ABSTRACT

Getting increasingly common in many settings in higher education, distance language courses have become a vigorous area of research which requires sustained focus. Although the relevant literature has documented well various aspects of distance language learning, the factors affecting academic achievement have remained under-researched. This study investigates the predictive power of the sense of community, perceived learning and learner satisfaction as the possible factors having an influence on academic achievement. Data for this study come from a series of surveys administered to a total of 156 EFL learners and participants’ final grades. Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to analyse the data. Results indicated acceptable values of the goodness of fit indices for structural model (TLI =.96; CFI =.98; NFI =.95; RMSEA =.06 and SRMR =.04). Analysis of path coefficients revealed that two components of sense of community (i.e. teaching presence and cognitive presence), perceived learning and satisfaction are the significant predictors of academic achievement. The research findings bear implications for the design of distance language courses.

摘要

在高等教育的许多场合中，远程语言课程变得越来越普遍，远程语言课程已成为一个充满活力的研究领域，需要持续关注。尽管相关文献已经很好地记录了远程语言学习的各个方面，但是影响学术成就的因素仍未得到充分研究。这项研究调查了社区意识，感知学习和学习者满意度的预测能力，这些因素是影响学业成就的可能因素。这项研究的数据来自对156个EFL学习者和参与者的最终成绩进行的一系列调查。使用结构方程模型（SEM）来分析数据。结果表明结构模型拟合指数的良好程度可接受（TLI = .96； CFI = .98； NFI = .95； RMSEA = .06和SRMR = .04）。路径系数的分析表明，社区意识的两个组成部分（即教学存在和认知存在），感知的学习和满意度是学习成绩的重要预测指标。研究结果对远程语言课程的设计具有启示意义。