Measuring Students’ Online Language Learning Engagement: Towards the Development and Validation of a Scale

Abstract

Language educators face significant challenges of engaging language learners especially in the online course of target language learning. Low participation and disinterest in online learning activities are commonly related to low student engagement in online classes. Along with the adversity in the online course of target language learning, student engagement is considered to play a pivotal role on learners’ continuous effects and academic achievements in second language learning. Although there has been a growing interest in the conceptualization of student engagement, the literature lacks a subject-specific measuring instrument to operationalize engagement in an online setting. This study attempts to fill this gap by developing and validating an online language learning scale (OLLE) scale for university students. The sample included 454 students at a large comprehensive university in China. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to determine construct validity and reliability. Consistent with the adopted theoretical framework, the 19-item OLLE scale comprised four components: behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and social engagement. It is also indicated that EFL learners had the highest level of behavioral engagement and the lowest level of emotional engagement in the process of online language learning. These results along with their implications within the pedagogical and research contexts are also discussed in this study.