Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL Learning
Second language learning investment relates to the willingness and effort of learners to develop language competencies which will give them a good return in terms of personal or professional benefits. Research has often explored learning investment through learners in the target language context or...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/370 |
| _version_ | 1797605691135885312 |
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| author | Leonor Dauzón-Ledesma Jesús Izquierdo |
| author_facet | Leonor Dauzón-Ledesma Jesús Izquierdo |
| author_sort | Leonor Dauzón-Ledesma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Second language learning investment relates to the willingness and effort of learners to develop language competencies which will give them a good return in terms of personal or professional benefits. Research has often explored learning investment through learners in the target language context or language teachers. This study, however, explores learning investment with undergraduate learners who are obligated to learn English as a foreign language, regardless of their future profession. To this end, a Likert-scale questionnaire was first designed to examine four investment dimensions which have been identified in previous qualitative research: motivation, necessity, engagement and agency. For validity and reliability purposes, the questionnaire was administered to six second language research professors and 41 students who completed three compulsory English courses in a BA in Inclusive Education. Content, construct and convergent validity procedures were implemented to test the investment dimensions. Regarding reliability, equivalent forms were used to check the stability of answers and to avoid primacy and fatigue effects. In addition, internal consistency and inter-item correlations were checked through Cronbach Alpha coefficients. After the validity and reliability procedures, the four dimensions of learning investment were explored among the language learners. The statistical analyses revealed favorable motivation and engagement results. Nonetheless, they raised some concerns regarding necessity and agency. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:04:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04ef06615d35448f90570901207bc3d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:04:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-04ef06615d35448f90570901207bc3d62023-11-17T18:59:31ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022023-04-0113437010.3390/educsci13040370Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL LearningLeonor Dauzón-Ledesma0Jesús Izquierdo1División Académica de Educación y Artes, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Ave Universidad S/N, Villahermosa 86040, Tabasco, MexicoDivisión Académica de Educación y Artes, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Ave Universidad S/N, Villahermosa 86040, Tabasco, MexicoSecond language learning investment relates to the willingness and effort of learners to develop language competencies which will give them a good return in terms of personal or professional benefits. Research has often explored learning investment through learners in the target language context or language teachers. This study, however, explores learning investment with undergraduate learners who are obligated to learn English as a foreign language, regardless of their future profession. To this end, a Likert-scale questionnaire was first designed to examine four investment dimensions which have been identified in previous qualitative research: motivation, necessity, engagement and agency. For validity and reliability purposes, the questionnaire was administered to six second language research professors and 41 students who completed three compulsory English courses in a BA in Inclusive Education. Content, construct and convergent validity procedures were implemented to test the investment dimensions. Regarding reliability, equivalent forms were used to check the stability of answers and to avoid primacy and fatigue effects. In addition, internal consistency and inter-item correlations were checked through Cronbach Alpha coefficients. After the validity and reliability procedures, the four dimensions of learning investment were explored among the language learners. The statistical analyses revealed favorable motivation and engagement results. Nonetheless, they raised some concerns regarding necessity and agency.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/370learning investmentlanguage learninghigher educationmotivationneedsengagement |
| spellingShingle | Leonor Dauzón-Ledesma Jesús Izquierdo Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL Learning Education Sciences learning investment language learning higher education motivation needs engagement |
| title | Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL Learning |
| title_full | Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL Learning |
| title_fullStr | Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL Learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL Learning |
| title_short | Language Learning Investment in Higher Education: Validation and Implementation of a Likert-Scale Questionnaire in the Context of Compulsory EFL Learning |
| title_sort | language learning investment in higher education validation and implementation of a likert scale questionnaire in the context of compulsory efl learning |
| topic | learning investment language learning higher education motivation needs engagement |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/13/4/370 |
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