An Empirical Study on Online Learning Effectiveness of Foreign Language Majors during the Epidemic

An Empirical Study on Online Learning Effectiveness of Foreign Language Majors during the Epidemic

王佳楠WangJianan

Hong Kong Lingnan University 23fall HAM student

Abstract:The article takes undergraduate students majoring in foreign languages from domestic universities as subjects and investigates the correlation between online learning efficiency, learning willingness, and learning ability of foreign language majors in the context of online teaching during the epidemic period through a questionnaire. The survey data is analyzed for reliability, validity, correlation, and regression. Based on this, combined with the particularity of foreign language teaching, it is proposed from the perspective of integrating humanistic learning theory and information technology, In the future, as a normalized teaching method, online teaching should fully pay attention to the impact of students' wishes, emotions, and attitudes on learning, and adjust real-time feedback evaluation methods and online teaching design accordingly, in order to effectively improve students' learning efficiency.

Keywords: online foreign language teaching; Learning effectiveness; Willingness to learn; Information technology integration;

1.Introduction

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, education departments at all levels have responded to the "suspension of classes and schools" initiative proposed by the Ministry of Education and taken online teaching measures. The policy of 'suspending classes and teaching without stopping' is not only an emergency measure against the 'epidemic', but also an objective decision based on the long-term integration of education, teaching, and information technology. Since the 2010 National Medium and Long Term Education Reform and Development Plan Outline (2010-2020) clearly stated the requirement to strengthen the application of information technology in education and teaching, the integration of modern information technology and foreign language teaching has entered a new stage of development. After the comprehensive examination of the integration of information technology and online teaching in the field of education during the epidemic, it is urgent to summarize and analyze the online learning process in the past six months, and deeply consider effective methods for improving students' online learning efficiency in the context of normalized epidemic prevention and control.

Due to the unique nature of foreign language teaching, the traditional teaching paradigm has been greatly influenced by online teaching during the pandemic. Firstly, compared to teaching in other majors, foreign language teaching has higher requirements for classroom interaction and a more significant target audience. The interaction between teachers, students, and students can both affect students' classroom experience. Therefore, in the teaching process, teachers usually need to combine the teaching of language knowledge with communicative activities to help students construct language structure and context, thereby helping students use this language (Dai Lixin, 2008). In the online teaching mode of the epidemic, due to the inability to have face-to-face contact between teachers and students, classroom communication and interaction have significantly decreased. Secondly, the process of foreign language teaching not only requires the cultivation of foreign language application abilities in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translating, but also the implementation of a series of comprehensive humanistic education processes such as thinking patterns, cultural customs, worldviews, and values in foreign languages. In the process of foreign language teaching, "skill training" and "thinking training" are usually much more important than "knowledge imparting". Therefore, in foreign language teaching, students' ability and willingness to learn independently are particularly important. For students majoring in foreign languages, online learning lacks a sense of authenticity in on-site language communication, and teachers are likely to focus on imparting knowledge while neglecting the cultivation of foreign language learning skills. Once again, the construction of an effective classroom environment is crucial for foreign language majors to enhance their willingness to learn. Murray (1938) proposed the "Need Press Theory", which suggests that an inpidual's internal needs are supported or hindered by external environments. Based on this viewpoint, paying attention to students' emotional needs, improving their classroom participation, and strengthening their sense of belonging in foreign language teaching will enhance their willingness to learn foreign languages, thereby enhancing their internal motivation for learning.

Based on the particularity of foreign language teaching mentioned above, this study mainly focuses on students as learning subjects, and fully examines whether students' learning willingness and ability have a significant impact on the learning efficiency of online learning, what significant impact it has, and corresponding improvement measures. On the basis of this research, the aim is to develop universal and operable online teaching methods that can serve the blended online and offline teaching of foreign languages in the post pandemic era.

2.Survey methods

This study adopts quantitative research methods to discuss the impact of the epidemic on students' online classroom learning willingness and learning ability on learning efficiency from the perspective of humanistic learning theory (cited from Huang Xiaoping, 2013), and to explore the correlation between the construction of online learning efficiency and students' learning willingness and ability. This study was conducted in the form of a questionnaire survey, using the "Questionnaire on Online Learning Effectiveness of Foreign Language Majors" (hereinafter referred to as the "Efficiency Questionnaire"). The subjects are first and second year undergraduate students majoring in foreign languages from a university in North China. To ensure the representativeness of the sampling, the subjects' courses involve three basic compulsory courses: "Comprehensive English", "Basic Japanese", and "Basic Russian". The selected subjects cover multiple teaching languages, which can comprehensively reflect the commonalities of current foreign language education and information technology integration, and can demonstrate the unified characteristics of foreign language learning efficiency.

The "Efficacy Questionnaire" mainly investigates the factors that affect students' learning efficacy in online teaching of foreign language majors in universities, namely learning willingness and learning ability. The survey questionnaire is distributed online through "Questionnaire Star", and the questionnaire is in the form of a Likert 5-level scale, where 1-5 represents a transition from "never" to "always". On the basis of conducting a questionnaire survey through random sampling, the author removed misplaced items and collected a total of 68 valid questionnaires.

In terms of data analysis, the reliability of the questionnaire data scale was first analyzed through SPSS to examine the internal consistency of the scale; Secondly, through exploratory factor analysis, determine the key factors included in learning effectiveness; Subsequently, a correlation test was conducted on the items of each dimension to examine whether there was a significant correlation between each dimension within the scale; Finally, through multiple linear regression analysis, the explanatory power of the two dimensions of learning willingness and learning ability on learning effectiveness was tested.

3.Survey Results and Analysis

3.1 Reliability and Validity Analysis

This study designed a survey questionnaire from three perspectives: learning willingness, learning ability, and learning efficacy. The reliability and validity tests showed that the overall reliability coefficient of the scale was 0.874, and the reliability coefficients of the independent variables of learning willingness and learning ability were 0.749 and 0.798, both greater than 0.7, indicating good reliability of the scale. The KMO value of the scale is 0.750, greater than 0.5; The approximate chi square value of the Bartlett spherical test is 585.620, p<0.001, indicating that the validity of the scale has reached a high level and can better reflect students' online learning situation.

3.2 Correlation analysis

This study examined the correlation between the learning willingness, learning ability, and learning efficiency of foreign language major students in online teaching mode during the epidemic period through correlation analysis. The results are shown in Table 1. According to Table 1, the correlation coefficient between willingness to learn and learning ability is 0.775, and p<0.001, indicating a positive correlation between willingness to learn and learning ability; The correlation coefficient between learning willingness and learning efficacy is 0.599, p<0.001, indicating a significant positive correlation between learning willingness and learning efficacy; The correlation coefficient between learning ability and learning efficacy is 0.571, p<0.001, indicating a significant positive correlation between learning ability and learning efficacy.

Table 1 Correlation Analysis of Learning Ability, Learning Willingness, and Learning Effectiveness

Note: * * indicates significant correlation at the 0.01 level (double tailed)

From the above data analysis, it can be seen that if students' learning willingness and ability are improved during online teaching, their online learning efficiency will also be improved.

3.3 Regression analysis

Based on the above analysis, this study conducted regression analysis on questionnaire data (including model abstract, ANOVA analysis of variance, and regression coefficient analysis) to examine whether the learning ability and willingness of foreign language major students have a significant impact on their online learning efficiency from multiple aspects.

In the model related to three dimensions of learning ability, learning willingness, and learning efficacy(see Table 2), R2 is 0.387, and the adjusted R2 is 0.368. From this, it can be concluded that the data obtained from this survey is relatively stable. In addition, as the D-W value (Durbin Watson) is displayed as 2.202, it can be seen that there is no sequence related issue between the survey data. Due to the lack of correlation between the expected values of the random error term, it is known that there is no significant autocorrelation between the dimension of students' willingness to learn and their own learning ability.

Table 2 Summary of Models for Predictive and Dependent Variables

Note: a. Predictive variables: (constant), learning ability, willingness to learn b Dependent variable: learning efficiency

In the variance analysis of the above triangulation (see Table 3), the author sets the dimensions of learning ability and learning willingness as predictive variables (constants), and learning efficiency as dependent variables. From Table 3, it can be seen that p<0.01 indicates that at least one of the dimensions of learning ability and learning willingness has a significant impact on the dependent variable learning efficiency under this survey.

Table 3 Analysis of Variance for Predictive and Dependent Variables

Note: a. Dependent variable: learning efficacy b. Predictor variable: (constant), learning ability, learning willingness

In the coefficient table for the dimensions of learning willingness and learning ability (see Table 4), the author obtained regression coefficients b corresponding to 0.411 and 0.232 through samples and regression models, respectively. The p-values of the two factors are 0.013 and 0.085 respectively, indicating that in the context of normalized epidemic prevention and control, students' willingness to learn has a more significant impact on online learning efficiency.

Table 4 Coefficient a Analysis of Learning Willingness and Learning Ability Dimensions

Note: a. Dependent variable: learning efficiency

4.Conclusion and Enlightenment

During the epidemic, foreign language teaching has brought new challenges, while also objectively promoting the further development of the "new infrastructure" of foreign language teaching.From the analysis results, it can be concluded that during the implementation of online learning, students' learning willingness and learning ability are positively correlated with learning efficiency. (Wu Yan, 2021)Among them, willingness to learn has a significant impact on online learning effectiveness. Based on the results of this survey and the humanistic learning theory, with the aim of enhancing students' learning willingness and ability, the author proposes the following suggestions for the sustainable development of the deep integration of foreign language teaching and information technology in the future. (Gao Xiao et al., 2021).

4.1 Learning Evaluation Mechanism Based on Multidimensional Immediate Feedback

In the stage of deep integration of foreign language teaching and information technology, traditional summative evaluation is difficult to help students establish self-awareness for each learning stage, which is not conducive to stimulating students' learning motivation, sense of purpose, and sense of achievement. (Wang Na and Zhang Jingyuan, 2018) In the online teaching process, teachers can use information technology tools to adopt multi-dimensional formative feedback and evaluation methods based on students' performance (Sun Yuanjing and Li Jianhui, 2019). The evaluation system based on online platforms can effectively grasp real-time learning data and analyze students' progress based on it. Conduct a comprehensive process evaluation of students through classroom interaction, check-in, homework, classroom tasks, discussions, rewards, and other data. In addition, in online learning, in addition to relying on teachers as the evaluation subject, peer evaluation can also be adopted to promote learning, providing students with multi-angle evaluation information and more truthfully reflecting their learning situation. Modern information technology can also analyze and process the recorded data at various stages, more accurately reflecting the effectiveness of teaching design, and transforming teaching design from overall optimization to link optimization. Real time, multi-dimensional, and formative online evaluations will provide the most effective feedback on students' learning situation, thereby further stimulating their willingness to learn.

4.2 Construction of teaching resources based on personalized needs

In the process of foreign language learning, there is a bidirectional relationship between "self-determination motivation planned behavior learning intention", and students' willingness to participate in online learning and planned behavior are influenced by inpidual differences (Geng Feng et al., 2021). The premise of integrating information technology and foreign language curriculum resources is to "unleash the principle of students' subjective initiative. It is necessary to fully reflect students' subjective learning status, allowing them to independently learn, think, and practice teaching content... Guide students to play their main role." (Zhang Jinquan, Zang Guobao, 2005) Through questionnaire survey analysis, it can be seen that students' online learning efficiency is greatly influenced by teaching content and methods. In most cases, more than half of the students cannot understand the content of online teaching well; Most students often find online teaching content dull. The reason for the perception of teaching objects is largely due to the difficulty of teaching content that cannot meet students' inpidualized and differentiated needs, and the initial online teaching resources are difficult to meet students' autonomous learning needs. In the future teaching process, when setting up online classroom teaching content, teachers should not copy traditional teaching content and methods online, but should pay more attention to presenting online learning objectives.

4.3 Construction of Teaching Subject Capability Based on Technology Symbiosis

The breakthrough in the integration of foreign language teaching and information technology during the epidemic is bound to elevate the phased foreign language teaching reform behavior into a "regular mechanism" and a "quality action". Foreign language teaching based on deep integration of information technology will inevitably become the norm. Under the promotion of this teaching reform, the cultivation of students' digital learning ability will become an important topic. Under the perspective of technological ecology, technology and humans are in a symbiotic relationship. Previous research suggests that "the technological ecosystem requires educational informatization to no longer be limited to technological aspects, but to value the interrelationships between people, information, technology, educational practices, and the information environment, and to build an innovative ecological learning environment." (Hu Jiehui and Hu Jiasheng, 2020) Therefore, the further deep integration of foreign language teaching and information technology, We are required to help teachers and students overcome "technical perfunctory" and "technical fear" in teaching practice, enhance students' adaptability, compatibility, and harmonious coexistence ability in information technology teaching, and truly make students the main body of information processing and the active constructors of cognitive significance.

5.Conclusion

This study investigated the effectiveness of online learning among foreign language majors during the pandemic. The survey found that the effectiveness of students' online foreign language learning is closely related to their willingness and ability to learn. In the development stage of deep integration of information technology and foreign language teaching, we should pay more attention to students' learning ability, willingness, and efficiency under new technological conditions in teaching practice, and actively recognize and adapt to changes based on this. Based on the perspective of ecological technology, we should adjust the teaching organization model under new technologies, integrate multi-dimensional and real-time feedback learning evaluation mechanisms using information tools, build teaching resources that adapt to personalized development, help students establish foreign language learning abilities that meet the requirements of technological symbiosis, and promote the establishment of a foreign language teaching technology ecosystem for students to actively learn and learn independently through information means.

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