Demotivating factors in debating the case study of efl undergraduates at banking academy of vietnam

Using a mixed-methods approach that includes online questionnaires with undergraduate students who have engaged in both learning courses, debating events, and observations from publicati

DECLARATION

I, Long Tran, as the author of this thesis entitled “Demotivating Factors in

Debating: The Case Study of EFL Undergraduates at Banking Academy of Vietnam", affirm that the work presented herein is completely my own I hereby

certify that this research is a product of my findings and has not been submitted in part or in full for any degree at the Banking Academy of Vietnam or any other academic institution

I understand that plagiarism is a serious academic misconduct Therefore, I confirm that all materials, data, analysis, and written content contained within this document are exclusively my work, except in cases where I have provided proper citations to acknowledge borrowed concepts or excerpted text from other published sources I am fully aware of the serious potential disciplinary consequences that may arise from any failure to uphold standards of academic integrity

Therefore, I acknowledge the serious nature of academic misconduct and am aware that failure to adhere to these declarations could result in disciplinary action by the Banking Academy

Hereby, I endorse the content of this thesis for examination and subsequent academic consideration

Hanoi, May 2024 Tran Duc Long

The most facilitative support for the collection of data, and therefore the greatest gratitude, goes to the members of the English Department at the Banking Academy

I am thankful to all the faculty members who gave their consent for me and to those students who participated very essentially

Furthermore, I am deeply grateful to my family and friends for their constant support and strong belief in me, which have always motivated me during my senior’s educational journey

Lastly, I would like to express my deepest thanks to researchers and academicians whose work was used for the making of this paper The brilliance of their work sets

a good foundation for such research work to take place With every contribution made, it shall continually remain that rallying support and encouragement towards

me

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS v

LIST OF TABLES vi

LIST OF FIGURES vii

ABSTRACT vii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background of the Study 1

1.2 Scope of the Study 2

1.3 Significance of the Study 2

1.4 Objectives of the Study 3

1.5 Research Questions 3

1.6 Overview 4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 7

2.1 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 7

2.1.1 Definition of Debate and Debating Skills 7

2.1.2 Steps in Debating 9

2.1.3 Debating Structure 10

2.1.4 Teaching Debating at the Tertiary level 13

2.1.5 Features of Demotivated Learners 13

2.1.6 Theoretical Framework 15

2.2 Previous Studies 17

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 21

3.1 Introduction 21

3.2 Research Method 21

3.3 Research Approach 22

3.4 Data Design and Tools 23

3.5 Population and Research Sample 26

3.6 Research Procedure 26

3.7 Data Analysis 27

3.8 Ethical Consideration 28

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 30

4.1 Demographic Results 30

4.2 Frequency of Debate Engagement 31

4.2.1 Descriptive Results of Debate Engagement 31

4.2.2 Discussions of Frequency Engagement 32

4.3 Internal and External Factors in Debating 33

4.3.1 Personal Relevance 33

4.3.2 Concern level of Internal Demotivation Factors 36

4.3.3 Concern level of Environmental Demotivation Factors 38

4.4 Open-ended Questions Findings 41

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 43

5.1 Summary 43

5.2 Recommendations 43

5.3 Limitations 45

REFERENCES 46

APPENDICES 54

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

EFL/ESL English as a Foreign Language/English as a Second Language

SPSS27 Statistical Product and Services Solutions version 27

SDT Self-Determination Theory

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1: Description of the Questionnaire 26 Table 4.1: Respondents’ distribution by gender and Year of Study 31

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Debating Order by 6 individuals by Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2011) 12

Figure 2.2: Self-Determination Theory by Ryan & Deci (2000) 16

Figure 2.3: L2 Motivational Self System by Dornyei (2005) 17

ABSTRACT

The value of debate in education has been widely recognized for its ability to boost critical thinking, enhance language proficiency, and promote active student engagement However, the potential drawbacks and discouraging factors that might prevent undergraduate students from embracing debate in their learning journey have not been thoroughly explored By examining the components that might demotivate

or discourage students, slowing their academic progress and excitement for participation, this study aims to address this gap Using a mixed-methods approach that includes online questionnaires with undergraduate students who have engaged in both learning courses, debating events, and observations from publication research, this study seeks to identify and analyze the factors that lead to students' hesitation or negative experiences

The data for this study was collected from a group of 250 undergraduate students - a mix of undergraduates enrolled in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program

at the Banking Academy Vietnam Through quantitative data from a sample size, the results indicate that fear of public speaking, perceived lack of support, competitive pressure, and the shortage of a collaborative learning environment all play important roles in setting students' unfavorable attitudes about debate Understanding and resolving these demotivating variables allows educational institutions to flexibly optimize debating classes as an instructional method, making it more accessible and enjoyable for students Moreover, several recommendations and applications have been suggested

Keywords: demotivation, recommendations, EFL, Debating, Debate

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

The Introduction – Chapter 1 introduces the investigation into the demotivating factors that discourage undergraduates at the Banking Academy of Vietnam from engaging in EFL debate activities The introduction outlines the core objectives and hypotheses of the study, aiming to dissect and understand the nuances of demotivation This section contributes as the foundation for the study, and presents

key issues by raising questions that seeks to be addressed

1.1 Background of the Study

Debate has been universally recognized as an essence of the center in the development of critical thinking, public speaking, and persuasive communication skills It is considered an essential component of undergraduate education Engaging

in debate emerges as an important competency for academic, personal, and professional development On the other side, in the absence of some of the demotivating factors that may hinder undergraduate students from active learning in debates, there are the existing benefits This research paper seeks to examine these demotivating factors and understand the roots behind students’ reluctance Debate is something that engages human beings in most educational contexts, especially among undergraduates in EFL

Debate is a human inquiry and advocacy process that helps one to a reasoned conclusion about a claim People use debates to reach a decision, or people use debates to persuade others to agree (Freeley & Steinberg, 2009) There are a number

of learning techniques, but debating is one of them This lays the responsibility of course content understanding upon students, and it would allow debates to create active learning in class The student basically moves from a passive to an active attitude (Snider & Schnurer, 2002) Learning is most effective when students' interactions with the material are not passive but rather involve them in debating, applying, and gaining from the material (Bonwell & Eison, 1991) This makes a person better understand the difference in attitude, which is likely to promote empathy and open-mindedness toward others (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986) D

Firmansyah (2019) suggested that the best way to increase curiosity, investigation, reading, listening, speaking, collaboration, and teamwork to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skill development at the undergraduate student level was through debating He posits that debate has been considered an outstanding exercise for speaking among language learners because it engages them in a variety of verbal and cognitive activities He says that the technique of persuading and influencing an audience has been the most widely used interactive, persuasive reasoning by debate form

1.2 Scope of the Study

What remains a huge challenge is the reluctance of undergraduate students to take part in debate activities, notwithstanding all these benefits, showing the need to explore the reasons behind this barrier As such, the following study is, therefore, necessary to explore the challenges of learning debate skills: As outlined, in previous studies, a wide range of influences has been identified to have an impact on student motivation within educational settings, including the English language learning environment The same issues are explored and scrutinized before laying down the same issues grappling the students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Banking Academy

This is because EFL students become aware of such limitations, and thus, teaching and instruction approaches from the educators' side, and learning strategies, stand to

be affected The rationale for this study, therefore, is that there might be parallel reasons between students' motivation to be part of the activity and the debate activity, just like in language acquisition

1.3 Significance of the Study

This study investigates what demotivates EFL undergraduates at the Banking Academy of Vietnam from engaging in debate, aiming to enhance both teaching and learning

This research highlights the importance of understanding demotivating factors in EFL undergraduates' debate classrooms This helps teachers to refine teaching strategies

to meet student needs and reduce negative impacts By addressing specific challenges, instructors can provide targeted support, increasing engagement and making learning more effective Awareness of these factors also allows teachers to foster a classroom atmosphere that promotes engagement and positive educational experiences

Understanding what demotivates students to improve their engagement and academic outcomes in debate activities This understanding supports the development of self-awareness and effective strategies, enhancing students debating experiences Furthermore, applying these insights encourages greater participation in debates, improving confidence in using English for public speaking

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The objective is to identify key personal and environmental factors that affect students' learning in debate classes This involves assessing psychological and emotional barriers, classroom contexts, which EFL students might perceive as challenging to their learning process

The second aim is to propose recommend strategies for teachers at Banking Academy

of Vietnam to create a more supportive and motivating learning environment These strategies are intended to address the demotivating factors identified in the findings

1.5 Research Questions

The research pursues these goals through qualitative and quantitative approaches, gathering its data from interviews, surveys, and observation of the students at the undergraduate level who are currently learning the course of debate Theoretically, analysis is grounded on motivational identity-related frameworks in L2 learning, such

as Dornyei and Ushioda's L2 self-system model (2011), Norton's (2001) investment concept, and Kramsch's (2009) linguistic identity construction theory

While many literatures on teaching and learning debating skills focus on the strategies

to be used in motivating students, it is not less likely that motivation alone may not explain more rationally the current issues faced by undergraduates in learning debate

as a subject in a designed curriculum Investigation into the impact of demotivating elements is required The following are the research questions of the present study:

1 What are the personal demotivating factors and external factors that mostly and least influence students to get motivated to engage in the learning process of acquiring debating skills?

2 How do students' debate learning processes relate to external influences such as peers or instructors?

3 What are the difficulties of students at the Banking Academy of Vietnam in debating?

4 What possible strategies could be used to deal with the factors that were demotivating?

Evidently, the questions requirement are needed in the realization of which difficulties students face at the Banking Academy of Vietnam while debating, as this would be based on a foundational insight for the realization of developing interventions or recommendations In addition, great value is added through insights

to the thesis by helping ground theoretical discussions in real students' experiences This not only gives the research findings practical relevance but also ensures that the results are applicable for improving the educational outcomes for students

In doing so, this research informs ways of sustaining engagement and achievement

in undergraduate debate education for English major students at Banking Academy

of Vietnam Barrier understanding is essential to develop an environment that can support learning proactively against factors that tend to degrade motivation

1.6 Overview

The Introduction – Chapter 1 introduces the investigation into the demotivating factors that discourage undergraduates at the Banking Academy of Vietnam from engaging in EFL debate activities The introduction outlines the core objectives and hypotheses of the study, aiming to dissect and understand the nuances of demotivation This section contributes as the foundation for the study, and presents key issues by raising questions that seeks to be addressed

The Literature Review - Chapter 2 explores existing studies to identify what discourages undergraduate students from engaging in debate Previous researches points to significant issues within the educational system and the influence of teacher’s methods on student motivation, classroom experiences This paper mainly identifies points in which prior researches explore these factors specifically for English debate learning among undergraduates at institutions comparable to the Banking Academy of Vietnam This part also contains the main questions that set out

to be answered in the dissertation

The Methodology - Chapter 3 section explains the detailed approach, which combines quantitative and qualitative research This distributed online questionnaires to undergraduates and conducted constructive findings from prior articles and theses The dual approach aims to provide a detailed view of the factors that demotivate BA students from participating in debate activities and actively learning debate skills Chapter 4 section gathers data to indicate numeric numbers that reveal common themes of demotivational factors The tables showing data collection will be presented in this section The Discussion following each listed category analyzes these findings, comparing them with prior research to measure whether these issues are unique to Banking Academy of Vietnam undergraduates The section also considers how these findings might influence teaching methods and curriculum development, acknowledges the study’s limitations, and explores alternatives for unexpected results Finally, the section summarizes the answers to previously emerged questions in the Introduction

Chapter 5 recaps the research It shows the importance of understanding what hinders

BA students in debate activities This section reviews the main findings and assesses the effectiveness of the research methods Recommendations are made for educational practices and future research The limitations of the research are also

listed at the end

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

The Literature Review - Chapter 2 explores existing studies to identify what discourages undergraduate students from engaging in debate Previous researches points to significant issues within the educational system and the influence of teacher’s methods on student motivation, classroom experiences This paper mainly identifies points in which prior researches explore these factors specifically for English debate learning among undergraduates at institutions comparable to the Banking Academy of Vietnam This part also contains the main questions that set out

to be answered in the dissertation

2.1 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

2.1.1 Definition of Debate and Debating Skills

Debate is a formalized, structured form of argumentative dialogue It has become a very dynamic pedagogic tool in multiple disciplines Its roots can be found in ancient educational traditions where it was used as a tool that sharpens critical and analytic reasoning that flowers into communicative prowess In the modern-day, debate is more cherished in the educational setting since it provokes students to think critically, encourages them to be active in learning, and permits them to apply the knowledge gained within complicated situations constructed in a real environment (Darby, 2007)

The pedagogical value of debate focuses on comprehensive skills Perhaps one of the greatest of these is critical thinking, for debaters have to show that they are able to think about and evaluate all arguments with incisive judgment, and they should be able to judge fairly where weaknesses and strengths really lie This is a skill that lays not only within the frames of academic courses but in professional decision-making processes, when the problem requires, most probably, much more complex problem-solving skills Moreover, such debates require a good level of communication skills

If both parties present ideas that are most persuasive to influence the audience, it is

an edge that can be applied in any field that calls for effective interpersonal communication (Darby, 2007)

Skills in research also mostly contribute to preparing for debates It will ensure that the participants are doing deep research when they seek supportive evidence, hone skills in checking the credibility of sources, and apply information effectively This will expose learners to a more thorough and investigative approach to learning and collecting information

Furthermore, debate raises the quality of empathy and open-mindedness This is in the sense that debaters are bound to appreciate a variety of views, thus improving the understanding of the view and respect for a view (Darby, 2007)

Consistent debating effectively trains one's analytical skills by rapidly digesting information and responding to the opponents' arguments with greater strategy This quick-thinking ability is priceless for one to deal with the fast and dynamic professional environment The other inherent aspect is teamwork, given the debates are issues with a group collaboration where they have to plan, be in sync, and execute Interactions enhance the skill of collaboration, which is vital for settings done in teams (Darby, 2007) Regular participation in debates also helps improve confidence and public speaking skills, equipping one with the poise to handle pressure situations effectively—an important trait in leadership and all public-exposure jobs The theoretical aspect of the debate is the practical application of psychological theories, discussing the dynamics within cognitive and behavior-based theories in a competitive environment Understanding these dynamics emboldens the debater's ability to apply psychological principles in strategizing and responding during debates (Burgos, 2007)

The debate is much more than just an exercise in academia—it is an important educational strategy that gives students life skills These competencies are useful not only in further academic and professional activities but also very important for citizens in an effortful democracy and successful leadership Debate augments

educational outcomes and prepares students for a range of real-life challenges by fostering a variety of cognitive and social abilities (Darby, 2007; Burgos, 2007)

2.1.2 Steps in Debating

Effective debating of a topic usually involves a systematic approach that enhances critical thinking, sharpens communication skills, and deepens the understanding of the subject matter Several steps identify the debating process, according to Austin J Freeley and David L Steinberg in "Argumentation and Debate: Critical Thinking for Reasoned Decision Making."

The first thing to do, when preparing for the debate, is to carry out thorough research

in preparation for that The participants in the debate are required to bring forward relevant facts, statistics, and evidence that will support their position and, at the same time, reflect those who are possibly going to be thrown against them by the opposition Understanding the topic in a rounded sense leads to a strong defense and strategic offense during the debate (Freeley & Steinberg, 2014)

The debaters must define what is being debated and give clear criteria for how the debate will be judged This will involve the articulation of the resolution or main question that the debate is to answer, ensuring that all participants have their arguments within the same framework (Freeley & Steinberg, 2014)

Another important follow-up aspect relates to structuring the argument A good argument includes the introduction, through which the main thesis is brought out, the body containing evidence, and the conclusion that summarizes the presented arguments In these, every section should flow smoothly with the other, and the logical thread be uninterrupted Presentation of evidence is critical Debaters must use credible and directly relevant evidence to back their claims This involves careful sourcing and accurate citation to bolster the legitimacy of the argument As the debate progresses, refutation becomes key (Freeley & Steinberg, 2014)

Participants would listen very carefully to the points and arguments of other participants, duly preparing to repudiate them effectively through logical refutation,

supported by evidence How the debate is delivered will have a huge bearing on how

it is well received Debaters have to present their arguments with clarity of speech, matching tone, and body language that will rivet the listener to their arguments Delivery should therefore enhance the persuasiveness of the argument and make it clear that the debater is confident in the position that he or she holds (Freeley & Steinberg, 2014)

Closing arguments provide debaters with their last opportunity to summarize the argument and restate their position This recap should reiterate for the audience the most forceful points that have been made during the debate and explain why they do just that for the debater's position

Lastly, after the completion of the debate, the debaters often engage in some form of self-assessment or get judged or peer feedback This assessment would focus on the case's strengths and weaknesses, the effectiveness of the delivery, and how persuasive the argumentation is These outlined steps by Freeley and Steinberg (2007) ensure that every aspect of the debate is approached, from preparation through conclusion

2.1.3 Debating Structure

There are many debating formats This dissertation will examine a common style and currently a form of becoming popular - a style regularly adopted in school debates in Hong Kong This is also a method being followed by undergraduates at the Banking Academy of Vietnam This debating structure outline looks at how the structured outline will help reinforce the learning and development of skills for the learners at the Banking Academy

Preparation for the debate begins with the assignment of teams to either the Affirmative or the Opposition side After the assignment, the given time frame is expected to be imposed in which the teams will prepare their arguments and strategies However, teams are not able to choose the debate motion or their side of the debate

The chairperson, on the other hand, is the center of debate, the major role The chairperson plays the role of a host or a moderator First, the chair introduces the motion of the debate, outlines the rules, and then calls on the first speaker of the proposition side

In terms of actual structure, the debate was to facilitate an orderly and fair exchange

of ideas Each team had three members: the captain, the first speaker, and the second speaker In each debate, each speaker is allocated time of presentation not exceeding two minutes, subject to modification if need be A timekeeper is chosen and should time the speeches and ensure that the agreed times are not exceeded The debate itself broke down into three core sections, the first of which involved the speeches from each of the six speakers representing both the Affirmative and the Opposition sides Some of the debates are now using a question-and-answer format with speeches from the team captains Here, the chairperson is in charge of question time, and debaters from both sides ask questions in turns Each speaker will have a certain number of assigned minutes to ask his question, and the team then has time to prepare its response and another minute to deliver it The same question time goes ahead in the following manner: the Opposition side gets to question first and then the Affirmative side Each side is going to ask three questions to their opponents

Next in the order of the session is the question and answer, during which time all team members will contribute At the close of the question and answer, there will be

a very short interval to allow both teams to prepare for their summary speeches As soon as that is done, the team captains will deliver their summary speeches First will

be the captain of the Opposition team, who will have two minutes to summarize the major arguments of their side Afterward, the captain of the Affirmative team gets another two minutes to summarize their primary arguments, thus concluding the formal components of the debate

Figure 2.1: Debating Order by 6 individuals by Education Bureau of the Hong

Kong Special Administrative Region (2011)

The another form of debate is more focused and designed for a one-on-one debate, where there are only two participants In this case, it is modified for focused and intensified testing, where each student by themselves has to demonstrate their arguments on the debate topic In the final tests of both debates, individual performances are handled in a streamlined setup, and observed by an instructor in real-time Here are the steps that were followed during this one-on-one debate in the final test:

1 A topic and side are randomly drawn at the beginning of each session

2 Each of the debaters is given five minutes on the giving out of topics and positions

to prepare opening statements and strategize in presenting ideas

3 The debate starts with each participant giving his opening statement Every debater has 3 to 5 minutes on this

4 After the opening statements, three sets of rebuttals take place In every set, there

is a countering of arguments by both participants Most importantly, each gets 3-5 minutes to respond to his opponent's points in every case

5 The two debaters conclude the exercise by recapping the arguments from both sides

of the aisle, and then, finally, the debater will present his closing arguments

2.1.4 Teaching Debating at the Tertiary level

There is documentary proof that a debate, when implemented as a pedagogic tool in tertiary education, is very effective for students' improvement in critical thinking ability, communication skill, and overall appreciation of subject content, including that of many disciplines Debate as an instructional strategy developed competencies

in communication and critical thinking among baccalaureate and graduate students

in dental hygiene programs With debates, the students can argue articulately and respond to counterarguments that are put forward, hence more critical engagement with the material (Darby, 2007)

Furthermore, another research about the debate further supports how the debate can significantly provide a better learning experience to pre-service teachers This research pointed out that debate would most likely enhance the students' engagement

in the classroom environment They are able to deepen their connection to the application of real-life situations to theoretical knowledge, especially when put into practice in the classroom setting through various exercises (Yang & Rusli, 2012)

In addition, debate is praised not only for the aspect of critical thinking development but also for the role it serves in raising motivation and interest of students Research shows that the teaching method using debates is dynamic and interactive; hence, it leads to far greater student involvement compared to high teaching, which is dominantly based on lectures (Camp & Schnader, 2010)

However, with all its pluses, the application of debate in teaching has to be very careful about the format and, most importantly, preparedness of students to be involved in such activities The potential challenge is that debates should not get very confrontational, since it may inhibit learning, and not promote it (Darby, 2007)

2.1.5 Features of Demotivated Learners

While various research provides insights into factors contributing to learner demotivation, very few studies target and work solely with demotivation in debate

learning This gap in the literature highlights the need to apply general findings on demotivation to the unique aspects of debate learning

Lack of intrinsic motivation is one of the key characteristics of demotivated learners The widespread system of incentives reigning in education which can reduce intrinsic motivation because it shifts the focus from enjoyment in learning to rewards (Pink, 2011) This is often evidenced in the case of such learners who show little interest in any activities that are not intrinsically rewarding or meaningful to them

The other factor is the external pressure and control Learners, perceiving their learning subject to other external control, evidence decrease in the involvement in the materials and motivation to learn but rather comply with some external demand or others other than interest in self (Deci & Ryan, 1985)

The first one is the fear of failure, and the second one relates to low self-efficacy, which learners of demotivation usually have They perceive themselves as not very capable and, accordingly, lose motivation for solving complicated issues Some of Bandura's studies connect the belief that learners have about themselves with the levels of motivation to show that if the confidence is low, this results in avoiding behaviors and lesser efforts (Bandura, 1997) The other issue is that of demotivating learners through perception of the irrelevance of content In this case, learner engagement and motivation to put effort into learning activities decrease when the learners are not able to have visioned clear linkages between the curriculum and their personal and career goals This underlines the fact that making learning relevant to the students' lives and their future ambitions is essential for the reinvolvement of demotivated learners (Wlodkowski, 2003)

Many learners that are demotivated often have a feeling of helplessness with their learning process or the outcome, therefore resorting to passive learning behaviors Allowing the learner some choice and power can really go a long way toward enhancing intrinsic motivation and engagement (Pink, 2011) Demotivation is closely associated with negative emotions, such as anxiety, boredom, and stress Such high demotivating emotional states can reduce the capability of the learners to learn and

increase poor participation in the learning process From this fact, it means that learners should be in good emotional states when handling demotivation (Pekrun, 2006)

2.1.6 Theoretical Framework

This paper seeks to employ the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) (Ryan & Deci, 2000) and the L2 Motivational Self System (Dornyei, 2005) in the presentation of a discussion on some of the factors that demotivate debating among ESL students This identifies specific personal and environmental perceptions as demotivating in this context

Self-determination theory (SDT) points to motivation as lying between a continuum from completely self-governed to completely regulated motivations (Ryan & Deci, 2000) Autonomy, competence, and relatedness are three general needs defined in this broad area of psychological needs Autonomy contains the desire to be an originator of one's actions, while competence indicates a need to feel efficacy and mastery On the other hand, relatedness refers to establishing meaningful relationships with others In Debating, SDT can be used to understand how the needs are fulfilled to support intrinsic motivation

Figure 2.2: Self-Determination Theory by Ryan & Deci (2000)

Developed by Dornyei (2005), the L2 Motivational Self System is an up-to-date relevant motivator of language learning The L2 Motivational Self System is composed of three main components: the Ideal L2 Self, the Ought-to L2 Self, and the L2 Learning Experience The first L2-specific facet of one's ideal self If the person wanted to become someone who speaks another language, this self-guide would motivate the behavior toward that aim The Ought-to Self entails the attributes one assumes one should have to be able to avoid having negative outcomes, which is one

of the aversive outcomes The last one links to the motives of the immediate learning environment and experience (e.g., the impact of the teacher, curriculum, peer group, experience of success)

Given an adequate framework, such as in ESL debate learning, it helps understand how visions of a future self as a successful English speaker will play into the present motivation of students Without a clear and motivating Ideal L2 Self, this may lead

to student demotivation whereby he or she would find no reason to engage in debate practices The use of L2 approach was shown in other developments in similar fields, such as identifying the causes of demotivation (Nikolov, 2001)

Figure 2.3: L2 Motivational Self System by Dornyei (2005)

The thesis is meant to provide an analysis of how intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors interface with the particular setting of ESL debate learning through the synthesis of SDT with the L2 Motivational Self System The dual theory not only provides dimensions of self-motivation but also demotivation, offering a richer perspective in the challenges of ESL students in a debate setti111ng This set of approaches and methodologies affords a more nuanced exploration into both the internal and external pressures and, accordingly, gives a more rounded accounting of the motivational field within ESL debating education

2.2 Previous Studies

Research consistently reveals the success of debate as a teaching tool to improve critical thinking skills and public speaking abilities Primary researchers, such as Gardner and Lambert in 1972, postulated that language learners' attitudes toward the community of the target language had a direct and significant impact on how much the individual student desired to learn the language Gardner in 1985, even went as far as defining the motivation to learn a second language as "the extent to which the individual works or strives to learn the language because of a desire to do so and the satisfaction experienced in this activity." He pointed out that it consisted of motivational intensity or effort, the desire to learn the language, and attitudes towards

learning the language A major premise of Gardner's theory is the concept of the integrative motive, which he described as "motivation to learn a second language because of positive feelings towards the community that speaks the language" (Gardner, 1985) The hypothesis is examined in Gardner's socio-educational model (Gardner & MacIntyre 1993) as well as in an expanded model of motivation (Tremblay & Gardner 1995) Both models assert that the learners' attitudes toward the specific language group will determine their success in learning the target language

Norton in 2001, expanded the hypothesis as well as gave it primary importance when she posited that students will only engage in activities that they believe are of some benefit as well as define the way in which the activity reinforces the self and future aspirations Snider & Schnurer in 2002 elaborated further that the students can only

"reason" in a foreign language by memorization, thus increasing vocabulary and expression in that language Ryan and Deci 2000, elaborate the concepts of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in education and strongly assert that motivation significantly influences students' outcomes in learning and, therefore, their academic experience as a whole

Understanding motivation in learning, particularly debating skills, is significant for instructors and researchers If one knows what inspires students, through research, curricula and modes of instruction can be optimized (Deci & Ryan, 2000) Lessons should be designed according to the students' interests (Harter, 1981), but at the same time, it is crucial to understand what demotivates learners Demotivation treatment can significantly enhance learners' performance (Urdan and Schoenfelder, 2006) For example, Moiinvaziri & Razmjoo (2014) believe that learning foreign languages is often hard in contexts of High motivation, specifically in English

First, a severe inner demotivation factor is a lack of confidence, and most studies have reported a significant relationship between self-confidence aspects and student academic engagement and achievement Higher self-esteem often leads to high academic self-efficacy, which, in turn, enhances student engagement in learning and

study outcomes (Zhao et al., 2021) Greater self-assurance motivates students to undertake complicated tasks, continue efforts despite difficulties, and expend special efforts, all leading to more effective learning (Druckman & Bjork, 1994) Low confidence results in fear of failure, less effort, and/or avoidance of hard tasks Public speaking causes anxiety for many students (McCroskey, 1977) Shy students avoid debates because they are afraid of public speaking Competitive debates are also likely to discourage students with a lack of confidence in their debating skills (Bandura, 1997)

Cultural aspects are also significant According to Kramsch (2009), the learning process of a language is the process of understanding social and cultural contexts, as well, which may influence student engagement According to Jenkins (2009), the uses

of English vary, and students who feel that their language variation is stigmatized may not take part in debate

External demotivating factors also emerge: on the one hand, peer pressure can motivate or demotivate students Unfriendly confrontations or competitive peers are likely to de-motivate the students and make them feel intimidated and, therefore, unprepared to participate in the activities (Cao et al., 2022) According to earlier research, the amount of involvement on the part of the teacher determines the motivation level of the student, their commitment, and interest in given topics, including ESL lessons (Hospel & Galand, 2016; Zhang & Yang, 2021) For instance, investigations by Darby (2007) and Snider & Schnurer (2002) have indicated that debates are critical in the development of argumentative competency that is proved

to be helpful in academic and career life For instance, the Dental Hygiene faculty at Old Dominion University has included debate for the course with the goal of bettering the students' knowledge to enhance the planning process for students preparing for and increasing students' comfort with the authorization process The course is done

in the second year of the program and has debates for 8-10 students in pre-research debates and then doing an argument in a collaborative style There are position, rebuttal, and classroom discussion points with the entire process encouraging deep learning Kikuchi (2015) has established that student motivation in debate settings

hinges on the classroom environment and the orientation of the pedagogical model used Moiinvaziri & Razmjoo (2014) and Ghadirzadeh et al (2012) have concluded that motivational issues are mainly determined by environmental and interpersonal factors Further, this approach was used to determine motivational problems that could be explained by cultural and interpersonal factors of Iranian EFL students in the work by Dornyei & Ushioda (2011) It is further argued by Kramsch (2009) that the learning environment is the composite of societal attitudes, which could re-enforce feelings of insufficiency on the part of the learner Groenewald and Kilag (2024) argue that, in learning, technology may either enhance or discourage one's motivation, as this depends on the design and operation of the tools Their literature review synthesized findings from studies published over two decades, focusing on the integration of technology in language education

The issue of demotivating factors in debate education has been underexplored, especially for EFL students This study tries to fill the gap by investigating the demotivation factors, both internally and externally, among the students of the Banking Academy of Vietnam in the context of debate The paper, through synthesis with this research and other existing studies, can therefore be useful in reducing the gaps in an understanding of which educational practices have to be altered to be able

to overcome demotivation in order to help in increasing learning outcomes in focused EFL contexts The study findings are likely to be of great essence in adding knowledge to the field of educational psychology and debate education by giving a wide perspective on motivational and demotivational attributes in ill-defined education

debate-CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

The Methodology - Chapter 3 section explains the detailed approach, which combines quantitative and qualitative research This distributed online questionnaires to undergraduates and conducted constructive findings from prior articles and theses The dual approach aims to provide a detailed view of the factors that demotivate BA students from participating in debate activities and actively learning debate skills

3.1 Introduction

This chapter addresses the methodology of the research It includes the research method, the research approach, data collection and tools, the population and research sample, the research process, the data analysis, ethical considerations, and the limitations of the research

3.2 Research Method

The mixed-method approach are used that involves both the qualitative and quantitative techniques The qualitative approach helps to understand the students' experience and perception of the debate because the questionnaires with open-ended questions to have a feel of the experience of the students towards a particular situation This technique enables the researcher to treat the small sample data since the results or findings are not measurable and countable (Johnson, 1961) This allows the collection and analysis of data using knowledge and experience, which gives a subjective approach to identifying key research problems (Johnson, 1961)

On the other hand, the quantitative approach focuses on the numerical measurements

of data This allows the researcher to use tools for data collection either through a sample survey, questionnaire, or equipment for collecting large sample data more speedily The quantitative method of research also permits the testing of hypothesis and ensures the objectivity of an issue (Kothari, 1984) Statistical tools were then utilized to analyze this data, so a general trend could be seen along with the patterns

in the two

The combination of these methods will offer deep insight into the research problem

at hand A qualitative strategy provides the thick description from the viewpoint of firsthand experiences of the participants, while the quantitative strategy is used with the goals of testing generalizability and providing statistical validation This mixed-method design must ensure that a full understanding, complete with the nuances of the factors that demotivate students to take part in debates, is arrived at through the utilization of the strengths of both the qualitative and the quantitative studies Such integration paves the way to in-depth exploration of the research questions, leading

to the understanding of the objectives

3.3 Research Approach

This study utilized secondary and primary research The secondary research section consisted of a systematic literature review Databases from Google Scholar and academic journals were searched by the keywords "demotivating factors in debates" and "EFL students" Relevance to the research question as well as the retrieval of articles in accordance with the research questions was weighed against the articles that were retrieved It is through such a process that the existing knowledge gaps were identified and informed the nature of the primary research An online survey was chosen as the best possible data collection instrument for this research on EFL undergraduates at the Banking Academy of Vietnam The responses to these questions are correlated to the nature of adopted and native issues The instrument was composed of 28 questions/statements that called on the respondents to make responses based on a five-point Likert scale that had been developed according to the issues of debates, demotivating factors, internal and external, and technology in the learning process

Data have been collected over a ten-day period, and the responses have been analyzed using SPSS27, taking care with the reliability and accuracy The secondary research published theory section informs the theoretical foundation as well as provides the context for the primary research The insights from secondary research will further inform the formation of the survey questions in guiding the interpretation of the

primary data This integrated approach ensures the research grounds itself in existing knowledge and, at the same time, delivers novel insights to the research field Integrating these styles should enable a detailed in-depth analysis of demotivating factors on EFL undergraduates in this debate setting

3.4 Data Design and Tools

To satisfy the research’s objectives, mixed data collection would be used First of all, for the qualitative research method, the systematic literature review framework was utilized, which allowed the researchers to collect, filter, and systematically identify the relevant articles for data analysis The choice of systematic literature review would help the researcher avoid the choice of irrelevant articles and journals while selecting the correct and relevant articles for the research topic It increases the reliability and trustworthiness of the research’s outcomes

For the quantitative research method, an online survey was constructed to collect the data from the students to analyze the case study of BA students The survey consisted

of 28 questions, combining both adapted and original items The adaptations - questions from 17 to 26 were made from instruments being adapted from studies by Moiinvaziri and Razmjoo (2010), focusing on internal and external demotivation factors The questions from 3 to 16 are custom-designed for specific research study, which planned to investigate engagement and personal relevance in debate activities Each question is designed to specifically address different aspects of student experiences and perceptions, aligning with the study's objectives to understand demotivation in debate settings The research utilized a survey with 5 Likert-scale questions, followed by different measurements which fit to each divided group The online survey is efficient and cost-saving to the researchers, which helps the researchers collect the answers from a large population for analysis and measurement (John Peter, 1971) Besides, the choice of an online survey using a questionnaire increases the level of reliability of the data for the research (Kish, 1965) The study utilized three instruments Microsoft Excel 365 software filtered and encoded the questionnaire gathered data SPSS then measured the reliability scale and analyzed

the data Reliability herein refers to the concept of consistency and stability of measured items (Neuman, 2021) This thesis uses Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha to describe the appropriateness of each item and the reliability of each scale Devellis (2017) recommends that the Cronbach's alpha index should ideally be 0.70 or above, although a value as low as 0.63 is considered acceptable for practical use The value

scale-of Cronbach's Alpha was computed using SPSS27 for the different sections scale-of the questionnaire The results indicated acceptable reliability across all constructs: Frequency of Debate Engagement (0.762), Personal Perceptions (0.760), Internal Demotivation Factors (0.809), and Environmental Demotivation Factors (0.764) These values confirm that the scales used to measure each area are reliably capturing the variables

To answer the questions of the study, from studying the SDT theory and L2 Motivational System in the Literature Review section as well as previous research, a questionnaire set was designed based on two factors: intrinsic and extrinsic factors

By looking at an overview of previous studies on factors related to student academic engagement, the division into these two factors was completely justified This questionnaire section was designed as follows:

Part I collected background information of participants, including 2 questions related

to Gender and the Current Academic Year As the Debating course is an elective at the Banking Academy of Vietnam, the academic year part will only include students from the 2nd to 4th year

Part II gathered information about the frequency of students' engagement in Debating

in class, including 5 questions Two addressed collaboration with peers to obtain information on whether they actively joined groups when attending class One refers

to time management before the debate

Part III included 19 questions related to internal and external demotivation factors A few questions related to students' attitudes towards external factors were not entirely separate from either internal or external factors, so they were grouped here into personal relevance For each statement, participants were asked to express their

opinion on a 5 Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree The eight continuing questions are divided into 2 subclasses: personal and environmental influences Questions 17 to 21 about the impact of listed demotivated factors and questions 22 to 26 about the impact of external factors were also constructed similarly

on a 5-point Likert scale These eight questions focus on the level of concern, so the

5 measurement options are as follows: Very unconcerned; Unconcerned; Neutral; Concerned; Very concerned

The final Part IV consisted of 2 open-ended questions about students' attitudes towards using technology in Debating practice and their suggestions for improving Debating These questions explore students' attitudes towards using technology in debate practice, a key factor that can influence their motivation and engagement We gather essential insights into how these tools impact student motivation as these tools represent a significant element of the modern educational settings Since the term

"technology" is broad and can include the use of many applications It was not feasible to limit it to specific options Allowing hypothetical questions enables respondents to provide free-text answers about their general perceptions of using technology for Debating These 2 questions are excluded from SPSS’s Dataset because the responses are text-based and qualitative in nature They cannot be easily coded into numeric scale, and are not within the primary functionality of SPSS

Section Description Items Number of Questions Percentage

Concern level of environmental factors 22-26 5 17,86%

IV Technology Impact Scale & Improvement Recommendation 27-28 2 7,14%

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3.5 Population and Research Sample

The population of this research contains two parts The first part concentrates on choosing and selecting the secondary source of data publicized since 2014 on the topic of demotivating factors of learning debates among individuals including Banking Academic students, students studying other fields, learners, and other groups

of individuals who might purchase an MBA degree or PhD degree The choice of these articles with these keywords enables the researchers to narrow the scale of searching and selecting The keywords are determined to be “demotivating factors for learning, learning debates, students, learners” The population for the qualitative research would be 100 articles with the relevant keywords above

For quantitative research, the population of the survey using a questionnaire would

be 250 participants who are BA students They were chosen due to their easy accessibility which ensures quick and high response rate All participants have taken debating as an elective course, providing a uniform background that enhances the relevance of the data Additionally, a sample size of 250 strikes a balance between statistical robustness and manageability The online survey would deliver a form questionnaires of 28 questions to examine and ask students to provide the answers to identifying the demotivating factors to their learning debate process

3.6 Research Procedure

The online survey will be delivered via Google Forms from April 10th to April 20th

The link will be open and available to students to provide the answers freely without

any registration or obligations The participants feel comfortable to withdraw their answers any time they wish to do so without any responsibility After that, the data will be sent to emails of the researchers and ready for analysis by using the SPSS27 model

The selection of the articles and journals for systematic literature review will be processed simultaneously on the April 1st to April 20th The researcher would search the keywords on Google Scholar, and the library and select the best available articles for analysis, comparison, and evaluation throughout the Literature Review and Discussion sections

3.7 Data Analysis

Content analysis was employed to analyze, evaluate, and measure the data collected The purpose of the content analysis was to categorize the data into themes and sub-themes, which enabled the researchers to compare and evaluate effectively (Miller, 1977) In detail, the approach of content analysis is suitable for the choice of qualitative research because it focuses on comparing the existing findings from the previous journal articles and satisfies the research objectives In essence, content analysis supports the researchers to highlight the key differences among the case studies of Bank Academic students in identifying the demotivating factors that affect the outcomes of learning debates among students Moreover, content analysis is an inexpensive data analysis method that can be easily used and approached by BA and MBA students to complete the research or dissertation (Miller, 1977) The researcher collects the data from journals, publications, and credible sources to process the data for analysis and comparison

In addition, the descriptive data analysis method was used to analyze and evaluate the statistical data collected from the online survey This provides a powerful toolkit for analyzing collected data, particularly when the objective is presenting objective facts and summaries about the dataset (Sekaran, 2000) In detail, the descriptive analysis method enables the researcher to analyze the data quickly and effectively, which uses the SPSS27 model to analyze and identify the findings of the data It helps