The study reported in this article investigated the use of quest-based learning (QBL) in a gamified English as a foreign language (EFL) course at a Japanese university. A mixed methods research design was utilised to explore the effect purposely designed quests can have on EFL students' foreign language (FL) motivation. The study was conducted…

The study of language learners' motivation has long been considered a key, determining factor of success in second/foreign language acquisition. Based on self-determination theory (SDT), the more autonomously motivated learners are, the better they engage in an activity. To sustain autonomous motivation, the learners' basic psychological needs…

The Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs) is a new platform of computer assisted language learning (CALL); since most LMOOCs witness high dropout rates, empirical evidence on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' motivation to accept and utilize LMOOCs for English language learning is warranted. This study recruited 237 Taiwanese…

The current mixed-methods study aimed at incorporating a virtual reality (VR) tool (i.e. Google Expeditions) into the writing process of Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) learners, examining its impact on their writing motivation and performance. To that end, 42 EFL learners were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups,…

The first part of the paper offers the characteristics of the affective variables of willingness to communicate, motivation, language anxiety and boredom as located within the framework of the complex dynamic systems. The second part aims to discuss the results of a study intended to examine the effect of "Second Life" on two English…

Autonomy of language learners in technology-supported learning environments has attracted much scholarly attention. However, few studies, to date, have examined the issue in the emerging context of language MOOCs. The present study complemented this line of research via a qualitative investigation of a group of Chinese EFL learners in an English…

This article reports the study of a novel way of raising tertiary-level students' native cultural awareness (NCA) via an informal mobile learning community. Through two cycles of action research at a teacher-education university in East China, the study drew upon the Community of Practice (CoP) theory to form a synchronous English chat group.…

Motivation has played an essential role in learning, leading to various research areas across diverse disciplines. While the literature is replete with findings supporting the essentiality of motivation in an individual's academic success, demotivation (a.k.a. negative motivation) has been underexplored, even though it has been a widespread…

This article reports the design of a course blended through a small private online course in a Chinese university EFL context, with an emphasis on the blended learning environment created thereby and on learners' perceptions of their blended learning. In a survey-based approach, 1603 students' experiences of blended EFL learning in two consecutive…

Profound changes in the literacy practices of young people in the early part of this century mean that many are encountering and using English in their personal lives while studying the language formally in school or university, potentially shaping their language development and attitudes. This article reports a research project which investigated…

Can mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) foster self-directed learning outside the classroom? This article examines informal, out-of-class engagement with a MALL tool: Duolingo. After being invited to use Duolingo, 118 higher education language students agreed to have their activity in the application tracked. In addition to the data collected…

We tested the effectiveness of the spaced-repetition flashcard application, Anki, on improving 62 university-level learners' second language (L2) learning in a semester-long beginning Spanish course. Using effective study strategies is critical for L2 learning, but college students learning an L2 often study with strategies that are only useful…

This study examines the differential impact of tutor labeling vs. non-labeling approaches on the performance; motivation beliefs; and cognitive, social, and teaching presence of low-achieving students. Two interactive tutoring strategy patterns are investigated based on the taxonomical e-moderating model of Salmon. In addition, the tutees' online…

The documentation of the benefits of blog use in foreign language education has proliferated since 2006. In the field of blogging to write, most studies focus on learners' linguistic performance and perceptions. To provide an analysis of learners' writing performance by using blogs, in addition to the often-researched areas, this study examines…

This exploratory study describes a framework for data-driven learning (DDL), in General (non-major) English university classes, in which learners "construct" linguistic corpora instead of merely "consulting" them. Prior related work has addressed the needs of language specialists, in particular trainee translators who are…