The Cluster Analysis Of Chinese University Students' English Language Learning Motivation And Their Online Self-regulation

Ever since the 1950s,second language(L2)learning motivation has long been the focus in the field of second language acquisition.However,most of the studies were set in the traditional language teaching classrooms,with a limited number of researches focusing on L2 motivation in the computer-assisted language learning(CALL)environments.Therefore,building on the existing research,the present study aims to explore English as foreign language(EFL)learners'motivational dispositions and attempts to sort out reasonable motivational groups based on a quantitative study at a comprehensive university in China.In addition,given the complicated correlation between L2 motivation and learners' self-regulated learning(SRL),the current study takes learners' L2 motivation as the independent variable and self-regulation as the dependent variable,aiming to reveal the within-group differences in terms of their online self-regulation.The current study mainly focuses on two research questions.First,do any distinct motivational profiles emerge from the clustering analysis based on the strength of their motivational variables?And what are the characteristics of these profiles?Second,if so,how different are these motivational profiles in terms of their online self-regulation?To answer the two research questions,a total of 423 sophomore students voluntarily participated in the study.Students were invited and voluntarily responded to two questionnaires,namely the Online Language Learning Motivation Questionaire and the Online Self-regulated English Learning Questionnaire.Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the well-accepted validity and reliability of the resear-ch instruments.Then,based on students' responses to the Online Language Learning Motivation Questionnaire,four distinct motivational profiles were identified via cluster analysis and were named as the instrumentality-oriented group,low-engagement group,high-commitment group,and interest-oriented group.The relationship between learners'motivational profiles and their online self-regulation was further specified through one-way ANOVA and a series of post-hoc tests.Specifically,learners in the high-commitment group exhibited the highest level of engagement on all aspects of online self-regulation.Meanwhile,learners in the instrumentality-oriented group and the interest-oriented group both reported high levels of online self-regulation.However,the two groups released no significant difference in terms of their perceptions of the six self-regulation variables.The findings of the study demonstrated that learners' different types of motivational inclinations can promote their online self-regulation.Besides,learners' instrumental motive and interest-oriented motive presented to be equally significant in directing their online self-regulated learning.Finally,related pedagogical implications were discussed at the end.For instance,L2 teachers are advised to provide different instructions for learners with different motivational inclinations.