The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production

This study investigates the relationship between the cognitive demands of task complexity and learners‘ motivation towards several tasks using task-based instruction during asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) writing tasks. According to Robinson‘s Cognition Hypotheses (2001a, 2005, 20...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Umi Kalsom Masrom, Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi, Nor Shidrah Mat Daud
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit UKM 2015
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/8868/1/8361-25666-1-PB.pdf
_version_ 1796930856605974528
author Umi Kalsom Masrom,
Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi,
Nor Shidrah Mat Daud,
author_facet Umi Kalsom Masrom,
Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi,
Nor Shidrah Mat Daud,
author_sort Umi Kalsom Masrom,
collection UKM
description This study investigates the relationship between the cognitive demands of task complexity and learners‘ motivation towards several tasks using task-based instruction during asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) writing tasks. According to Robinson‘s Cognition Hypotheses (2001a, 2005, 2007), the production of language would be different when certain manipulation of task complexity was made. The tasks were manipulated following two variables from the Cognition Hypotheses, along resource-directing (+/- causal reasoning demand) and resource-dispersing (+/- task structure) dimensions. Eighty-eight undergraduate students from one of the technical universities in Malaysia were divided into four groups and assigned with a writing task. After the participants have completed the writing tasks, they were interviewed and asked to complete a questionnaire to gauge their motivation towards the tasks. Participants‘ written language production was coded and analyzed using syntactic and lexical complexity measures. Further analysis of the data was conducted using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and correlational analysis. Analyses of the results showed that there is a correlation between task complexity and task motivation among learners. However, the correlation is only evident in lexical complexity production and no correlation was found for any of the syntactic complexity measures. This study is significant as it explores the roles of task complexity and task motivation in mediating the production of language. It also highlights how the manipulation of task complexity would encourage the production of the language in terms of its complexity.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T04:09:24Z
format Article
id ukm.eprints-8868
institution Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T04:09:24Z
publishDate 2015
publisher Penerbit UKM
record_format dspace
spelling ukm.eprints-88682016-12-14T06:48:16Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/8868/ The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production Umi Kalsom Masrom, Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi, Nor Shidrah Mat Daud, This study investigates the relationship between the cognitive demands of task complexity and learners‘ motivation towards several tasks using task-based instruction during asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) writing tasks. According to Robinson‘s Cognition Hypotheses (2001a, 2005, 2007), the production of language would be different when certain manipulation of task complexity was made. The tasks were manipulated following two variables from the Cognition Hypotheses, along resource-directing (+/- causal reasoning demand) and resource-dispersing (+/- task structure) dimensions. Eighty-eight undergraduate students from one of the technical universities in Malaysia were divided into four groups and assigned with a writing task. After the participants have completed the writing tasks, they were interviewed and asked to complete a questionnaire to gauge their motivation towards the tasks. Participants‘ written language production was coded and analyzed using syntactic and lexical complexity measures. Further analysis of the data was conducted using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and correlational analysis. Analyses of the results showed that there is a correlation between task complexity and task motivation among learners. However, the correlation is only evident in lexical complexity production and no correlation was found for any of the syntactic complexity measures. This study is significant as it explores the roles of task complexity and task motivation in mediating the production of language. It also highlights how the manipulation of task complexity would encourage the production of the language in terms of its complexity. Penerbit UKM 2015-06 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/8868/1/8361-25666-1-PB.pdf Umi Kalsom Masrom, and Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi, and Nor Shidrah Mat Daud, (2015) The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production. GEMA: Online Journal of Language Studies, 15 (2). pp. 33-49. ISSN 1675-8021 http://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/archive
spellingShingle Umi Kalsom Masrom,
Nik Aloesnita Nik Mohd Alwi,
Nor Shidrah Mat Daud,
The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production
title The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production
title_full The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production
title_fullStr The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production
title_full_unstemmed The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production
title_short The role of task complexity and task motivation in language production
title_sort role of task complexity and task motivation in language production
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/8868/1/8361-25666-1-PB.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT umikalsommasrom theroleoftaskcomplexityandtaskmotivationinlanguageproduction
AT nikaloesnitanikmohdalwi theroleoftaskcomplexityandtaskmotivationinlanguageproduction
AT norshidrahmatdaud theroleoftaskcomplexityandtaskmotivationinlanguageproduction
AT umikalsommasrom roleoftaskcomplexityandtaskmotivationinlanguageproduction
AT nikaloesnitanikmohdalwi roleoftaskcomplexityandtaskmotivationinlanguageproduction
AT norshidrahmatdaud roleoftaskcomplexityandtaskmotivationinlanguageproduction