Different Learning Factors and Online Task Completion Scores in the Korean University EFL Context

Abstract

The present study examines the effects of three learning factors (L2 motivation, academic self-efficacy, L2 grit) on learners’ task completion using 239 Korean EFL university students who studied TOEIC materials online. Participants attended a face-to-face class once a week and completed three types of tasks (videos, assignments, and tests) independently on their own time via an online TOEIC site. At the end of the semester, they completed online surveys on the three learning factors. Gap statistics and the k-medoid clustering technique was used to separate the data for the three learning factors and their sub-domains into two groups. The results showed that there were significant differences in all learning factors as well as their sub-domains. Students with higher motivation, self-efficacy, and L2 grit all scored statistically higher on task completion than their counterparts. In the case of the six sub-domains of motivation, IMK, IMA, IMS and IdR significantly contributed to the effectiveness of motivation. Regarding the three sub-domains of self-efficacy, ‘self-regulation’ and ‘task difficulty’ strongly contributed to the effectiveness of self-efficacy. For the two sub-domains of grit, ‘consistency of interest’ was the major influencing factor. Implications for online L2 instruction were discussed.