17240/aibuefd.2023..-1104227

Öz

Although there were a massive increasing number of online English learners, not much research has clarified the assumed relationships between language learning effort and learner autonomy in the context of online distance learning in higher education. This paper aims to investigate and compare the EFL learners’ levels of foreign language learning effort and autonomy perceptions in online distance education. Data was collected from 220 EFL freshmen students taking an online English course and studying in various disciplines at a state university in Turkey. Two questionnaires were used in order to explore the relationship between language learning effort and autonomy of online English learners. The Foreign Language Learning Effort Scale (Karabıyık & Mirici, 2018) was used in order to assess the participants’ levels of foreign language learning effort and the Autonomy Perception Scale (Demirtaş, 2010) was administered so as to identify the level of autonomy perceptions of the students towards language learning. Additionally, a background information form was also utilized in order to determine individual information of the participants. The study was designed based on a baseline descriptive survey method. The data were analyzed using basic descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) and Pearson correlation coefficients analysis. The results of the study displayed that the learners often employed effort in learning a foreign language. Moreover, the learners generally were not capable of using autonomous learning skills in learning a language although they had the capacity to employ some autonomous learning skills to a sufficient degree

Anahtar Kelimeler

Learning autonomy, language learning effort, higher education, distance learning

Yükseköğretimde İngilizceyi Yabancı Dil Olarak Öğrenenlerin Çevrimiçi Uzaktan Eğitimde Dil Öğrenme Çabası ve Öğrenen Özerkliği

Öz

Giderek artan çevrimiçi İngilizce öğrenen sayısına rağmen, yükseköğretimde çevrimiçi uzaktan öğrenme bağlamında dil öğrenme çabası ve öğrenci özerkliği arasındaki varsayılan ilişkileri açıklayan çok fazla araştırma yoktur. Bu makale, çevrimiçi uzaktan eğitimde İngilizce öğrenenlerin yabancı dil öğrenme çabası düzeylerini ve özerklik algılarını araştırmayı ve karşılaştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Veriler, Türkiye'de bir devlet üniversitesinde çevrimiçi İngilizce dersi alan ve çeşitli disiplinlerde öğrenim gören 220 birinci sınıf öğrencisinden elde edilmiştir. Dil öğrenme çabası ile çevrimiçi İngilizce öğrenenlerin özerkliği arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmak amacıyla iki anket kullanılmıştır. Katılımcıların yabancı dil öğrenme çaba düzeylerini ölçmek için Yabancı Dil Öğrenme Çaba Ölçeği (Karabıyık & Mirici, 2018) ve özerklik algı düzeylerini belirlemek için Özerklik Algı Ölçeği (Demirtaş, 2010) kullanılmıştır. Ayrıca, katılımcıların bilgilerini belirlemek için ayrı bir form kullanılmıştır. Araştırma nicel araştırma desenlerinden betimsel tarama modeline göre tasarlanmıştır. Verilerin analizinde, betimsel istatistikler (ortalama ve standart sapma) ve Pearson korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonuçları, öğrencilerin yabancı dil öğrenmek için sıklıkla çaba harcadıklarını göstermiştir. Öğrenciler, bazı özerk öğrenme becerilerini yeterli derecede kullanma kapasitesine sahip olmalarına rağmen, dil öğrenirken özerk öğrenme becerilerini kullanma yeteneğine sahip değillerdir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Öğrenen özerkliği, dil öğrenme çabası, yükseköğretim, uzaktan öğrenme

Kaynakça

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