Fostering Willingness to Communicate in Online Educational Environments: Opportunities and Challenges

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-583-6_13How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Digital Language Learning; Sustainable Education; Willingness to Communicate

Abstract

This paper investigates the concept of willingness to communicate (WTC) within online educational environments, with a focus on second language acquisition (SLA). As digital platforms increasingly replace traditional classrooms, understanding how to foster WTC in these settings becomes crucial for effective language learning. The study examines both the opportunities provided by online education, such as increased accessibility and reduced communication anxiety, and the challenges it poses, including limited social presence and technological barriers. Through a comprehensive review of literature and current practices, this paper highlights how digital tools can transform educational approaches by enabling more flexible, inclusive, and engaging learning experiences. However, it also addresses the need for careful consideration of the psychological and social dynamics at play, which can significantly impact learners’ communicative willingness and overall language proficiency. The findings suggest that while online environments can enhance WTC by reducing learners’ anxiety and increasing their confidence, they require specific pedagogical strategies to overcome inherent limitations. These strategies include the integration of synchronous communication tools to foster real-time interactions, the use of multimedia to maintain student engagement, and the provision of extensive support to navigate digital platforms effectively. This paper contributes to the field of applied linguistics by proposing a nuanced understanding of WTC in online settings and offering actionable strategies for educators to enhance communicative effectiveness. Future research directions are recommended to further explore the adaptability of these strategies across different cultural contexts and their long-term impact on language learning.

Copyright

© 2024 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Viet Quoc Hoang
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/11/26
TI  - Fostering Willingness to Communicate in Online Educational Environments: Opportunities and Challenges
BT  - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference - Resilience by Technology and Design (RTD 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 272
EP  - 286
SN  - 1951-6851
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-583-6_13
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-583-6_13
ID  - Hoang2024
ER  -