Abstract
Motivation changes over time, as learning is situated within contexts which are themselves changeable (Shoaib & Dörnyei, 2004). One period of motivational flux is the school-to-university transition: first-year undergraduates enter a new context where English principally functions as the means rather than the object of learning, and in which students are expected to self-regulate their learning. This implies changes in students’ goals, attitudes and self- concepts as they adapt to the new context, yet little is currently known about the nature of these changes (Evans & Morrison, 2018; Ushioda, 2001).
This presentation aims to explore a range of motivational dynamics by drawing on data from a qualitative study of undergraduates’ (N = 26) English learning motivation in an English-medium instruction university in Hong Kong. Participants were interviewed four times, twice each during their first and second year, focusing on their ongoing experiences and adaptations to learning and using English at university. Interview data were analysed thematically, and motivational change was identified as a prominent theme.
The findings show that entering university is the trigger for significant motivational reconfigurations as new opportunities and challenges arise. Based on the qualitative analysis of the data, it will be argued that although students’ motivation is to an extent future-oriented, it continues to be shaped by their prior experiences in secondary school and public exams in both facilitative and restrictive and sometimes surprising ways, underlining the need for a view of motivation that accounts for temporal and relational dynamics (Dörnyei, 2020; Ushioda, 2009; 2014). Implications for practitioners will be discussed, including the use of appropriate motivational strategies, and the provision of learning support.
This presentation may be of interest to scholars and practitioners of EAP and disciplinary English courses for first-year students.
This presentation aims to explore a range of motivational dynamics by drawing on data from a qualitative study of undergraduates’ (N = 26) English learning motivation in an English-medium instruction university in Hong Kong. Participants were interviewed four times, twice each during their first and second year, focusing on their ongoing experiences and adaptations to learning and using English at university. Interview data were analysed thematically, and motivational change was identified as a prominent theme.
The findings show that entering university is the trigger for significant motivational reconfigurations as new opportunities and challenges arise. Based on the qualitative analysis of the data, it will be argued that although students’ motivation is to an extent future-oriented, it continues to be shaped by their prior experiences in secondary school and public exams in both facilitative and restrictive and sometimes surprising ways, underlining the need for a view of motivation that accounts for temporal and relational dynamics (Dörnyei, 2020; Ushioda, 2009; 2014). Implications for practitioners will be discussed, including the use of appropriate motivational strategies, and the provision of learning support.
This presentation may be of interest to scholars and practitioners of EAP and disciplinary English courses for first-year students.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 129 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 18 Jun 2024 |
| Event | Engagement in the Digital Age: International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning = 互動．共融：數碼時代語⽂教學國際研討會 - Language Centre, Hong Kong Baptist University , Hong Kong Duration: 17 Jun 2024 → 18 Jun 2024 https://lc.hkbu.edu.hk/main/lconference/ (Conference Website) https://lc.hkbu.edu.hk/main/wp-content/uploads/Conference-At-a-Glance-Day-2-2024-06-18.pdf (Conference Program) https://lc.hkbu.edu.hk/main/lconference/programme/ (Conference Program) https://lc.hkbu.edu.hk/main/wp-content/uploads/Book-of-Abstracts-2024-06-17.pdf (Conference Abstracts) |
Conference
| Conference | Engagement in the Digital Age: International Conference on Language Teaching and Learning = 互動．共融：數碼時代語⽂教學國際研討會 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Hong Kong |
| Period | 17/06/24 → 18/06/24 |
| Internet address |
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User-Defined Keywords
- Motivational dynamics
- school-to-university transition
- English-medium instruction
- qualitative study
- motivational change