University Students’ Dynamic Motivation to Learn Chinese as a Second Language

Abstract

Guided by the complex dynamic systems theory, the present study explored university students’ dynamic motivation to learn Chinese as a second language and its interaction with their learning experiences during a semester while studying in China. The study was conducted in a state-owned university in China and collected data at two time points of the fall semester 2020: 97 Chinese learning motivation questionnaires at each of the two time points and 15 interviews at time point 2. Analysis of the data revealed that the participants’ Chinese learning motivation increased significantly at time point 2 compared with that at time point 1. The study also found that the participants’ Chinese learning motivation was an ongoing process, constantly interwoven with the participants’ learning goals and learning experiences. These findings confirm the dynamic nature of Chinese language learning motivation and the role of learning experiences in the learning of Chinese as a second language. Based on these findings, implications about how to enhance and sustain international students’ Chinese learning motivation are discussed.