Non english majors attitudes towards the use e learning in an efl classroom at ba ria vung tau university (masters thesis)

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING BA RIA VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI YEN NON-ENGLISH MAJOR’S ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE USE OF E-LEARNING IN AN EFL CLASSROOM AT BA RIA-VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY MASTER’S THESIS Ba Ria - Vung Tau, March 2022 i MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING BA RIA VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI YEN NON-ENGLISH MAJOR’S ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE USE OF E-LEARNING IN AN EFL CLASSROOM AT BA RIA-VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY MASTER’S THESIS Submitted to the Postgraduate Institute in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL Course code: 8140111 SUPERVISOR: DUONG MY THAM, Ph.D Ba Ria -Vung Tau, March 2022 ABSTRACT In education in general and English language instruction in particular, technology has become an essential component As a result, it should be mandatory to use technology in the process of teaching and learning English at university level This study aims exploring non-English majors’ attitudes towards the use of e-learning in the context of BaRia VungTau University in order to make some suggestions for the learners to improve their English ability One hundred thirty three non-English majors are chosen as research subjects, and six of them are invited to participate in interviews In this study, the mixed-method is employed to collect both quantitative and qualitative data using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews There are three types of attitude (affective, cognitive, and behavioral) are addressed in this study The finding reveals that the research participants have positive attitude towards the use of e-learning (behavioral attitude) The finding also shows that most of the participants have favorable affective attitude regarding the employment of e-learning When using elearning, students who are not English majors can improve their English learning thanks to their affective attitude It is believed that these preliminary results would throw light on learners’ attitudes toward using e-learning to teach and learn the English language Keywords: attitude; e-learning; non-English major; language learning i TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract… .i Table of Contents ………ii List of Figures iv List of Tables v List of Abbreviations vi Statement of Original Authorship vii Acknowledgements viii Retention and use of the thesis…………………………………………….…… ix CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study 1.2 Statement of the problem 1.3 Rationale for the study 1.4 Research objectives 1.5 Research questions 1.6 Scope of the study 1.7 Significance of the study 1.8 Definition of terms 10 1.9 Organization of the study 10 CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 12 2.1 E-learning 12 2.1.2 Definition of e-learning 14 2.1.3 Characteristics of e-learning 15 2.1.4 The application of e-learning in EFL teaching and learning 19 ii 2.1.5 Gender difference in e-learning 21 2.2 Attitude 22 2.2.2 Components of attitudes 23 2.2.3 Students’ attitudes towards the use of EL 25 2.3 Previous studies 29 2.4 Conceptual framework 31 2.5 Summary 32 CHAPTER METHODOLOGY 33 3.1 Research questions 33 3.2 Research design 33 3.3 Research setting and participants 33 3.3.2 Participants 34 3.4 Instruments 36 3.4.1 Questionnaire 36 3.4.2 Semi-structure interviews 36 3.5 Data collection 37 3.6 Data analysis procedure 38 3.7 Validity and Reliability 39 3.8 Ethical considerations 41 3.9 Summary 41 CHAPTER RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 42 4.1 Findings 42 Affective attitude 43 Cognitive attitude 45 Behavioral attitude 46 iii 4.2 Differences in terms of gender 48 4.4 Summary 50 CHAPTER CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 52 5.1 Conclusions 52 5.2 Implications of the research 53 For teachers 54 For students 54 Stakeholders 56 5.3 Limitations of the research 56 5.4 Recommendations for further research 57 5.5 Summary 57 REFERENCES 58 APPENDIX A 61 APPENDIX B 64 iv LIST OF TABLES Table Participants’ general information……………………………… 35 Table 4.1 Non-English majored students’ attitudes towards the use of elearning………………………………………………………… 42 Table 4.2 Non-English major students’ affective attitude towards the use of e-learning…………………………………………………… 43 Table 4.3 Non-English majored students’ cognitive attitude towards the use of EL……………………………………………………… 45 Table 4.4 Non-English majored students’ behavioral attitude towards the use of e-learning………………………………………………… 47 Table 4.5 Differences in attitudes towards the use of e-learning according to gender……………………………………………………… 48 Table 4.6 Differences in attitudes towards the use of e-learning according to gender……………………………………………………… 49 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1:The ABC model (Eagly & Chaiken 1993) 25 Figure 2.2: Conceptual framework of the study 32 vi LIST OF ABREVIATIONS TUOEL The Use Of E-learning BVU Ba Ria Vung Tau University NEM Non-English Majors ATTs Attitudes ATT Attitude EL E-learning OL Online Learning JS Jetstream HE HELBLING e-zone SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences ANOVA Analysis of Variance vii STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in the whole or in part from a thesis by which have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the thesis This thesis has not been submitted for award of any degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution Ba Ria- Vung Tau March 2023 Nguyễn Thị Yến viii study topics To determine the views of the non-English major students about the usage of EL, it first provided the findings from the qualitative and quantitative data analysis Results were gathered in terms of broad cognitive, affective and behavioral ATT After that, the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of ATT were examined independently The conclusions, limitations, and implications of the following research will be covered in the next chapter 51 CHAPTER CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS This chapter is divided into four sections The first section presents the study's findings, the next section emphasizes the implications of the research, the third section discusses its limitations, and the fourth section concludes with recommendations for further research 5.1 Conclusions The study's most noticeable conclusion is that a large proportion of nonEnglish major students strongly believed that using EL was advantageous in their language acquisition These findings were based on the ABC theoretical framework (Affective cognitive and behavioral) In particular, the two questions were addressed in turn According to the findings of research question 1, the non-English majors had positive ATT regarding the usage of EL in their EFL classrooms To sum up, it was significant to notice that out of the 11 cognitive components fell into the frequency level of high usage, with mean rankings ranging from 3.52 to 3.71 (B2, B8, B1, B7, B9, B6, B3, B11) Specifically, two highly used components were related to their belief that EL provides useful information for learning English (B2) and computers make studying more enjoyable (B8) The other four high use iemts, including EL is a useful learning tool (B1), EL will enhance effectiveness to learn outside of class (B7), I enjoy using EL as an assisted learning tool (B9) and I find EL system is easy to use (B3) Comparatively lower than the others, there are of the 11 items of affective component fell into the frequency category of high usage, with the mean rankings ranging from 3.52 to 3.86 Specially, A2 (M=3.86) was recorded the highest used item related to homework that they found EL useful in homework completion classified as being used frequently (A2, A1, A9, A8, A7, A10) In comparison to the other questions, of the 11 items selected to focus on the behavioral component were used rather often by students who did not major in English I find it interesting that the two questions, "I regularly 52 make mistakes when using a computer" (item C6) and "I feel extremely motivated to attend an EL course," had similar mean scores The highest elements were noted under (item C3) Moreover, items connected to mean scores value included the following: '' I intend to use EL usually to assist my learning in the future'' (item C1), '' I can prepare for international English tests (TOEIC, IELTS, etc)'' (itemC2), '' When I used e-learning regularly, my English grade has been improved'' (item C4), and the least used elements was '' I use EL as a daily tool learning '' (item C5) Regarding research question the results showed that there were no significant differences in the ATT towards EL in their language learning betweenmale and female students 5.2 Implications of the research The study investigated how gender affects students' attitudes about the use of e- learning in EFL courses and discovered that the gender of non-English majors had no statistically significant impact on attitudes toward the use of elearning Because undergraduate students have generally positive sentiments about EL, the researchers may infer with high confidence that they are eager to use it in their language study Importantly, EL opens up enormous opportunities for higher education and institutions to reach a huge number of students who want to further theireducation The study's findings have a number of significant implications for future learning approaches To successfully implement EL in an EFL classroom, the following proposals for students, instructors, and stakeholders will be detailed Apparently, the students’ positive ATT towards the use of EL will be affected by some elements It means when students have good ATTs toward EL, they will have good behaviors toward the use of EL in EFL classrooms This not only brings better learning results but also increases students' initiative in learning thanks to the advantages of EL EL is an integration of technologies in teaching and learning, this study also shown that EL might give students with additional flexibility in instructor-led or self-study courses The major 53 advantage of EL is that it allows students to learn at any time and from any location Therefore, we need to clearly see the roles of teachers and students as follows: For teachers Human agents are one of the most essential components that contribute to the smooth operation of information management systems (Peterson & Peterson, 1988) In this regard, the role of teachers in EL settings is critical When we consider the function of the teacher in the learning environment, we may conclude that the teacher's importance is expanding It should be highlighted that instructors' afford should be more intense in adapting to new learning settings Firstly, teacher should make students more active in leaning English covers how to engage students into their learning progress Active learning techniques advocate putting students at the center of their learning Because EL suggests self-regulated activities, active learning techniques may be highly beneficial because students are accountable for their learning According to the finding, most students lack the element of love for English (affective) Therefore, motivation is essential for those students, because the majority of students in EL are located at a distance, motivating elements become increasingly important in order to link them to the lesson material Feedback is also the most important part of any sort of communication, especially learning Teachers should be mindful of providing appropriate feedback while creating and conducting learning activities Feedback is particularly vital in EL due to the lack of face-to-face interaction As a result, while creating and teaching a learning activity, teachers should grasp the significance of feedback and how to use it effectively For students Students lack enthusiasm and motivation in studying because nonEnglish students prefer to study for university graduation rather than for love or appreciation of the language This results in the ineffective use of EL to improve learning outcomes Furthermore, students are unskilled and lack 54 various abilities in using information technology in general and language acquisition in particular As a result, even if they understand the relevance of the topic and have a reasonably decent study ATT, students become hesitant and unmotivated Lack of enthusiasm in learning languages, on the other hand, leads to poor learning outcomes Learning motivation one of the fundamental elements of effective education is the promotion of motivation to study (Kim & W Frick, 2011) Motivation to learn indicates that a learner wishes to participate in and learn from a training activity (Garavan et al., 2010) Additionally, a number of studies have shown that effective EL use may increase student involvement, motivation, and attendance One of the essential components for students' success in the EL process is self-motivation In addition, students also need to have collaborative study skills, with useful information and abundant knowledge resources that EL brings, nonenglish major students should have interactive learning with other individuals in the class such as group learning, information exchange and knowledge sharing through online sharing platforms and myriad possibilities Students need to understand that collaboration is one technique to foster motivation, which is necessary for self- motivation in EL Moreover, having regular faceto-face conversations with the teacher is necessary since, although selfmotivation is crucial to EL, a significant portion of it comes from interactions with other students and teachers The third aspect that learners must attain in order to increase their learning for EL is the ability to use information technology, as well as the ability to exploit and efficiently use programs for learning activities Finally, self-discipline and drive are required With the advancement of technology, classes are now more flexible in terms of time and approach The first important factor of EL is self-discipline; students must clearly define their goals and take them seriously, honestly looking at the difficulties of EL to create a high determination in themselves 55 Stakeholders The stakeholders are crucial in motivating instructors and students to use EL into language education, in addition to the efforts of the two groups It is clear that good delivery and proper training of stakeholders in the implementation of EL initiatives are essential for the success of EL in higher education A poorly balanced learning process can be hampered by poorly trained employees, which can cause issues with application use and student perception Higher education EL stakeholders engage with one another in a number of ways Thus, the success of EL is dependent on the participation of all stakeholders Juha (2014) argues that the stakeholders are those who have the authority to influence or have an impact on an organization's goals On the other hand, a stakeholder is defined by Khanyile and Green (2016) as a person who is concerned about the system and how well it is performing Stakeholders must have a clear understanding of the requirements and training program Experts in learning design must have a solid grasp of both adult learning and instructional design principles Additionally, they need to have a solid grasp of the learners the course is intended for since without knowing these learners' needs and what they need from the course, it would be difficult to design a course that successfully delivers what is actually important 5.3 Limitations of the research There are still certain restrictions on this study First of all, a generalization could not be made due to the small sample size This is because it is challenging to draw generalizations from the sample of students, which consists of just 132 participants who are freshmen, sophomore while juniors are the least participant in three distinct faculties including Accounting, Japanese language and Information Technology In the future, it would be preferable if the study's participants were broadened to include additional non-English major faculties at BVU University 56 5.4 Recommendations for further research In order to enhance both the teaching quality in general and the learning quality of students in particular, which are separately associated with the development of EL in Vietnam, there are more similar studies conducted to further investigate the attitudes of lecturers toward EL in more universities in Vietnam It is advised to conduct more study to pinpoint additional factors, such as class level, learning technique, and motivation that may influence students' views toward EL Teachers can also pique students' interest in the topic by engaging them in group activities based on curriculum material during direct classroom hours, providing feedback, and motivating them via lessons Because adopting e-learning for learning has both advantages and disadvantages, and there will be less interaction between students and teachers when using EL for selflearning Students should be encouraged to learn by keeping track of their EL usage and evaluating the completion rate of assignments on the Helbling homepage (the official page of the Jetstream curriculum), which will allow instructors to quickly assist struggling students in using EL for self-study 5.5 Summary The author has made noteworthy comments in this chapter through the survey method and research data that reveal that students are not very interested in studying languages The author also offers advice for both lecturers and students on how to properly use EL in language learning and encourages students to study more effectively which is also discussed in this chapter 57 REFERENCES Algahtani, A (2011) Evaluating the Effectiveness of the E-learning Experience in Some Universities in Saudi Arabia from Male Students’ Perceptions) Retrieved from http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3215/ Alfred N Smith (1971) The Importance of Attitude in Foreign Language Learning The 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A Affective component of using e-learning A.1 I feel more confident while using e-learning lessons A.2 I find e-learning useful in my homework completion A.3 I feel pressured by using e-learning A.4 I feel pressured by my teachers to use E-learning for my learning activities A.5 I feel anxious about my ability to use e-learning A.6 I dislike the idea of using e-learning A.7 I am enjoyed using e-learning functions A.8 I prefer using a computer to prepare for my lessons A.9 I find using e-learning to be easier than using the library A.10 E-learning enhances my learning interest A.11 E-learning makes me uncomfortable because I don’t understand it B Cognitive component of using e-learning B.1 B.2 I believe e-learning is a useful learning tool I believe e-learning provides useful information for learning English B.3 I find e-learning system is easy to use B.4 I have saved time when I use e-learning B.5 B.6 B.7 I think it is difficult to communicate effectively with others by using e-learning I think e-learning increases the quality of learning because it integrates all forms of media I believe e-learning will enhance my effectiveness to learn outside of class B.8 I believe computers make studying more enjoyable B.9 I enjoy using e-learning as an assisted learning tool 62 B.10 I think it is difficult to request students to use e-learning to learn English in the future C The behavior of using e-learning C.1 C.2 C.3 C.4 I intend to use e-learning usually to assist my learning in the future I can prepare for international English tests (Toeic, Ielts, etc) I feel highly motivated to take an e-learning course When I used e-learning regularly, my English grade has been improved C.5 I use e-learning as a daily tool learning C.6 I make errors frequently when I use a computer C.7 I often download English lessons on the internet C.8 I never use e-learning to learn English Thank you for your cooperation! 63 APPENDIX B SAMPLE OF INTERVIEW DATA ANALYSIS I am doing a survey on ‘Non-English majors' attitudes towards the use of e-learning in an EFL classroom at BVU’ (EFL- English as Foreign Language) I would like to express my gratitude for your voluntary participation in completing the questionnaire items below The data collected are used in the research paper only, not for any other purposes If you need more information, please contact me by email or phone Email: nguyenyenvt.com@gmail.com Phone: 0908908406 GENERAL INFORMATION I Please answer the following questions 1.1 What’s your gender? Male  Female 1.2 What’s your field of study… ? 1.3 What technology device you use to learn English? ◻ Computer ◻ Smartphone or tablet ◻ Others II QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEW Please give your response to the following questions 2.1 Do you use e-learning to learn English? What type of website, apps or internet materials you apply? 64 2.2 How you feel when using e-learning to learn English in the class and outside classroom? Do you think your language ability is improved after applying it to your studying? Why/ Why not? 2.3 How you use e-learning in your studying? Do you think this learning material enhance your attitude to learn English? Why/ Why not? Please describe your learning process (Do you know how to use elearning? How often you use e-learning to learn English?) 2.4 What you like best about e-learning? Why? 2.5 Do you think e-learning a good materials source to learn English? Why? 65