Foreign Language Anxiety and Online Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Comparison Between EMI and FMI University Students

Abstract

Even though foreign language anxiety (FLA) has been studied in second language online learning more generally (Fondo & Jacobetty, 2019; Hurd, 2007; McNeil, 2014; Pichette, 2009), there is a lack of research on how FLA may afect university students’ academic engagement in online learning while studying through L2 English/French as a medium of instruction. The present study explored the efects of FLA on university students’ academic engagement with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. We surveyed 91 students studying through L2 English as a medium of instruction (L2 EMI) and 76 students studying through L2 French as a medium of instruction (L2 FMI) at universities in Costa Rica, using two adapted scales for measuring FLA and student engagement with online learning. Students were also asked what universities can do to support those who may sufer from FLA. We conducted two exploratory factor analyses on the scales used and multiple linear regressions to explore whether FLA afected students’ academic engagement with their online learning. Results of multiple linear regression analyses suggest that for students studying through L2 EMI, FLA positively infuenced their academic engagement with online learning and that coming from a rural area positively afected online engagement. For students studying through L2 FMI, FLA also had a signifcant positive infuence on their online engagement; however, coming from a rural area did not seem to signifcantly afect their online engagement. Additionally, students mentioned the need for more support, mainly via better organized learning contexts and psychological support. Overall, the results showed that university students experience

儘管外語學習焦慮 (FLA) 在第二外語線上教學上得到較普遍的研究， (Fondo & Jacobetty, 2019; Hurd, 2007; McNeil, 2014; Pichette, 2009)，但對於 FLA如何影響當英語/法語為教學媒介時大學生的線上學術投入還是缺乏研 究。本研究探討了COVID-19疫情期間，FLA對大學生線上學習學術投入的影 響。我們訪問了哥斯大黎加91位大學生參與全英語教學 (L2 EMI)和76位全法 語教學(L2 FMI)的學生，我們使用兩個改良過的量表來測量FLA和學生線上學 習投入。學生也被問及學校可以做些什麼來支持那些可能有FLA的人。我們進 行了兩次探索性因素分析來分析量表及多元線性迴歸分析，用來探討FLA是否 影響學生的線上學習投入。多元線性迴歸分析結果顯示，對於參與L2 EMI的 學生來說，FLA對他們線上學習的學術投入有正面影響，來自農村也對於他們 的投入有正面影響。對於L2 FMI的學生來說，FLA對他們的線上投入也有顯著 的正面影響；然而，來自農村並未對他們的線上投入有顯著影響。此外，學 生們也提及需要更多的支持，主要是透過規劃較良好的學習環境和心理支 持。總結來說，研究結果顯示，大學生在線上學習過程中經歷了FLA，並且影 響了他們線上學習投入。