Enhancing L2 Learning Motivation and Autonomy of Iranian EFL Students through Personal Website and Weblog Creation as a Kind of Online Journal: Developing Writing Skill as the Result

Abstract

Technology and web-based tools especially websites or weblogs have gained high value and remarkable significance in L2 learning and development. The present project employs a qualitative approach and endorses two main goals: first, it explores one such website or weblog creation capabilities that empower students in website or weblog creation, enhance the students’ L2 learning motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic types of motivation, and lead to their autonomy in the process of L2 learning. Second, this is done by creating website or weblog, composing and uploading some articles to improve L2 skills especially writing skill. The participants were 30 BA students in TEFL in the third year of an ELT course. For data collection and data analysis, the students were supposed to design, develop and create their own websites or weblogs and compose articles on them. They were also asked to develop and keep reflective reports and journals during website or weblog creation and article composition. Then, their process of website or weblog creation and article composition were reviewed and supervised by group and project organizers and their reflective journals were analyzed qualitatively based on some pre-determined motivation and autonomy criteria as well. At the end, a semi-structured interview designed and administrated to gain a deeper in terms of the focused issue. The findings demonstrated that websites or weblogs assisted the students to be more skillful in developing websites or weblogs and dealing with technology and virtual space. This also increased their L2 learning motivation and made them more autonomous since they had to design and edit their personal websites or weblogs. Consequently, as they claimed, their L2 writing skill was developed