Modeling Teacher Supports Toward Self-Directed Language Learning Beyond the Classroom: Technology Acceptance and Technological Self-Efficacy as Mediators.

Xiaoquan Pan,Wei Chen

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.751017

Abstract

This study explored the contributions of teacher supports toward students’ self-directed language learning beyond the classroom and investigated whether technology acceptance and technological self-efficacy could be the mediators between teacher supports and students’ self-directed language learning in a sample of Chinese undergraduate students. A total of 197 freshmen students in one university in Eastern China participated in the questionnaires concerning teacher supports, technology acceptance, technological self-efficacy and self-directed language learning. The study highlighted the results: (1) perceived usefulness mediated the relationship between teacher affective supports and students’ self-directed language learning as well as the relationship between teacher capacity supports and students’ self-directed language learning; (2) technological self-efficacy mediated the relationship between teacher affective supports and students’ self-directed language learning as well as the relationship between teacher behavior supports and students’ self-directed language learning; and (3) perceived easy of use had no noticeable mediating functions, but exerted an indirect influence on students’ self-directed language learning. These findings extended previous researches by considering both the external factors (i.e., teacher supports) and the internal factors (i.e., technology acceptance and technological self-efficacy) of influencing students’ self-directed language learning, thereby contributing to enhancing our understanding of the joint drive of the inherent and extrinsic power mechanisms. This study indicated the significance of elevating teachers’ awareness of the substantial supports in enhancing students’ self-directed language learning beyond the classroom and would inform that the future research on teachers’ compliance in relation to technology use be converted from institutional mandates into teachers’ conscientious behaviors.

Highlights

Technology with its fast-moving pace has pervaded the educational aspects in recent years (Garrison and Akyol, 2009; Hung et al, 2010), enabling students’ self-initiated, selfconstructed, and self-monitored learning experiences in a newlyconstructed technology-based ecology of language learning (Lai and Gu, 2011; Reinders and White, 2011)
The equipped network technology in this university is accessible to all students, offering them good facilities to independently conduct self-directed language learning beyond the classroom
This study aimed to explore the contributions of teacher supports to students’ self-directed language learning and investigate whether three variables mediated these associations

Summary

Introduction

Technology with its fast-moving pace has pervaded the educational aspects in recent years (Garrison and Akyol, 2009; Hung et al, 2010), enabling students’ self-initiated, selfconstructed, and self-monitored learning experiences in a newlyconstructed technology-based ecology of language learning (Lai and Gu, 2011; Reinders and White, 2011). Researchers found that students could increase the frequency of self-initiated use of technology for language learning as a consequence of teachers’ active encouragement and suggestions (Deepwell and Malik, 2008; Lai et al, 2016). In addition to the enhanced external factors that affect students’ technology-based self-directed language learning, various psychological and sociocultural factors that could influence students’ adoption of technological resources for language learning were explored (Bailly, 2011; Lai et al, 2016). The present study’s main contribution lies in enhancing our understanding of the potential roles that teachers could play in supporting students’ self-directed use of technology for learning outside the classroom and the joint drive of the inherent and extrinsic power mechanisms

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion