technostress, online learning, and language learning

An exclusive online language learning context, like what is being experienced during the covid-19 pandemic, created great challenges of digital literacy, knowledge of information technology and products, and totally new platforms of learning for students. this phenomenon of technostress has attracted a lot of attention by researchers. the pandemic imposed an unprepared or underprepared context wherein technostress may have affected language learners’ achievement. the present study sought to identify possible sources of technostress and how these sources may be related to a group of language learners’ (n= 134) overall achievement using a survey questionnaire and regression analysis procedures. the participants, who were students of engineering, were attending an online course of english for specific purposes (102) and an online course of english for the students of computer engineering (32) during the fall semester of 2020 academic year. available sampling was used to select the group from among the total number of 234 students present in these classes (those who completed the survey). in addition, students’ contact with the researcher via email provided more data for identifying the sources of technostress. the results revealed three sources of technostress. namely, lack of familiarity with different forms of lms, comparison with more expert peers, and affective reasons especially fear and anxiety of recorded sessions, were among the most important reasons of technostress for this group of learners. among these sources, the last showed to be the most important factor affecting learners’ overall achievement.

Technostress, Online Learning, and Language Learning

An exclusive online language learning context, like what is being experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, created great challenges of digital literacy, knowledge of information technology and products, and totally new platforms of learning for students. This phenomenon of technostress has attracted a lot of attention by researchers. The pandemic imposed an unprepared or underprepared context wherein technostress may have affected language learners’ achievement. The present study sought to identify possible sources of technostress and how these sources may be related to a group of language learners’ (N= 134) overall achievement using a survey questionnaire and regression analysis procedures. The participants, who were students of engineering, were attending an online course of English for Specific Purposes (102) and an online course of English for the students of computer engineering (32) during the fall semester of 2020 academic year. Available sampling was used to select the group from among the total number of 234 students present in these classes (those who completed the survey). In addition, students’ contact with the researcher via email provided more data for identifying the sources of technostress. The results revealed three sources of technostress. Namely, lack of familiarity with different forms of LMS, comparison with more expert peers, and affective reasons especially fear and anxiety of recorded sessions, were among the most important reasons of technostress for this group of learners. Among these sources, the last showed to be the most important factor affecting learners’ overall achievement.