Exploring the Dynamicity of L2 Motivation and L2 Engagement in a Semester-Long L2 Spanish Course

Research into second language acquisition (SLA) has shown that individual difference (ID) variables can be strong predictors of language achievement (e.g., Dornyei, 2003; Skehan, 2003). Traditionally, this research conceptualized ID variables as static and monolithic variables (e.g., Dornyei, 2010). More recently scholars have questioned this assumption, arguing instead that IDs are best characterized within the framework of Complex Dynamic System Theory (CDST, Larsen-Freeman 1997, 2006, 2011, 2015; Larsen-Freeman & Cameron, 2008). Under this conceptualization, research has shifted to describing the dynamics of ID variables and their interactions with other variables, without necessarily considering the relationship that their dynamicity may have with achievement. This study models how we can acknowledge and account for the dynamic nature of ID variables while still considering the relationship they may share with achievement. This dissertation considers the role and dynamicity of motivation and engagement in representative course assessments in second/additional Spanish during a third-year Spanish language composition and composition course, during both traditional face-to-face instruction and emergency remote instruction as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 22 learners of an intact intermediate-level university Spanish course completed this 16-week longitudinal study. Participants completed questionnaires at two-week intervals to assess their motivation (operationalized by the L2 Motivational Self system [Dornyei, 2005] and the Self-Determination Theory orientations to language study [Noels et al., 2000]), and their self-reported in- and out-of-class engagement (Philp & Duchesne, 2015). Researcher-teacher observations of their classroom behaviors (rates of absenteeism and participation) and their performance on two assessments (an oral exam and a composition) were also considered. Results indicated that both L2 motivation and engagement were dynamic at times, but that the level of analysis revealed differing amounts of dynamicity. At the group level, both motivation and engagement appeared relatively stable, and their nuanced dynamicity was best represented by changing patterns of relationships between variables. With a more individual-level analysis, more dynamicity was apparent in the longitudinal development of the variables as well as the relationships between them. Results also show that motivation and engagement are not systematically related to achievement in course assessments. Implications for the roles of both motivation and engagement in second language acquisition are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]