scholarly journals Language Anxiety: A Case Study of the Perceptions and Experiences of Students of English as a Foreign Language in a Higher Education Institution in the United Arab Emirates

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rola Ahmed Lababidi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Foreign Language Anxiety ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Higher Education Institution

<p>This case study explores and investigates the perceptions and experiences of foreign language anxiety (FLA) among students of English as a Foreign Language in a Higher Education Institution in the United Arab Emirates. The first phase explored the scope and severity of language anxiety among all Foundation level male students at a college in the UAE. In the second phase of the study, focus group (FG) interviews with students were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the possible sources of anxiety about language learning and its manifestations, as well as consideration of the strategies that may be used to alleviate its negative effects. The findings indicate that some of the student participants in this case study experienced moderate to high levels of anxiety in the second language classrooms. The findings from the FG indicate that foreign language anxiety could be attributed to a number of variables. The results highlight a number of implications and recommendations for future research.</p>

English instructors’ motivation levels in Islamic higher education

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Fauzan Ansyari ◽  
Fabio Oliveira Coelho ◽  
Kalayo Hasibuan ◽  
Dodi Settiawan ◽  
Masni Kamallia
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Schedule Flexibility ◽  
Financial Benefits

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the motivation levels of non-permanent English instructors (lecturers) in a university language centre (LC) and the factors with regard to what elements sustain their motivation to teach English and to remain in the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) profession at an Islamic higher education institution. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory case study with a purposive sampling technique was employed in this study. Ten instructors (seven females and three males) aged between 26 and 40 years old participated (M = 29.6 year olds). The selected participants in the sample were instructors who had taught between three to nine years at the LC (M = 3.9 years), and interviews were the tools used to collect data. Findings Overall, LC instructors’ motivation is not internalised or less internalised into their self-concept. This can be seen from the results that show, respectively, instructors’ levels of no internalisation (42 per cent), less internalisation (40.5 per cent), more internalisation (11 per cent) and full internalisation (6.5 per cent). In total, 11 factors were identified: the influence of others, financial benefits, professional development opportunities, schedule flexibility, supportive working environment, social status and acceptance, a stepping stone for career advancement, networking, dedication, challenge and teaching as a calling. In general, it has been found that instructors are more externally than internally regulated or motivated. Research limitations/implications This study only employed interview to collect data and had only ten respondents. Originality/value Data were collected at the LC of an Islamic institution of higher education institution where instructors are non-permanently employed. The LC is a TEFL environment serving about 12,000 students a year. This study, therefore, allows for an understanding of instructors’ motivation in such context.

The Correlation between Servqual Dimensions and Student Satisfaction

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Nur Zihan Abd Rashid ◽  
Tuan Nur Athirah Nabilah Tuan Ismail ◽  
Bibianah Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
New Findings

Service quality is a very crucial element in ensuring the competitiveness of various institutions. By having a good service quality, the reputation of the organization will enhance and thus become their added competitive advantage. In higher education institution, service quality is important to ensure the students whom are their primary stakeholders are able to have a good learning experience in which will then influence their satisfaction. The primary objective of this paper is to analyze the correlation between five elements in SERVQUAL dimensions (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy) and the student satisfaction. The questionnaires were distributed among the students in various faculties in UiTM Sabah by using convenience sampling technique and 250 questionnaires were managed to be collected for analysis. Overall, the result shows that the students are satisfied with service quality in UiTM Sabah. Specifically, all five SERVQUAL dimensions correlate with student satisfaction. Reliability, responsiveness and empathy dimensions have strong correlation with student satisfaction. Meanwhile, both tangibility and assurance have moderate correlation with student satisfaction. This study is hoped to contribute towards the new knowledge in the field of service quality especially in higher education institutions Future research is also proposed at the final section of this study to discover new findings from different perspectives of service quality. Keywords: servqual; students’ satisfaction; service quality; higher education institution; service delivery.

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