An Analysis on Motivational Beliefs and Attitudes of Undergraduates Regarding Learning English

Yıl 2015, Cilt: 6 Sayı: 2, 1 - 14, 22.03.2015

Dilek İlhan Hakan Karatas

Öz

Attitudes and motivational beliefs are seen as an essential prerequisite for language learning so both of them should be taken into consideration through this process. The study was designed to investigate the undergraduates’ motivational beliefs and attitudes regarding learning English in terms of gender, grades and department variables. A total of 447 undergraduates participated in this research study. The measuring instruments used were ‘Attitudes towards English Scale’ that focused on the attitudes towards learning English and ‘Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire’ specifically on self-regulatory strategies and motivational beliefs. The data collected were computed and analyzed via Pearson correlation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA. The findings of the study were generalized in the way that follows: one of the findings of the study is that there is significant correlation between the undergraduates’ motivational strategies and the attitudes but not self regulation. There is not significant difference on motivational strategies and attitudes regarding learning English in terms of gender and grades. There is significant difference between undergraduates’ motivational strategies and the attitudes according to their faculties. Some useful implications are discussed based on the research findings in order to help provide possible further solutions towards the English language learning.

Anahtar Kelimeler

English language learning, attitudes, motivational beliefs, undergraduates

An Analysis on Motivational Beliefs and Attitudes of Undergraduates Regarding Learning English

Öz

Tutum ve motivasyonel inançlar, dil öğreniminde temel koşullar olarak görülmektedir bu yüzden bu süreçte her ikisi de göz önünde bulundurulmalıdır. Bu çalışmada üniversite öğrencilerinin İngilizce öğrenmeye dair tutum ve motivasyonel inançları cinsiyet, sınıf ve bölüm değişkenleri bakımından ele alınmıştır. Çalışmaya toplam 447 öğrenci katılmıştır. Ölçme araçları olarak, İngilizce öğrenmeye karşı tutumlara odaklanan ‘İngilizce Tutum Ölçeği’ ile özdüzenleme stratejileri ve motivasyonel inançlar üzerine geliştirilen ‘Öğrenmeye İlişkin Motivasyonel Stratejiler Ölçeği’ kullanılmıştır. Toplanan veriler Pearson correlation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA ile hesaplanmış ve analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmaya ait bulgular şu şekilde genelleştirilmiştir: lisans öğrencilerinin motivasyonel stratejileri ve tutumları arasında anlamlı bir korelasyon bulunmaktadır. Ancak özdüzenleme stratejileri ile anlamlı bir korelasyon bulunmamıştır. Cinsiyete ve sınıflara göre İngilizce öğrenmeye ilişkin motivasyonel stratejiler ve tutumlar arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmamıştır. Fakültelere göre ise, lisans öğrencilerinin motivasyonel stratejileri ve tutumları arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmuştur. Ayrıca, İngilizce öğrenmeye ilişkin ileri düzeyde muhtemel çözüm önerileri üretmek adına araştırma bulgularına dayalı olarak bazı faydalı çıkarımlar üzerinde tartışılmıştır

Anahtar Kelimeler

İngilizce öğrenimi, tutumlar, motivasyonel inançlar, lisans öğrencileri

Kaynakça

• study is not a significant indicator to identify attitude and motivational strategies regarding learning
• English in this study. As to department variable, students’ motivational strategies and attitudes vary from one
• department to another, ANOVA results revealed statistically significant differences between the
• motivational strategies and attitudes of the students towards learning English. The undergraduates from
• Engineering Faculty have higher cognitive strategies scores than Faculty of Education, Faculty of Law,
• Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Faculty of Education
• have more positive attitudes than Faculty of Arts&Sciences and Faculty of Economic&Administrative
• Sciences. Faculty of Engineering students have higher self-regulation strategies score than Faculty of
• Education, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences. Similar studies were conducted regarding
• attitude towards learning English according to departments. (Sarıtaş & Arı, 2014, Gömleksiz, 2010,
• Genç&Aksu, 2004) It is recommended that qualitative studies could be done to find out the factors affecting students’
• attitudes and motivational strategies towards learning English. Another possible further research topic
• could be to interview faculty members to find out about their attitudes towards English language. Further
• studies can be conducted to analyze English language teaching curriculum and interview with the
• instructors. Since there are significant differences between faculties, a new foreign language teaching
• syllabus can be designed for each faculty to meet the learners’ needs and expectations because in many
• universities students are taught in English in their departments so what is to be taught in the English
• course should be relevant to their future occupations.
• Açıkgöz, K. (2007). Aktif Öğrenme. İzmir: Biliş.
• Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy:''the exercise of control''. New York: Worth Publishers.
• Bembenutty, H. (2008). Self regulation of learning and test anxiety. Pyschology Journal, 5(3), 122-139.
• Bialystok, E., & Fröchlich, M. (1978). Variables of Classroom Achievement in Second Language Learning. The Modern Language Journal, 62(7), 372-336.
• Boekaerts, M. (2002). Motivaton to learn. Educational Practises Series, 10(1), 1-27.
• Brown, D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. New York: Longman, Inc.
• Carreira, J. (2011). Relationship between motivation for learning EFL and intrinsic motivation for learning in general among Japanese elementary school students. System: An International Journal of Educational Technology and Applied Lnguistics, 39(1), 90-102.
• Csızér, K., & Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The internal structure of language learning motivation and its relationship with language choice and learning effort. The Modern Language Journal(89), 19-36.
• Dornyei, Z. (1990). Conceptualizing motivation in foeign language learning. Language Learning, 40, 46- 78.
• Dornyei, Z. (2009). The L2 motivatonal self system. Z. Dornyei, & E. Ushioda içinde, Motivation, language and the L2 self (s. 9-42). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
• Dörnyei, Z., & Otto, I. (1998). Motivation in Action: A Process model of L2 motivation. Working Papers Applied in Linguistics(4), 43-69. http://www.zoltandornyei.co.uk/uploads/1998-dornyei-otto-wp- pdf adresinden alınmıştır
• Fakeye, O. (2010). Students’ personal variables as correlates of academic achievement in English as a second language in Nigeria. Journal of Social Sciences, 22(3), 205-211.
• Gan, Z. (2004). attitudes and strategies as predictors of self directed language learning in an EFL context. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 14(3), 389-411.
• Gardner, R. (1985). Social Psychology and Second Language Learning: The Role of Attitude and Motivation. London: Edward Arnold.
• Gardner, R. (2001). Correlation, causation, motivation, and second language acquisition. Canadian Psychology, 41, 10-24.
• Gardner, R.C (2005). Integrative motivation and second language acquisition. Paper presented at the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics, London, Ontario, Canada
• Gardner, R. (2006). The socio-educational model of second language acquisition: A research paradigm. EUROSLA Yearbook, 6, 237-260.
• Gardner, R., & Lambert, W. (1972). Attitudes and motivation in second language acquisition. Rowley: M: Newbury House.
• Genc, G., & Bilgin Aksu, M. (2004). The attitudes of Inonu University students towards English courses. XIII. National Educational Sciences Conference. Malatya: Inonu University.
• Gomleksiz, M. (2010). An evaluation of students' attitudes towards English language learning in terms of several variables. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 9, 913-918.
• Graham, J. (2004). Giving up on Modern Foreign Languages? Students' Perceptions of Learning French. The Modern Language Journal, 88, 171-191.
• Hashwani, M. (2008). Students' attitudes, motivation and anxiety towards English language learning. Journal of Research and Reflections in Education, 2(2), 121-144.
• Hohenthal, A. (2003). English in India: Loyalty and attitudes. Language in India, 1-107.
• Hwang, Y., & Vrongistinos, K. (2002). Elementary in-service teachers' self regulated learning strategies related to their academic achievement. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 29(3), 147-154.
• Kahraman, N., & Sungur, S. (2011). The contribution of motivational beliefs to students metacogntive strategy use. Education and Science, 36(160), 3-10.
• Kara, A. (2009). The effect of a ‘Learning Theories’ unit on students' attitudes towards learning. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 34(3), 100-113.
• Karabenick, S., Pintrich, P., & Wolters, C. (2003). Assessing academic selfregulated learning. Indicators of Positive Development: Definitions, Measures, and Prospective Validity. Washington, DC.
• Kuhl, J. (2000). A functional design approach to motivation and self-regulation. M. Boekaerts, P. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner içinde, Handbook of self regulation (s. 111-163). San Diego: Academic Press.
• L.C, A. (1979). Attitudes Toward Mathematics and Science in Iranian Middle Schools. School Science and Mathematics, 229-234.
• Levine, G. (2003). Student and Instructor Beliefs and attitudes about target language use , first language use and anxiety: Report of a questionnaire study. Modern Language Journal, 87(3), 343-364.
• Lynch, D. (2006). Motivational factors, learning strategies and resource management as predictors of course grades. College Student Journal, 40(2), 423-428.
• MacIntyre, P. (2002). Motivation, anxiety and emotion in second language acquisition. P. Robinson (Dü.) içinde, Individual differences in second language acquisition (s. 45-68). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
• Mamun, S., Rahman, A., Rahman, A., & Hossain, M. (2012). Students' attitudes towards English: The case of life science school of Khulna University. International Review of Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(1), 200-209.
• Masgoret, A., & Gardner, R. (2003). Attitudes, motivation, and second language learning: A meta- analysis of studies conducted by Gardner and associates. Language Learning, 53, 167-210.
• McWhaw, K., & Abrami, P. (2001). Student goal orientation and ınterest: Effects on students’ use of self regulated earning strategies. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 26, 311-329.
• Nakata, Y. (2010). Toward a framework for self-regulated language learning. TESL Canada Journal(27(2)), 1-10.
• Padwick, A. (2009). Attitudes towards English and varieties of English in globalising. Newcastle, England: University of Groningen. November 22, 2013 tarihinde https://www.mysciencework.com/publication/file/2937481/attitudes-towards-english-and- varieties-of-english-in-globalising-india-has-globalisation-affected-indian-identifications-with-i adresinden alındı
• Pajares, F. (2012). Motivational role of self-efficacy beliefs in self-regulated learning. D. Schunk, & B. Zimmerman içinde, Motivation and self regulated learning: Theory, research, and applications (s. 111-141). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Perry, N., Phillips, L., & Hutchinson, L. (2006). Mentoring student teachers ton support sel refulated learning. Elementary School Journal(106(3)), 237-254.
• Pintrich, P. (1999). The role of motivation in promoting and sustaining self-regulated learning. International Journal of Educatonal Research, 31, 459-470.
• Pintrich, P. (2000). The role of goal orientation in self-regulated learning. M. Boekaerts, P. Pintrich, & Z. M içinde, Handbook of self-regulation (s. 451-502). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
• Pintrich, P., & Groot, E. D. (1990). Motivational and self regulated learning components of classroom academic performance. Journal of Educational Psychology(82(1)), 33-40.
• Pintrich, P., Smith, D., Garcia, T., & McKeachie, W. (1993). Reliability and predictive validity of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 53, 801-813.
• Robbins, S., Lauver, K., Le, H., Davis, D., Langley, R., & Carlstrom, A. (2004). Do pyschosocial and study skill factors predict college outomes? A meta-analysis. Pyschological Bulletin, 130, 261- 288.
• Sarıtas, B., & Arı, A. (2014). The views of students and instructors on English-I course in Higher Education: A sample of Dumlupınar University. Dumlupınar University Journal of Social Sciences, 41, 277-296.
• Schunk, D., & Zimmerman, B. (2012). Motivational; An essential dimension of self-regulated learning. D. Schunk, & B. Zimmerman içinde, Motivation and self regulated learning: theory, research, and applications (s. 31-53). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Schunk, D., Pintrich, P., & Meece, J. (2008). Motivation in education: Theory, research and application. Upper Saddle River: NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
• Spolsky, B. (1989). Conditions for Second Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Steffen, K. (2006). Self-regulated learning in technology-enhanced learning environments: Lessons of European reviews. European Journal of Education(41), 353-379.
• Üredi, I. (2005). Algılanan anne baba tutumlarının ilköğretim 8.sınıf öğrencilerinin öz düzenleyici öğrenme stratejileri ve motivasyonel inançları üzerindeki etkisi. Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi.
• Üredi, I., & Üredi, L. (2005). İlköğretim 8. sınıf öğrencilerinin öz-düzenleme stratejileri ve motivasyonel inançlarının matematik başarısını yordama gücü. Mersin Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 1(2), 250-260.
• Visser, M. (2008). Learning under conditions of hierarchy and discipline:The case of the German Army 1939-1940. Learning Inquiry, 2, 127-137.
• Wenden, A. (1991). Learner strategies for learner autonomy. London: Prentice Hall.
• Wolters, C.A, & Rosenthal, H. (2000). The relation between students' motivational beliefs and their use of motivational regulation strategies. International Journal of Educational Research, 33, 801-820.
• Wolters,C.A., Pintrinch, P.R.,& Karabenick, S.A.(2003). Assessing academic selfregulated learning. Indicators of Positive Development: Definitions, Measures, and Prospective Validity. Washington, DC.
• Yurtseven, N., Altun, S., & Aydin, H. (2013). An analysis on motivational beliefs of preparatory class about learning English. Wulfenia Journal, 20, 155-170.
• Zeidner, M., & Matthews, G. (2005). Evaluation anxiety: Current theory and research. A. Elliott, & C. Dweck içinde, Hnadbook of competence and motivation (s. 141-166). New York: Guilford Press.
• Zimmerman, B. (1989). A social cognitive view of self-regulated academic learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 329-339.
• Zimmerman, B. (2000). Attaining self regulation: A social cognitive perspective. M. Boekarts, P. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner içinde, Handbook of self-regulation (s. 13-39). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
• Zimmerman, B. (2002). Becoming a self regulated learner: An overwiev. Theory into Practice (41(2)), 64-70.
• Zimmerman, B. (2008). Investigating self-regulation and motivation: Historical background,methodological developments, and future prospects. American Educationa Research Journal(45(1)), 166-183.
• Zimmerman, B., & Schunk, D. (2001). Self-regulated learning and academic achievement. New York: Springer- Verlag.
• Zimmerman, B., Bandura, A., & Martinez-Pons, M. (1992). Self-motivation for academic attainment: The role of self-efficacy beliefs and personal goal setting. American Educational Research Journal, 29, 663-676.