Self-Determination Theory and Academic Achievement in an EFL Blended Classroom

Abstract

This study investigates changes in motivation and test score, and the relationships between them, in English as a foreign language (EFL) blended learning environments. It employs self-determination theory to examine EFL learners' motivation and uses a pre-post quasi-experimental design and a mixed-methods approach. Twenty-four Japanese EFL learners participated in the study over the course of a semester. News broadcasts served as the primary teaching and learning material in a computer-equipped classroom. Questionnaires and test results provided data. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed no significant increase in learners' self-determination theory and test scores. However, subsequent correlation analysis and qualitative analysis indicated that the increases in intrinsic motivation and competency are significantly correlated with test score increases in blended learning EFL situations (r =.627, r =.681, respectively). Hence, these findings suggest that fostering intrinsic motivation and competency may be beneficial for improving academic achievement in blended learning contexts.