Relationship Between Academic Procrastination and Differential Learning Outcomes in Asynchronous Online EFL Learning

Abstract

Although one advantage of asynchronous online language learning is that learners can choose when and where to learn, this learning environment can also lend itself to procrastination. However, procrastination during asynchronous language learning has not been sufficiently studied. Therefore, the present study investigates student procrastination in an asynchronous English learning environment and examines its impact on learning outcomes. University students engaged in asynchronous learning were divided into three groups, reflecting the timing of access to online materials: procrastinators, habitual learners, and uncategorized learners. When the pre- and post-test scores of the three groups were compared, the procrastinators showed significantly less score growth than the habitual learners. However, these results leave room for further research on the learning outcomes of uncategorized learners, who lacked good study habits but did not procrastinate. The results suggest that, even in asynchronous language learning environments characterized by anytime/anywhere learning, interventions are needed to help students avoid procrastination and become habitual learners.