Speakers
Description
ABSTRACT
Learner engagement is widely acknowledged as a critical determinant of effective online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education; however, sustaining active participation in virtual classrooms remains a major challenge. Despite extensive research on online learning, studies investigating factors influencing learner engagement from both teachers’ and students’ perspectives, particularly in the context of private universities in EFL settings like Vietnam remain limited. Accordingly, this study explores the factors affecting learner engagement in online classrooms from the perspectives of both students and teachers. A survey was conducted with 246 students, and 46 teachers from a private university in the Mekong Delta. The questionnaire consisted of two sections: participants’ demographic information and six factors, including teacher-related, student-related, school-related, classroom context, teaching materials, and technical factors. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 26 through descriptive statistics and reliability analysis. The findings revealed that all factors significantly affected learner engagement in the online classrooms from both students’ and teachers’ perspectives. However, students believed that the technical factor had the greatest influence on their learning while teachers considered teaching materials as the most influential factor. Moreover, the student-related factor remarkably influenced students’ engagement, whereas the teachers perceived it as average. The study provides pedagogical implications for enhancing learner engagement in online classes and the effectiveness of virtual language education.
Keywords: learner engagement, online classroom, teachers’ perspective, students' perspective, a private university
Biography
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Vien is currently a senior academic advisor at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Mekong University. He has been a senior lecturer, postgraduate supervisor, and thesis examiner at Hue University, Can Tho University, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Mekong University and other universities in Vietnam. He received his doctoral degree in 2005 and was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 2009. His areas of academic interest include pragmatics, second language acquisition, professional development, curriculum and materials development, and language assessment and testing.
Luu Thi Truc Ly, M.A., is currently a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages, Mekong University. She has more than 15 years of teaching experience in English language education and more than 5 years of involving online EFL teaching.
Lam Thi Nhu Y, M.A., is currently a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages at Mekong University, Vietnam. Her research interests include language testing and assessment, learner engagement, online teaching and learning and ICT applications in language education.
Nguyen Cao Bao Uyen, M.A., is currently a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages, Mekong University. She has about 2 years of teaching experience in English language education and about 1 years of online EFL teaching. Her research interests include EFL learner engagement, online learning as well as teaching methodology.
Phan Thuy Trang, M.A., is currently a lecturer at Foreign Language Department, Mekong University. She has 8 years of teaching experience in English Language Teaching and has more than 6 years of experience in online EFL teaching. Her research interests include EFL learners’ engagement, online learning, teaching methodology, and the use of digital platforms like Blooket and Quizizz in teaching English.
Le Lam Phuong Khanh, M.A., is currently a lecturer in the Department of Foreign Languages, Mekong University. She has approximately 7 years of teaching experience in English language education and roughly 1 year of experience teaching English online. Her research interests include EFL learner engagement, teaching methodology and the application of AI in online English education.
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