ABSTRACT
Motivation has long been recognized as a critical component of language learners' success. According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), an autonomously motivated student is more likely to be engaged in a learning activity. As the learners' needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness ought to be accommodated, these basic psychological needs of learners (BPNs) must be addressed to sustain autonomous motivation. Although there is a substantial number of literature that addresses the role of these three components in the context of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) and their relationship to autonomous motivation (Kohnke, 2020;Alamer, 2021b;Kartal, 2019;Ali, 2019), the use of Microsoft Teams is almost never addressed. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the informal use of mobile apps by teachers, such as messaging applications, and their students' levels of motivation. This study involved one group of students divided into six sections with the same level of proficiency, who were enrolled in a foundation course in English at a private university in the United Arab Emirates (N = 344). The students were studied over a period of time (Phase 1 and Phase 2 groups of the same population). The analyses were carried out by the use of ANOVA with repeated measures and a t-test. Participants' autonomy and competence were found to have increased slightly as a result of the study. The study, however, failed to demonstrate any significant impacts on anxiety, self-confidence, engagement with language tasks, nor on actual achievement. © 2023 World Journal of English Language.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Telemedicine has been evolving over the last two decades; however, with the advent of the COVID 19 pandemic, its utility and acceptance have drastically increased. Most studies report increasing acceptability and satisfaction rates. This study aimed to assess patient preferences regarding telemedicine to in-person consultations and to attempt to assess the factors driving these preferences. Material and Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted for patients who had both teleconsultation and in-person consultation in the orthopedic outpatient. After obtaining consent to participate in the study, the patients were divided into broad clinical categories and responses were recorded regarding the treatment of illness by the doctor and opinions regarding telemedicine. Most questions were in yes/no or a Likert-based questionnaire. Mean, median, percentage and proportions were used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: The study group included 264 patients, with the majority with fractures and dislocations. Most patients (55.7%) were comfortable using the software for teleconsultation, and half the respondents found telemedicine convenient. A large percentage of the study group preferred in-person consultation to teleconsultation (58.7%), and the primary reasons for discontinuing teleconsultation were dissatisfaction during the interaction with the doctor and poor connectivity to telecommunication networks. Conclusion: Telecommunication has high acceptance and satisfaction, but many factors limit its acceptance in developing countries.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate students' perceptions towards online assessment during the first wave of the COVID- 19 pandemic. A sample of students $(\mathrm{n}=302)$ participated in the study which took place during the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020. The study adopted a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods and consisted of a Likert scale survey questions and a free writing reflection question. Statistical analysis revealed that there is an inverse correlation between the students' GPAs, on the one hand, and their level of satisfaction with online assessment and the $\mathrm{pass}/\mathrm{fail}$ option, on the other. That is to say, students with higher GPAs were less satisfied with online testing and the $\mathrm{pass}/\mathrm{fail}$ option. In addition, students' responses to the open ending question provided educators with a number of suggestions for improvement such as implementing online oral exams and on-campus testing. The implications of the study are significant for maintaining accurate and fair assessment solutions during the current and any potential future crises. © 2020 IEEE.