Questions……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
1.5: Research Hypotheses…………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
1.6: Definitions of Key Terms…………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
1.7: Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
Chapter 2: Review of the Literature
2.0. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
2.1. Autonomy and Self-study Programs…………………………………………………………………….. 11
2.2. Language Training Software Packages…………………………………………………………………. 12
2.3. Assessing Attitude, Belief, Perception and Motivation in CALL………………………….. 13
2.4. Online vs. Traditional Way of Language Learning………………………………………………. 23
2.5. Barriers to the Integration of CALL……………………………………………………………………… 25
2.6. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26
Chapter 3: Methodology
3.0. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 27
3.1. The Design of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………. 27
3.2. Participants………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 28
3.3.Materialsand Instruments……………………………………………………………………………………. 28
3.3.1. Placement Test………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 28
3.3.2. Questionnaire……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29
3.3.3. Software Packages…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 29
3.4. Procedure…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 31
3.5. Methods of Analyzing the Data……………………………………………………………………………. 32
3.6. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33
Chapter 4: Results
4.0. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 34
4.1. The Results of the Reliability Analyses of the OPT test and Attitude Questionnaire (Pilot Study)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 35
4.2. The Results of OPT Test for the Sampling Purpose………………………………………………. 36
4.3. Descriptive Statistics for the Items of the Attitude Questionnaire……………………….. 38
4.4. Inferential Statistics for the Attitude Questionnaire…………………………………………….. 57
4.5. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60
Chapter 5: Discussion
5.0. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 61
5.1. General Discussion……………………………………………………………………………………………… 61
5.2. Implications of the Study…………………………………………………………………………………….. 68
5.3. Limitations of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………. 68
5.4. Suggestions for further Research…………………………………………………………………………. 69
5.5. Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 69
References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 70
Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 80
List of Tables
TablePages
Table 4.1: Reliability Statistics for the OPT test…………………………………………………………. 35
Table 4.2: Suggested Standards (Adopted From Barker, Pistrang, and Elliott, 1994…… 36
Table 4.3: Statistics For the OPT Test…………………………………………………………………………. 37
Table 4.4: Item Statistics for the for the Attitude Questionnaire…………………………………. 38
Table 4.5: Item 1: Learning A Language Using Computer Software Was An Interesting Experience…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41
Table 4.6: Item 2: Language learning May be Important to My Goals, But I Do not Expect It to be Much Fun…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 41
Table 4.7: Item 3: It Is Easier to Learn A Language at Home without Classroom Pressure 42
Table 4.8: Item 4: I Worry a Lot About Making Mistakes in Classroom……………………… 43
Table 4.9: Item 5:I Think Working at Home; Using Rosetta StoneTell me more Is More of a Computer Game than a Serious Instruction…………………………………………………………………………………. 43
Table 4.10: Item 6: I have found that classroom attendance is not the only way to learn a language…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 44
Table 4.11: Item 7: I would like to learn English, provided I allocate flexible time per week 45
Table 4.12: Item 8: I Will Recommend Rosetta Stone/TELL ME MORE to My Friends. 45
Table 4.13: Item: 9 I would like to learn English through videos, photos, and graphics not just studying textbooks……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 46
Table 4.14: Item 10: Learning with Computers Offers More Advantages over Traditional Methods of Language Education…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 46
Table 4.15: Item 11: Computers Are Useful for Language Learning…………………………… 47
Table 4.16:Item 12: I Have No Difficulty in Operating the Basic Functions of Computers as far as Language-Learning Software Is Concerned………………………………………………………………… 47
Table 4.17: Item 13: Computers Have Proved to be Effective Learning Tools Worldwide 48
Table 4.18: Item 14: Students Prefer Learning from Teachers to Learning from Computers 49
Table 4.19: Item 15: I Think I Could Spend More Time Practicing Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) Using Rosetta StoneTell me more…………………………………………………………. 49
Table 4.20: Item 16: I Prefer to Learn English through Rosetta StoneTell me more Because I Can Adjust My Own Speed of Learning…………………………………………………………………………….. 50
Table 4.21: Item 17: I Would Rather Take A Formal Course Than A Self-Study Program 51
Table 4.22: Item 18: Rosetta Stone/Tell me more Is So User-Friendly. It Is Quite Convenient for Me as an Ordinary Computer User……………………………………………………………………………………. 51
Table 4.23: Item 19: I Enjoyed the Lessons of Rosetta StoneTell Me More……………….. 52
Table 4.24: Item 20: I Think Speech Recognition System in Rosetta StoneTELL ME MORE Can Help You Sound Like a Native Speaker………………………………………………………………………………. 53
Table 4.25: Item 21: It Gradually Becomes Boring Working with Rosetta StoneTell me more 53
Table 4.26: Item 22: It Is Important to Practice Prefabricated Conversation but There Is Not Such a Thing in Rosetta StoneTell me more………………………………………………………………………….. 54
Table 4.27: Item 23: The Speech Recognition System In Rosetta StoneTell me more Is Very Complicated. I Cannot Adjust My Tone to That of the Native Speaker’s……………………. 54
Table 4.28: Item 24: It Is a Good Idea to Use Rosetta StoneTell me more but not as the Main Source of Education……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 55
Table 4.29: Item 25: Diverse and Colorful Photos Used in Rosetta StoneTell me more Have Enormous Appeal………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 56
Table 4.30: Item 26: If I Cannot Pursue a Formal Course In English, Anyway I Prefer to Use Rosetta StoneTell me more…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 56
Table 4.31: Item 27: I Cannot Imagine How Exciting It Was to Practice at Home Using Rosetta StoneTell me more…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 57
Table 4.32: Ranks of group (A) and (B) for their Attitudes………………………………………… 58
Table 4.33: Mann Whitney U Test for EFL learners’ Attitudes towards the Packages…. 58
List of Figures
FigurePage
Figure 4.1 the Comparison between Groups (A) And (B) With Respect To Their Attitudes towards the Two Language Learning Packages (“Tell Me More” and “Rosetta Stone”)………………….. 58
Abstract
With the rapid advancement of technology and the outbreak of the new generation of computer software packages, it seems plausible to shed more light on this issue in the realm of English language learning and teaching. To this end, the present study aimed at scrutinizing the EFL learners’ attitude towards a self-study program using two language training software packages called Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More. Sixty elementary EFL participants were selected randomly from a non-state high school. Then they were divided into two groups each learning English through one of the previously-mentioned packages. They passed a self-study three-week using the two software packages. After that, they were required to fill up a Likert-type questionnaire based on their learning experience. The twenty-seven-item questionnaire elicited participants’ attitudes towards this sort of self-study program. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on the descriptive statistics, the findings revealed that the attitudes of the participants towards each item were different, although for most items such as learners’ preference towards a self-study program, their ideas about the software packages graphics, the speech recognition system, the ease of use in terms of individuals’ basic skills etc. they reflected positive views towards the use of each of the software packages. In addition, the result of Mann-Whitney U test showed that there was not a statistically significant difference between elementary EFL learners in terms of their attitudes towards the two language learning software packages.
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[سه شنبه 1399-10-16] [ 07:08:00 ب.ظ ]
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