Aug 2026· Frontiers in Psychology· 0 citations· 30 references
TL;DR
Chat-based interaction is an accommodative, low-anxiety communication method that is associated with engagement and well-being among learners in online EFL settings and adds to the prevailing literature by promoting knowledge of chat-based interaction as a psychologically and pedagogically significant mode of communication.
Abstract
Despite the growing body of research concerning online learning technologies in language education, limited attention has been directed toward realizing the affordances of chat-based interaction in a synchronous virtual classroom. This study explores the perceptions of female EFL postgraduate students regarding the use of chat-based interaction in synchronous virtual classrooms, specifically in reference to their motivation and well-being after attending a 15-weeks intensive English course delivered online via Blackboard.
A cross-sectional survey design with a quantitative research methodology was used to collect data from (
N
= 128) female Saudi postgraduate students enrolled on an online English course for 15 weeks. It drew on correlational methodology to identify any relationships with the student’s demographic information and their perceptions, motivation, and well-being. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability tests, Pearson correlations, a linear regression model, and an independent samples
t
-test, and Welch’s one-way ANOVA.
The findings demonstrate a consistent tendency for postgraduate EFL learners to report positive experiences with chat-based interaction in the synchronous virtual classroom. Their perceptions, motivation and well-being were strongly and significantly interrelated, with motivation exhibiting the highest relationship to well-being (
r
= 0.867,
p
< 0.001); (
B
= 0.734,
β
= 0.704,
p
< 0.001). The EFL students’ experience using Blackboard virtual classes was associated with a statistically significant difference in their well-being (
p
= 0.016,
p
< 0.05); there was no significant difference in any construct by academic major or English-learning experience; age showed a significant omnibus effect on motivation (
p
= 0.020), attributable to a single pairwise contrast between the youngest and oldest age groups, but no significant effect on perceptions or well-being.
The results revealed chat-based interaction is an accommodative, low-anxiety communication method that is associated with engagement and well-being among learners in online EFL settings. It adds to the prevailing literature by promoting knowledge of chat-based interaction as a psychologically and pedagogically significant mode of communication. It further emphasizes the importance of instructors including chat-based activities to create supportive, engaging, and emotionally safe learning environments in virtual classrooms. Given evidence of substantial conceptual and empirical overlap among the three constructs (see Instrument Validity), these findings should be interpreted as exploratory and correlational rather than confirmatory or causal.
This study assesses student motivation in online learning environments, with the purpose of exploring how affiliation influences learners’ power and achievement in university learning. The study is guided by McClelland’s Theory of Needs (1965) and Fowler’s (2018) online motivation framework, which frame motivation through affiliation, power, and achievement. The research problem concerns the difficulty of sustaining motivation online, where students may experience isolation, reduced focus, and heavy demands for self-discipline despite the normalisation of virtual education. A quantitative survey design was employed using a convenient sample of 199 students. Data were collected through a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire adapted from Fowler’s motivation to learn online instrument and analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, t-tests, and Pearson correlation in SPSS. The findings showed no significant differences in online motivation across gender, clusters, education background, and academic years, suggesting that demographic factors were not the main source of motivational variation. The findings also revealed that learners perceived affiliation, power, and achievement positively, while affiliation had strong positive relationships with both power and achievement. Overall, online motivation appears to depend strongly on meaningful connection and instructor support. The study implies that educators should design affiliation-rich online learning environments, while future research should use mixed-method approaches to examine learner motivation.
Amir Lukman Abd Rahman, Wan Amir Nizam, Shirley Clare Jeri et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Performance-based assessment has become popular in the English language classes as an alternative to traditional paper-based tests. It provides learners to have chances of showing how much they know about certain concepts by performing presentations, role plays, portfolio and classroom performance. This paper seeks to investigate the perceptions of EFL learners of the effectiveness of performance-based assessment in the English language learning at Takhar University. In this study, quantitative research design was used, and data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to undergraduate students in the English Department. A simple random sample technique was used to collect data from 52 students (13 from each academic level). The questionnaire included several Likert-scale items, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results obtained show that there is a positive perception towards performance-based assessment among the participants. Learners perceived that performance-based assessment increased their motivation, active participation, collaboration, improved their language skills and increased their sense of responsibility towards learning. The results further revealed that learners find performance-based assessment to be more effective and authentic compared to other conventional forms of assessment. The findings suggest that performance-based assessment is an important part of the English language learning process in EFL classes. The findings may provide useful insights for language teachers, curriculum developers, and educational institutions seeking to improve assessment practices in higher education.
Shafiqullah Aseer, Abdul Latif Khalid Bek, A. Hakimi· Integrated Journal for Resea...· 0 citations
The integration of digital tools in teaching remains a challenge for many educators, often due to resistance to change and limited training. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, as proposed by Deci and Ryan, and Cognitive Load Theory, developed by Sweller, this exploratory study examines student motivation and engagement in a gamified learning environment. Specifically, it explores students' perceptions of the use of Kahoot! in the classroom and the extent to which the tool may add value to the teaching and learning process. The study involved 20 fourth-grade students and their class teacher from a public school cluster in the Central region of Portugal. Data were collected through a student questionnaire, a semi-structured teacher interview, and audiovisual recording of the classroom session. Descriptive findings suggest that students perceived Kahoot! positively, particularly in terms of enjoyment, engagement, perceived usefulness, and peer interaction, while the teacher highlighted its usefulness for real-time formative assessment. However, technical constraints and connectivity problems limited implementation. Given the exploratory design, small convenience sample, dichotomous items, and absence of validated psychometric measures and a control group, the findings do not support causal inference. The study therefore contributes context-specific evidence and points to the need for future research using experimental designs and validated instruments.
R. Lopes, Ana Baptista, Sergii Tukaiev et al.· Frontiers in Psychology· 0 citations
Digital tools are increasingly used in online foreign language learning, yet limited research has examined students’ perceptions of live worksheets, particularly in Caribbean higher education. This exploratory descriptive study investigated 16 undergraduate students’ perceptions of live worksheets in a 15-week beginner French course at a Jamaican university, focusing on benefits, limitations, motivation, and the instructor’s role. Using convenience sampling, data were collected through an online questionnaire comprising open- and closed-ended items. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis. Findings indicate that students perceived live worksheets as beneficial for engagement, motivation, and Foreign Language Excitement, while immediate feedback supported self-assessment, recall, and application of linguistic knowledge. However, inaccurate automated responses and difficulties with diacritics presented challenges. Students emphasized the instructor’s role in verifying accuracy, clarifying misunderstandings, and facilitating feedback. The study highlights the potential of live worksheets as formative assessment tools in foreign language learning.
O. Madden· International Journal of Lan...· 0 citations
This study aims to examine the cognitive orientations of prompts generated by 10th-grade students in their written interactions with ChatGPT while learning the topic of functions, as well as the explanatory strategies employed in ChatGPT’s responses. The research focuses on describing interaction patterns and the emerging learning needs. Conducted within a qualitative approach using an exploratory case study design, the study involved eight students (5 female, 3 male) enrolled in a private science high school located in the southern region of Türkiye. The primary data source consisted of student–ChatGPT prompt–response transcripts recorded during the implementation process; a worksheet on functions was used to structure the learning context. The data were analyzed through content analysis using open coding, and the prompts were classified under five categories. The findings indicated that the prompts were predominantly Definition-Oriented (41.2%) and Representation-Oriented (27.5%), while ChatGPT’s responses were distributed as Exemplifying (35.3%), Visualizing (33.1%), and Preventive (31.6%). The results revealed that ChatGPT has the potential to support conceptual clarification and representational enrichment; however, learning outcomes were found to be associated with the quality of students’ questioning as well as their verification and self-regulation behaviors. Based on these findings, several recommendations were presented regarding the effective use of generative artificial intelligence tools in mathematics education, particularly emphasizing pedagogically structured usage scenarios and guidance strategies.
Mehmet Gülburnu, Betül Oğuz· Mersin Üniversitesi Eğitim F...· 0 citations
This study explored acculturative stressors experienced by HE international students studying in the UK and investigated their views on the potential of chatbots in supporting acculturation. To achieve these objectives, a two-phased mixed methods study design was designed. Firstly, 45 postgraduate international students participated in a longitudinal study across six months completing the Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students, (
Sandhu and Asrabadi, 1994
), the Social Connectedness Scale, (
Lee and Robbins, 1995
), and a demographics questionnaire including a measure of self-perceived English Proficiency. These measures were analysed using frequency data, repeated measures ANOVAs, and Pearson product moment coefficients. Participants were given the choice to opt in for phase two, a semi-structured interview focusing upon the use of chatbots to support acculturation in HE. 19 interviews were undertaken, and transcripts analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that different acculturative stressors and their intensity impact students at different times during the adjustment process. A key assertion of this work is that belongingness and acculturative stress are strongly linked, and that belongingness relates to three levels: social, academic and institutional, all important for acculturation. As a result of these findings, this article presents recommendations on how chatbot technology can be applied as a complementary resource to HEI's current services to assist the facilitation of social connections, academic support and collaborative learning.
S. Studente, F. Garivaldis, Julia Sargent· Frontiers in Education· 0 citations