Motivation is repeatedly found to be a determining factor for achievement in language acquisition at school. Decades of Self-determination theory (SDT) research has shown that students exhibit higher levels of engagement and positive learning behaviours when their basic psychological needs of competence, autonomy and relatedness are satisfied,…

Introduction: Social media has become an effective instrument to enhance adolescents' knowledge-gaining experiences, even in language acquisition. The mechanisms of interactive feedback in such sites can affect motivation and engagement, especially if looked at through the lens of Self-Determination Theory, which highlights the role of competence,…

Artificial intelligence has become an important force in higher education, especially in language learning. Existing research has mainly focussed on its influence on academic performance, with limited attention to psychological outcomes, so this study aimed to examine the effects of personal learning experience, social emotional learning and…

The present study is aimed at examining the links between L2 self-guides and self-determination theory (SDT). 429 Korean university students participated in the study and their responses to the questionnaires on L2 self-guides in the 2 x 2 model and autonomous motivation of SDT were analyzed. The results show that, first, promotion focused L2…

This quantitative study examined English as foreign language (EFL) students' motivational orientation, perceived autonomy support, and psychological needs satisfaction in online education. Besides, the relationship between the above-mentioned variables was examined to test the hypothesis derived from the Self-Determination Theory. It was…

Drawing on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study explored how writing a learner diary impacts students' ability to learn autonomously in an intermediate Korean language class. Researchers conducted a qualitative analysis involving nine participants who used weekly learner diaries, questionnaires, and exit interviews. The findings…

Despite the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools among students, limited research has examined the underlying mechanisms guiding their adoption in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. Drawing on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) and self-determination theory (SDT), this study…

English language proficiency enhancement remains one of the most complex and multifaceted challenges in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. While the question "How can I improve my English?" appears straightforward, it encompasses intricate pedagogical, psychological, and strategic dimensions that demand systematic examination.…

Much SDT research in the language learning domain focuses on the learning of English as a second or foreign language, in many cases by undergraduate students. By contrast, our work focuses on adolescent learners (aged between 11 and 16) of what are termed Modern Foreign Languages--languages other than English--in schools in England. In this…

Through the application of self-determination theory (SDT) to research and practice, this book deepens our understanding of how autonomous language learning can be supported and understood within environments outside of the classroom. Theoretical, empirical and practice-focused chapters examine autonomy support in a range of contexts and settings,…

The study of language learners' motivation has long been considered a key, determining factor of success in second/foreign language acquisition. Based on self-determination theory (SDT), the more autonomously motivated learners are, the better they engage in an activity. To sustain autonomous motivation, the learners' basic psychological needs…

In the clinical medical field, case studies, medication records, examination results, and physician prescriptions are documented in English. As a consequence, the English for Medical Professionals (EMP) program has become one of the important courses in nursing education in non-English-speaking countries. For English as a Foreign Language (EFL)…

Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is a hot topic in the field of applied linguistics, and it is getting more and harder to downplay the significance of the so-called theory in the growth of second-language learners (Deci and Ryan, 1985, 2000, 2002). The current study tried to test the theory in the Iranian EFL setting by throwing light on the…

The Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs) is a new platform of computer assisted language learning (CALL); since most LMOOCs witness high dropout rates, empirical evidence on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' motivation to accept and utilize LMOOCs for English language learning is warranted. This study recruited 237 Taiwanese…

Due to the rapid advancement of the Internet and technology, blended learning has gradually gained widespread acceptance among students, teachers, and educational institutions, emerging as the new norm in the post-pandemic era. This study aims to examine the factors influencing active engagement of undergraduate English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL)…