Efl students attitudes towards e learning at hoang van thu secondary school in ho chi minh city

Students’ attitudes towards e-learning 24, Previous studies 2.4.1, Atitude of students towards e-learning -learning in educational background 2.4.3.. It was found that there were signifi

BỘ GIÁO DUC VA DAO TAO

TRUONG DAI HQC SU’ PHAM THANH PHO HO CHi MINH

Vũ Kim Phụng

EFL STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS E-LEARNING AT HOANG VAN THU SECONDARY SCHOOL IN HO CHI MINH CITY

LUAN VAN THAC Si KHOA HQC GIAO DUC

Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh — 2023

BỘ GIÁO DUC VA DAO TAO

TRUONG DAI HQC SU’ PHAM THANH PHO HO CHi MINH

Vũ Kim Phụng

EFL STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS E-LEARNING AT HOANG VAN THU SECONDARY SCHOOL IN HO CHI MINH CITY

Chuyên ngành: Lý luận và phương pháp giảng dạy tiếng Anh

Mã số: 8140111

LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ KHOA HỌC GIÁO DỤC

NGƯỜI HƯỚNG DẢN KHOA HỌC:

TS DƯƠNG MỸ THÁM

Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh - 2023

1.5 Scope of the study

16 Signili f the study

1.7 Definition of key terms

1.8 Organi: if the thesi:

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.2.2 Learning theories underpinning e-learning

2.2.4 The applications of e-learning in EFL education 2.3 Attitudes

2.3.1 Definition of attitudes

2.3.2 Characteristics of Attitude

2.3.2 Students’ attitudes towards e-learning

2.4 Previous studies ~ reson - - 24 2.4.1, Attitude of students towards e-learning ~ ey] 2.4.2 E-learning in educational background

4.2.1 EFL students” attitudes towards e-learning

4.2.2 Significant differences in attitudes towards e-learning between males and females

4.3, Summary

5.1.2 Differences in attitudes between males and females towards e-

5.2 Pedagogical implications

5.2.1 Implicat 8 for students

5.2.2 Implications for teachers

5.2.3 Implications for admi

5.3 Limitations of the research 7

5.5 Summary

REFERENCE:

I certify that this thesis, “EFL students’ attitudes towards e-learning at Hoang Van Thu Secondary School in Ho Chi Minh City”, is my own work

I declare that the the: s my own work and all the parts in the thesis are done seriously myself This thesis has not been written or published before Signature:

Date:

First of all, I am thankful to my supervisor and advisor of the thesis, Dr Duong

My Tham She has been providing me with academic guidance and constructive feedback continuously during the writing of this thesis Without her support and encouragement, this work would not have been seriously completed Secondly, I would like to express my appriciation to the principal and the participants at Hoang Van Thu Secondary School where I did my research They gave

the semi-structured interview It was a great encouragement for me to complete my

research They participated fully in the experimental lessons, answered the

questionnaires, and completed the semi- structured interview, Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to my family and co-workers,

who has encouraged me to complete this thesis throughoutly

English as a foreign language Mean

Reliability statistics for attitude questionnaire

The overall statistics results of EFL students’ attitudes towards c-

learning in Hoang Van Thu secondary school

Results of EFL students’ attitudes towards e-learning in term of

Figure 2.2 The conceptual framework of e-learning

Figure 3.1 [ th and Analysis Procedures 33

Recently, e-learning is considered one of the most effective ways to learn and teach English, It has been applied to many high schools and universities in Vietnam many years ago, but itis not very popular in lower education, especially, in secondary

schools The aim of this study was to investigate EFL students’ attitudes towards e-

learning at Hoang Van Thu Secondary School in Ho Chi Minh City The participants

were 209 ninth graders in the school in the academic school year 2022- 2023 The

questionnaire includes 35 questions regarding 3 components of attitudes including

affective aspect, behavioral aspect and cognitive aspect Then a twelfth- question

semi structured interview was launched to investigate the differences in attitudes

independent samples t-test and in SPSS 22 Also, descriptive statistics were run to

calculate mean and lard deviation, It was found that there were significant

that most of them haad neutral attitudes towards e-leaming and males had more

to assist students, teachers and educators in conducting e-learning more effectively

regarding to the findings of the research,

Keywords: attitudes, e-learning, secondary school students

1.1 Background of the study

Nowadays, English plays a vital role in educational aspects, Students are prepared to study English at a very carly stage, With the significant development of

to E-learning or electronic learning as related to web-based assistants to enhance

teaching and learning through digital tools and devices (Al-Fraihat, Joy & Sinclair,

2020; Algahtani & Rajkhan, 2020; Kumar, Saifuddin, 2018; Wotto & Belanger,

2018) Many higher institutions and universities worldwide have supplemented e-

support learners’ learning, (Alhmali, 2007; Al et al., 2021; Bertea, 2009;

Gluchmanova, 2015), However, most schools must be closed, especially during the

Covid-19 pandemic All students have no choice in traditional classrooms; teachers

and students can only keep leaning and teaching tracks via electronic learning The

learning in Vietnam, especially for secondary students They have never experienced

educators who have to get used to the new teaching and learning tools, EFL teachers’

is the first-time students are forced to study full schedule with e-learning assistants acti ities, lessons, assignments and instructions have to be done through online

interaction and communication The main problem is that the situation is so

accidental, and both teachers and learners do not have any preparations for the

change; the consequence is that they get stuck, and it directly affects the quality of

teaching and learning The study's rationale aims to explore students’ attitudes maximize the e-learning application in the research field,

With the incredible development of technology, more and more students are familiar with the online learning system Vietnam is no exception, especially in the

current situation, which demotivates traditional teaching and learning because of the

widespread Covid-19 pandemic worldwide It is an emergency that e-learning is a perfect choice for teaching and learning, which substitutes for traditional classrooms E-learning is a familiar teaching and learning approach However, it is entirely

unfamiliar for secondary school educators and students who need to become more

familiar with the functions of e-learning in Vietnam Thanks to the language

applications allow educators and students to keep track of teaching and learning

through online-based programs Online learning may be a familiar idea for higher

primary and secondary school students who have never tried a new way of interaction

delivering and receiving the lessons In addition, they also face and try to overcome

unexpected difficulties to fulfil their roles Furthermore, only a few secondary students experience online appli tions, and they may have various difficulties and

about the functions of these web-based applications to ensure they have basic

knowledge and be confident in delivering the best lessons to their students To be

more specific, Hoang Van Thu secondary school has never had e-learning classes

board classrooms, pen and paper tests so this is the first time they has experienced

the new style of learning, As a result, the head of the school, teachers and students learning style through e-learning and they need to change a lot to keep up with the

lessons and follow e-learning related activities step by step The head of the school also decides that e-learning will be maintained in the future to meet the requirements

of new educational programs

secondary school in Ho Chi Minh City" was conducted with the primary purpose of investigating the learners’ attitudes in a secondary school in Ho Chi Minh City

- To identify students’ attitudes towards e-learning in learning the English

language at Hoang Van Thu Secondary school

~ To examine if there are significant differences in attitudes towards e-learning between males and females?

1.4, Research questions

The research aimed to find the answer for the following questions:

(1) What are the students’ attitudes towards e-learning at Hoang Van Thu

Secondary school?

(2) Are there any significant differences in attitudes towards e-learning between

males and females? If so, how?

1.5 Scope of the study

The study mainly concentrated on investigating 209 ninth graders’ attitudes towards e-learning at Hoang Van Thu Secondary school and the differences in

attitudes between male and female participants

‘The study was conducted in Hoang Van Thu secondary school in Ho Chi Minh

City using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews The participants were 209

ninth graders at Hoang Van Thu Secondary school in Ho Chi Minh City in both the

first and second semesters of the school year 2022- 2023 The results showed learners!

secondary school

The significance of the study is shown by the following reasons Firstly, there

is the attention devoted to EFL students’ attitudes toward the applications of e- learning in the Vietnamese context The core issue here is to conduct the current research because its findings are expected to result in several benefits In addition, investigating students’ attitudes towards e-learning and analyzing the positive attitude

of students lead to a significant comprehension of advantges of e-learning in EFL related research associated with the focus on this study,

The research investigation helps teachers consider their role in the e-learning process, and they have a brief overview to have well-prepared lessons for their students They can avoid some similar mistakes that lead to unexpected elements Besides, the study was conducted about students’ attitudes toward e-learning

in a secondary school in Ho Chi Minh City Moreover, the findings provide reliable information for further research involving e-learning in the region 1.7 Definition of key terms

There are definitions of the terms appearing in this study as follow:

~ Students’ attitudes refers to the feeling, opinion and behavior of secondary school students towards e-learning It is closely related to three cognitive, affective, and behavioral components

E-learning is defined as a short-term electronic learning that enhances traditional understanding and is an essential and alternative way of learning in the current situation of the Covid -19 pandemic,

Secondary school students are eighth graders learning at Hoang Van Thu secondary school They are taught through e-learning throughout the academic year

and be conducted in the summertime for revision purposes

‘The current research includes five chapters: introduction, literature review,

research methodology, results and discussion, conclusion and implication Chapter one generally introduces the thesis The chapter clarifies the research aims, the research questions, the scope of the study, the significance of the research and the organization of the idea,

Chapter two reviews the literature related to the study It initially begins with the definitions of key terms regarding e-learning, characteristics of e-learning, the

learning in teaching and learning The chapter is closed with the relevant studies in the field of e-learning

Chapter three presents the methodology for the research A detailed and

in the study is also stated clearly The chapters, thus, make clear the data collection procedure

Chapter four reports the results from the analysis of the data collection It

includes the results from the survey, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews The chapter discusses some issues emerging from the findings from the

questionnaires and semi-structured interviews

Chapter five summarizes the study’s major findings, presents several pedagogical implications, investigates the study’s limitations, and suggests

applicable suggestions for further research

2.1 Introduction

‘This chapter covers the theoretical background for the present study by reviewing the related literature on e-learning, students’ attitudes towards e-learning,

and previous studies First, e-learning was clarified, including its various definitions,

learning theories underpinning e-learning and the application of e-learning in EFL

education, Secondly, attitudes, including its purposes, and learners’ attitudes towards

e-learning, are considered In addition, the previous studies on e-learning are

summarized, Finally, the author presents the conceptual framework of the present study,

2.2, E-learning

2.2.1, Definition of e-learning

There are many different definitions related to e-leaming According to

Maatuk (2021), e-learning refers to a system which is considered a formal system that

enhances the leaning process with the useful support of electronic resources

Students are able to leam and practice more through online related exercises with the enhance learners’ skills, Looi (2021) extracted that e-learning is a work that has more

among students’ physical aspect, social component and psychological matter All

tools including supportive devices for learning process (Harahap & Fitri, 2021) Furthermore, e-learning applications encourage not only teachers but also educators

together, Moreover, the quality of work required of students can be supported while

opportunities to widen their knowledge through various kinds of learning tasks on these e-learning systems (Sandybayev, 2020)

web-based, computer-assisted, or internet-based foundations are also e-learning

{Aljawarneh, 2020; Lara et al., 2020; Yengin et al., 2011) For example, information

enhance learners’ outcomes With modern technology, e-learning allows learners and

through vi I

It can reduce the travel time and also geographic differences Mason and Rennie (2006) gave more specific e-learing details in their books The rerserchers

and digital learning It fost dšreai I

process without limited time and areas Similarly, Gautam (2020) and Mukhtar

(2020) showed that e-learning is easy to manage and practice with teachers’

instruction and accessible with teachers’ online materials E-learning or online

asynchronous Icarning, and distance learning, which refer to the learning activities education through electronic platforms (Gluchmanova, 2015; Moore et al., 2011;

suggested that e-learning is a new method to delivering and receiving the lessons in

modern life Students no longer travel long distances to maintain their educational

goals, However, they can stay at home and be ready for the learning with the support

of network sharing and fulfil the tasks through lectures’ videos and instructions at the

same time In addition, it helps save time and transportation expenses, and everything

‘an essential revolutions in the modern educational system It brings vast advantages

accessible ways For example, teachers and learners can choose the time and place

for the learning and teaching process without geographical restrictions Online

different countries to choose their favorite schools without any worry

Th

to its electronic role and primarily facilitates learning through the technological

learning resources, and learning can be conducted through online lectures and videos

in rural areas (Abbad et al., 2009; Matizet et al., 2005; Wentling, 2000; Liu and Wang,

2009) Moreover Rodgers (2008) indicated that e-learning improved learners’

educational perspective took less time for a better learning version, Maltz et al., ( Jearning i \dditional

traditional classromms, and it brings many benefits to learning exceptionally high

education, Khan (2005) explained that e-learning is an innovation in teaching and

connect learners interactively, and supports the learning environment with more

attractive and well-designed lessons Cagilty, Yildrin and Aksu (2006) defined that

e-learning influenced the learning environment worldwide, especially in developing

learning style It is considered the main factor in reaching new modern learning

related to high technology, and it enhances the positive impacts of both direct and

indirect learning

To sum up e-learning has many benefits in the teaching and learning activities,

It concentrates on learner-centred approach and develops their motivations through a

wide range of platform-based activities to focus on interaction and language practice

with other learners through electronic platforms and its educational features support

the needs of teaching and leaming in modern society, It is also a kind of innovation

& Hamidi, 2011).

2.2.2.1 Behaviorism

Behaviourism is shown in e-learning through how students acquire learning

within external contexts and environmental stimuli The behaviorist school considered that human beings’ mind is the centre which applies all the inside and

processes of thought appearing in mind, Previous e-learning systems were developed regarding closely to the behaviorist approach to gain the success in learning process Skinner (1974) expressed that it was a hard work to prove the inner processing

concentration on relationships of cause and effect effects should be explored by

observing the inner process of human beings Médritscher (2006) stated that it could

had learned before In this way, learners learn from experiences and interactive activities through the intentional and specific lessons

In particular, various ¢-activities are generalized and adapted into various

assignments They are small pieced exercises, and they are structured to optimize

behaviourism In addition, learners can generate their lessons from easy to more they desire for their learning process, such as watching videos or reading a short text Moreover, students are guided by teachers’ instructions to model the tasks in

an understandable way (Médritscher, 2006), Alzaghoul (2012) supposed that c- addition, education is where people can gain knowledge and experience, but it can be changed and observed via any available scientific procedures, Behaviourists claim results, and these steps are done by observation They ignored the theory of what was

their tasks In this way, behaviorists believe detailed results should be presented at the

for gaining the outcome and expectation (Abidin, 2012) In addition, material

and choices during the course Bertea (2009) also preferred explanations that

demonstrate the operation's requirement and teams should be divided into several

parts for better understanding, feedback, and practices Finally, the test is a must to

justify their learning and teaching approaches

2.2.2.2 Constructivism

Many scholars support the idea that e-learning is a kind of constructivism because it enhances learners’ knowledge through active constructions Médritscher

because they optimize the role of learners and learning in learning outcome, In concentration Thanks to the visible support of e-learning learning becomes more

active, and learners become more eager and interactive (o construct meaning Pange

(2011) pointed out that learners can reflect on their learning process on e-learning

system, An e-learning environment supports learning involves and self-expression,

analyzed through an progressive construction of leamers’ previous knowledge and

because it enhances the learning activities learners

Radha et al., (2020) expressed that constructivism was the process that focused

‘on human beings’ inner mind They reflected the previous experiences and created

learning activities and students might get improvement form the knowledge constructed from students’ previous experiences and matched to requirements of

experiences created information for learners to be constructed online Many

important role in encouraging the students to be more enthusiasm in the lessons, enhancing students to fulfill their tasks and launching new methods for students to

claimed that learners had a tendency to be more active than passive if they would be the center of the learning, with the instructors playing as advisors and facilitators

‘They encouraged the learners to achieve the learning outcomes and did not stand

by fulfilling constant related activities, Moreover, they also have full interaction in

their own work with peers

Moreover, e-learning helps connect students, teachers, peers, and others

efficiently and effectively with different social activities E-learning also encourages

and summarize lessons At the same time, students have more time to absorb and

learn what they are studying through doing interactive games and experiencing themselves through online practice (Mason &Rennie, 2006)

Janelle (2018) considered constructivism and cognitivism visible in e-learning

i The scholar i method of

conducting and constructing new knowledge formulated from experience and is explored in e-learning frequently, Constructivism enables collaboration through

instructors’ guidance, screen-guided that optimizes learners to make their own decisions If constructivism is applied in the e-learning lessons, students will have

on their work | 'Xefcises and c-learning activities (Médritscher, 2006)

E-learning is considered as a factor of socio- cultural perspective because

aspects that Shih (201

aspects focused on above, the socio-cultural perspectives of e-learning are now one

now increasingly developing It has changed the learners’ attitudes worldwide

‘They are enhanced through social practice and cultural meanings to adapt to the

and mastering the core needs and demands of learners to balance social practice and

educational designers to appreciate essential resources and be dynamic in developing

and maintaining applicable lessons embedded in cultural relevance to suit to the

acquiring knowledge and the social characteristics of individual and collective work

It means that it is mutually related to socio-cultural aspects Therefore, learners have

by various cultures and societies E-learning is beneficial because it accompanies

collaboration and enhances learning and learner outcomes (Cheok et al., 2017) It

allows instructors to combine the most appropriate lessons to optimize the learners'

learning processes such as personal knowledge, ethnic matters, and socio-economic learning system, which helps the socio-cultural perspectives Consequently,

promptly through practicing among their partners

2.2.4 The applications of e-learning in EFL education

It is undeniable that e-learning has strongly influenced the educational systems, especially in the current situations requiring online and traditional learning styles that

learning is a crucial factor in schooling E-learning is a new approach that both learners and educators should adopt to be balanced in modern and highly technological societies Many countries have applied and continuously used e-

and Harbon (2014) stated that e-learning implements education in higher education

responses of applying e-learning in teaching English, These are better if the staff is well-prepared for technological usage

Moreover, the research showed that e-learning enhances motivation and encourages

embedded into the lessons that are interesting and understandable These are out of traditional methods, and learners were excited to learn with interactive technology

factors, such as technical support, infrastructure, integration, and adaptive attitudes

develop the speaking skill of college students in China The author explained that it

is successful because of many factors, such as a constructive approach and new methods from teacher-centeredness to leamer-centeredness; integration in education

in the current educational situation After the research, the author found out that

application, and e-learning also improved the standard of the learners’ practice and communication, (Shen & Suwanthep, 2011)

Rahim et al., (2021) explored that learners have more improvement in their foreign

in traditional classrooms, They are more confident expressing and showing their

I e such as electricity shortage, the high cost of the Internet or lack of technology skills

is fast and more straightforward for learners to learn and practice It helps them be

introverted and more communicative in learning a foreign language E-learning

allows learners instantly find new information and access the outside world more

encouraging different types of learners to be involved in the lessons engagingly

2.2.4.1, E-learning in secondary schools

Much research indicates the effects of e-learning in educational systems, especially

in secondary schools

Hong et al., (2001) figured that e-learning should be integrated to the secondary curriculum and modern learning processeactivities from primary schools

to universities in Malaysia The research also showed the benefits of e-learning

help to boost learning experiences in an integrated curriculum Cheok et al (2017) investigated that e-learning is not focused on three secondary schools in Malaysia Many barriers prevent e-learning from practising because learners and teachers are familiar with traditional teaching and learning methods UNESCO (2013)

in their educational programs However, there are no significant changes and results

because of various barriers, For example, in Cambodia, the cost of the Internet is high,

and it ts the country with the most increased price of internet in the area, so it is

secondary schools have internet access, and teachers have more opportunities to use ICT in teaching In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, internet access is also new Until 2014, with support from Chin:

in ICT usage (UNESCO, 2013), The same with other countries in the area, Vietnam hhas made a ten-year plan that change the education system from instructor-centred to

learning-centred, develop e-learning with the support of ICT, ICT will be embedded

and the shift from translation method to direct English but the actual situation is not

Information and Communications Technology and it is able to take a long time for

development, Moreover, e-learning can be fulfilled shortly with the help from other

organizations

Paris (2004) researched students’ attitudes at Adelaide Public Secondary School toward online e-learning The result was achieved based on the three

which showed that students have a positive attitude towards applying e-learning in

school and home In addition, the research also explained that male students are

researched secondary school learners’ attitudes towards ¢-learning in the Palesti lan education system The paper collected information on learners’ attitudes based on

readiness The result could be more optimistic because there are many barriers to

education policy, technological limitations and students’ motivation and awareness

However, it also shows that learners have a positive attitude toward e-learning They feel i ‘The online lessons and teachers’ instructions are more understandable than in physical classrooms, even k and 1

though they are not encouraged to be ready for e-learning However, the traditional approach still needs to be more popular

positive attitude toward e-learning readiness, They are comfortable adopting e-

learning as a supplement to their learning process

So and Swatman (2006) found that e-learning does not have a significant role

with secondary school students In contrast, another different view was shown in a

(AEN) which was introduced in 2007 and indicated that secondary school students

enable them to be commonplace in General Secondary Education Examination taken

interact online with students through assisted online platforms such as Module or

own choices 10 practice the learning process through recorded lessons and are encouraged to fulfil the tasks with their schedules

Mailizar (2020) considered that c-learning in secondary schools in Indonesia has little importance in the methodology of teaching and learning progress regarding

to technological skills from teachers and learners The internet limitation and related

equipment for ¢-learning teaching and learning experience are vital barriers to c-

learning conduction As a result, students are left behind in the curriculum because

proved that secondary students in Zambian have to learn through the Internet and

distancing prevent interaction and school activities However, e-learning is one of the

challenges for primary and secondary school students, who are only vulnerable to

instructions

It has a little positive impact on learners’ attitudes toward e-learning Samurai

(2021) gave very general information about the e-learning impact in public secondary

experiencing e-learning through assisted platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet It

should be maintained for blended learning in the future, Panyajamorn (2018)

examined the research in Thai public schools In the same concerns, many higher

However, there needs to be more research which focuses on attitudes of learners and

many dị

and policymakers However recently e-learning has been considered a substitute

pandemic; the calculators show that geographical characteristics influence the effectiveness of e-learning and family conditions and the ethnic groups or mountainous areas have a lower percentage of students who can participate in e- learning

Last but not least, more researchers have been concerned about e-learning in higher education and high schools in Vietmam Pham and Ho (2020) highlight the

learning and maintain education during the pandemic to match government policies

systems of all levels, and it i: idered with the

purpose of the government "No one left behind” The flexibility provides significant support for leamers to integrate into e-learning in the post-Covid-19 situation, According to Vuong (2021), e-learning is dominant in education More than eighty-

three per cent of universities have entirely transitioned from traditional methods to e-

learning to keep up with sudden changes However, it is quite a challenge for a

developing couniry like Vietnam In the same vein, Ho et al., (2021) also listed many

as the improvement of accessibility, the flexible schedules and effect of financial

‘Therefore, the roles of teachers, administrators and government should be extremely considered for the success of e-learning quality

2.3.1 Definition of attitudes

Eveyik (1999) stated that attitudes wee closely related to a state of human beings that depended on the readiness towards a goal or object, and language learning was

‘not an exception Moreover, attitude was considered one of the dominant factors

which reflected learners’ ability in a language learning process Many researchers

learners’ positive attitudes towards the learning journey Burns (1997) encouraged

differently Brown (1994) conveyed that the term attitudes involved the affective and

component in human life and social experience They could be negative or positive attitudes

Chamber (1999) claimed that there was a mutual connection between language learning and human personalities Foreign language learning was closely related to

attitudes, For example, positive attitudes was the result of positive practice towards

learning language Therefore, attitudes was an integral part in learning a language

learning journey would be easier when learners had positive attitudes towards their

negative Similarly, Gardner and Lambert (1972) also agreed that positive attitudes

attitudes were states of human beings during their entire life and school time was

necessary to build learners" positive attitudes towards learning a foreign language It

was a fundamental step to shape and gradually reconstruct learners” behaviors

Alhmali (2007) highlighted the significance of cognitive and affective

components of attitudes to master a foreign language He also believed that human

choices and consideration usually depended on much of human attitudes and values

It would encourage or discourage in making voice and choice Attitude was closely

involved in emotional aspects human beliefs One year later, Montano and Kasprzyk

(2008) suggested that attitude was a part of personal beliefs and mutual involved in

behavior More significantly, learners’ results were greatly influenced by their positive or negative attitudes

Later, Wenden (1991) summarized a theory of attitudes which combine three

categories called behavioral, affective and cognitive components According to

Allman (2000), positive attitudes directly affect the success of learners, To be more

speci

thinking in their mind Saleh (2012) stated that attitudes are the process chains of

the target language can be achieved with leamers’ positive and active

human beings related to readiness, the state that he responses to the outside world,

they are parallel to learners’ opinions and agreements towards the situations The Cambridge Dictionary defined attitudes are the things related to human beings” ideas

to both positive and negative feelings concerned about society, situation, personal

many social situations including how to accompanying with language learning It is

efficiently in dealing with foreign language learning, Atitudes are related to beliefs

in particular

2.3.2 Characteristics of Attitude

Breckler (1984) and Jones and Clarke (1994) suggested that effect, behaviour,

and cognition were components of attitude and can be separated Gardner (1985) refered to the basis of the personal ideas or viewpoint about an object He believed

that attitude is an inference which was a combination of complex and fundamental beliefs towards attitudes It was the combination of a human's emotion, agreement or disagreement about an object, sentiment or threats about any specified matter Moreover, he summarised the altitude concept as a key aspect of motivation in

language learning Kara (2009) believed that a positive attitude in a learning journey,

including three domains regarding emotional, behavioural and cognitive factors,

directly affects learners’ beliefs and learning decisions Attitudes could be gained from values people attribute to their beliefs or values whether the attitudes were

positive or negative depended on our values (Wright, 1987) For example, a learner

could achieve achievement if he believed he could reach his target and showed a

tiv his belief Baker (1992) concluded

to measure the direction and persistence of human characters or behavior Similarly,

Brown (2001) believed that attitude could be characterized by affective components

such as emotion, feelings and community relationships It related to favorable and

unfavorable responses to a specific object, person, decision or event, In contrast,

Wenden (1991) claimed a specific and clear definition of attitudes He suggested the

behavioral components

2.3.2.1 Affective component

Learning was also a perfect combination of emotions between teachers and

learners participating in various activiti Nevertheless, learners were encouraged or

(Feng & Chen, 2009) According to Breckler (1984), a practical component could be

measured from positive emotion (happy, good, exciting) to negative emotion (sad,

bad, dull) In the same vein, Shen et al., (2009) suggested that e-learning was heavily involved in good learning outcomes and learners’ engagement during the learning process It meant that e-learning directly generated the learners’ behaviour,

intellectual aspects, and emotional matters in learning tasks In their research, the

experimental result showed that learners with positive emotions helped to boost the

affective component closely related to feeling and human emotions It could be favourable or unfavourable, got on well with an object or be unfamiliar with

something The affective factor drew attention to the sensitive and emotional matters

regarding an individual's approval and disapproval, Ortony, Clore and Collins (1988) named the affective component “object-based emotion” because it happened

affection, The affective factor was considered to play a vital role compared with

Chartrand, 1999; Chen & Bargh, 1999)

2.3.2.2 Behavioral component

in a specific situation For example, a positive learner must be more involved in his

learning process or activities He encouraged himself to be active in every situation, inside and outside the classroom, to acquire a language In contrast, a negative learner found keeping track of the learning process boring Positive behaviours created and practising valuable skills through daily activities and meaningful context In

(Breckler, 1984), Behavioral aspect related to the things which refer to clear-cut Itentional activii ila , 1991)

argued for the establishment of specific learning behaviours This is how subjects

interact directly with the viewpoint of the world That is the behavior which is also

component refered to information or knowledge, in contrast, the affective component

is based on cemotions The behavioral component reflects how our attitude affects attitude reflects how individuals’ reactions based on their knowledge and

understanding about certain things or objects As a result, learners have positive attitudes if they develop themselves in a comprehensive circle 2.3.2.3 Cognitive component

Cognition relates to the psychological aspect, and it can be divided into four

subdomains; previous knowledge connection, new knowledge creation, knowledge

checking, and new knowledge adaptation, Moreover, Breckler (1984) showed that

is showed by the combination of personal ideas, feelings, intention, or opinions about

researchers trying to investigate and improve learners’ attitudes towards e-learning,

willingness to use technology and unique skills Moreover, it was ample for learners

to recognize the advantages or disadvantages of e-learning, and these things became

depended on their likes or dislikes and whether they felt encouraged or discouraged

pleasurable and exciting to investigate the wehnology Then they were more

technology and the e-learning environment Moreover, Liaw, Huang and Chen (2007)

and the e-learning impact, Yaghoubi, Mohammadi, Iravani, Attaran and Gheidi

beneficial and helpful e-learning experiences in the educational system

Shashaani ( dđ

and more confident than female students The research also showed that the results

and hopefulness In contrast, Katz et al., (1995) proved no considerable difference

esteem (Nassoura, 2012) To be more specific, the attitudes of learners could be

learning ease of use (Aixia & Wang, 2011), In the same vein, Liaw and Huang (2011)

of e-learning and self-efficacy Students’ attitudes became positive if they maintained

positive behaviors and were willing toward e-learning (Lim, Hong, & Tan, 2008;

motivation, self-discipline, and software-using skills influenced learners’ attitudes

These factors directly involved learners’ attitudes toward e-learning, and of course,

they could be positive or negative Low-motivation students could not keep track of

e-learning because they tended to lose concentration, The lack of teachers’ attention

caused a negative attitude toward students, Moreover, emotion also aroused learners’

and online interaction could cause insecure and frustrating feelings

2.3.2 Students’ attitudes towards e-learning

’ attitude: ge

research related to teaching and learning a foreign language There are two schools

of learners’ attitudes: favorable and moderate, based on many considerations such as

the use of technology, satisfaction with technology and attitude toward technology

In many recent papers, scholars showed that most learners showed positive attitudes toward e-learning regarding confidence, interests, learning beliefs and material

designs They stated that their learning improved and they had more opportunities to

are slightly more optimistic than male learners, and the effects are outweighed in urban areas than the rural ones (Papaioannou & Charalambous, 2011; Paris, 2004;

Sweeney & Geer, 2010)

Rhema et al., (2014) showed that learners were very confident and concentrated

in c-learning interaction, even if they could be more sophisticated and familiar with

e-learning Otherwise, they felt active and comfortable using e-learning as a

future use of e-learning and believe that e-learning supported them to be more

informative in their learning processes The interview showed that males were more

likely to be familiar with technology and e-learning usefulness than females because

of their inner interest in technology-related activities However, both males and

showed that they were familiar with technology and used e-learning in their

educational programs in higher education, They completely agreed with the

learning in enhancing new knowledge They also stated that e-learning was essential and be in line with traditional to shorten geographic and cultural matters, which could

learning styles (Adwanet al., 2013; Zaitoon, 2014; Olga et al., 2014) 2.4, Previous studies

2.4.1 Attitude of students towards e-learning

‘The attitude of students has been explored in many related studies These studies iudents' attitudes are ith three usefuln of e-learning, i

pleasure of using e-learning

Firstly, the usefulness and frequency of e-learning were involved in many factors, such as virtual classrooms and pedagogical and technological factors Technology could be used to help leamers during their learning process in many

different ways Most of the studies showed positive results, and many students

in higher education They could cope with e-learning courses, improved their course quickly, and use e-learning effectively during online periods, (Pilli, Fanacian & Momani, 2014; Jovie, Stankovic, & Neskovie, 2017; Eraslan, & Topkaya, 2017; 2014; Abbas, 2020)

Secondly, the intentional usage of e-learning drew attention to these categories including the possibility of e-learning during an online course the choice to use e- possible for the coursebook The results were also positive, with high future use and mostly agreed with the questionnaires, Jovie, Stankovic, & Neskovic,

2017; Eraslan, & Topkaya, 2017; Rhema, Amal, & Iwona, 2014; Muhammad, & Javid, 2012)

Thirdly, students’ attitude was the most concem, and all studies showed that

learners were eager to use e-Ì nd found it their online

attitudes towards e-learning tools, and e-learning effectiveness for learning and Neskovie, 2017; Rhema, Amal, & Iwona, 2014)

2.4.2 E-learning in educational background

E-learning is familiar in higher education, especially in developed countries Many studies have shown that students in colleges and universities apply e-learning the learning opportunities for learners who need help to afford to lea abroad or

to develop and get more knowledge without much concern but gaining certificate replacement for the traditional learning environment It also narrows the geographic

& Ja‘ashan, 2020; Richard, Kendra & Young, 2013; Khan, 2010) E-learning is applied to English language faculty and fits non-English majors Many studies showed that e-learning visibly worked well in both two aspects, The results were unsurprising that many students preferred e-learning and showed a positive attitude towards e-learning, with many visible benefits from the new technology-supported learning and teaching They also suggested that e-learning Muhammed & Javid, 2012; Pilli, Fanacian & Momani, 2014; Abbas, 2020; Shu & Hsiu, 2011; Odeshi, 2014; Ali & Ece, 2017; Jovie, Stankovie, & Neskovie, 2017), Recently, e-learning has become an essential part of general education due to the Covid-19 pandemic Students have no choice but to e-learning, a perfect decision for keeping up with the knowledge and maintaining the pace of education, the

relationship among friends and teacher-learner interaction, Many articles

knowledge process, and the results found many positive results Students felt that e- e-learning's adverse effects Moreover, motivation is also a critical point that they frequency and online resources to enhance their technical presentations, and e- learning is more enjoyable and effective (Ali, Ehab & Bawa’aneh; 2020; Maatuk, et al., 2021: Hassen, 2020; Wang, et al., 2020)

2.4.3, E-learning in secondary schools

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, there were not many studies that indicated the e-learning impacts on secondary schools However, much typical research showed were also positive regarding multimedia aspects, The encouragement to use showed that students felt encouraged and engaged in e-learning activities, They demographics and internet availability, (Shraim & Khlaif, 2012; Paris, 2004; Majid

& Hanan, 2011)

Recently, de k g ft dered There are many studies on the issues, but they could be more detailed, The results e-learning, and it depended on internal and external factors such as e-learning usage

are also higher than the learners with less available internet connection places There Ozbek, 2018; Gupta & Sharma, 2018) Many recent studies focus on the learners’

Vietnamese context

2.5 Conceptual framework

The present study aims to investigate EFL learners’ attitudes and the differences between males and females towards e-learning at a secondary school in Ho Chi Minh City The author has thoughtfully focused on the previous related research Shih (2017) clarified that there were three relevant aspects of e-learning theories focused

‘on socio-cultural perspectives, behaviorism and constructivism In addition, Wenden

(1991) & Brown (2001) summarized a theory of attitudes which combines three essential categories called behavioral, affective and cognitive components which seriously reflected to the contribution of attitudes Kara (2009) believed that a positive attitude in a learning journey, including three domains regarding emotional, decisions There are mutual relations among these aspects towards e-learning Thus, the author learned about the differences between male and female attitudes towards e-learning based on the behavioral, cognitive and affective aspects to withdraw the

better solutions for e-learning

The conceptual framework of this study is presented in the following figure

TT

a ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ socio behaviorism | constructivism behavioral affective cognitive

The chapter discusses the related literature which includes the concepts of e- learning and its three main components:(1) cognitive, (2) practical and (3) behavioral and previous study, which provides information on the content of the next chapter relationship between e-learning and learners’ perspectives A summary of the

recent time

‘The conceptual framework shed light on the contribution of the next chapter

This chapter aims to describe the methodology applied and used in the study

‘The study's design, the context, and the participants and sampling are initially focused

Following after these components, the materials used for the study are also mentioned The ial: f the study

qualitative research, the questionnaire and the semi-structure interview were used to

more valid, reliable, The da c‹ i

section Finally, the author presented the reliability validity and ethnic issues to end the chapter

(2) Are there any significant differences in attitudes towards e-learning between

males and females? If so, how?

3.2 Research Design

‘The present was planned with explanatory sequential mixed methods The author collected quantitative data first According to Kumar (2019), quantitative was

effective because the method has clear, good structure and it can be tested for the

accuracy of validity and reliability, In the same vein, Bryan (2011) also suggested

that the qualitative method was reliable due to its numbers or figures in data collection, The res h focused on the objectives and validity of what had been observed To be more specific, Creswell (2009) indicated that the method was research design reliable and valid In addition, Nghia (2012) also translated Creswell’s data for both quantitative and qualitative methods and then applying statistics and