Factors influencing Chinese undergraduate students' emotions in an online EFL learning context during the COVID pandemic

Abstract

Background: Considerable evidence suggests that students' achievement emotions are important contributors to their learning and success online. It is, therefore, essential to understand and support students' emotional experiences to enhance online education, especially under the COVID-19 context. However, to date, very few studies have investigated how students' achievement emotions might be affected by teaching and learning factors in online learning environments. Objectives: Based on Pekrun's (2006) control-value theory of achievement emotions, this study examined the influence of students' perceived online teaching quality and appraisals of control and value on their achievement emotions in an online second language (L2) learning context instigated by the COVID-19. Methods: Data were collected using an online survey of 1503 undergraduates from ten universities across different regions of China. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed to test the validity of the instruments and structural equation modelling were conducted to examine the relations between L2 teaching and learning variables.Results and Conclusions: Results revealed that perceived teacher internet and communication technology competence had positive effects on enjoyment, but negative effects on anxiety and boredom, and these effects were fully mediated by perceived control and/or value. Perceived chaotic teaching structure (CTS) had reverse effects for the three emotions. Perceived CTS effects on enjoyment and anxiety were fully and partially mediated by perceived control, respectively.Takeaways: Online teaching quality is critical for students' appraisals and emotions towards L2 learning. Teachers should strive to improve online teaching quality and design interventions targeting students' perceived control and value to temper their affective experiences associated with the crisis-prompted online teaching practices.

An Exploration of Resilience and Positive Affect among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Observational Study

“…Although no other sociodemographic variable has been found to contribute to influence resilience and affect, other studies have reported that self-esteem, family support, subjective well-being, psychological well-being [49], regular sleep, perceived stress, wellbeing [50], empathy, responsibility, optimism, hope and interpersonal skills (communication, self-efficacy, self-control, autonomy, problem-solving) [51] may influence resilience levels. On the other hand, perceived teaching quality and professors' communication technology competence [52], self-regulatory capacity (boredom, awareness, goal, and emotion control) [53], self-efficacy [54], bedtime procrastination, and mobile phone addiction [55] may influence positive and negative emotions in students. Future studies should include these and new factors to control for changes in resilience and positive/negative effects over time.…”

Factors Influencing the Satisfaction of Second Language Learners of Chinese in Online Courses

“…Liu [31] investigated strategies to enhance satisfaction among Chinese college students in the context of online English teaching. Some researchers have explored the factors shaping the emotional experiences of Chinese undergraduate students in online English as a foreign language learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic [32]. Their findings indicated that while perceived teacher internet and communication technology competence positively influenced enjoyment, it had a detrimental effect on anxiety and boredom.…”

Grit and Second Language Learning Engagement: The Mediating Role of Affect Balance

“…Various aspects of the mechanisms influencing language learning are explored by examining internal and external influencing factors on learners. The research related to positive psychology has become a hot topic in foreign language learning [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Positive psychology, breaking free from the previous emphasis on how negative psychology influences language learning, focuses on the positive aspects of human nature, such as grit [ 6 ], enthusiasm [ 4 ], hope [ 7 ], and more.…”