Investigating L2 learners’ writing self-efficacy as a complex dynamic system

Almutlaq, S; Etherington, MS

Abstract

There has been a growing interest in SLA in studying second language (L2) writing development and change from a complex perspective, taking into consideration the full combination of learning processes, learners and contexts of learning. Thus, the research reported here applies a Dynamic Systems Theory (DST) approach to investigate L2 writers’ sense of self-efficacy. Although self-efficacy is usually viewed as task-specific, and therefore measured in relation to specific situations, such an approach tends to lead to the production of cross-sectional research looking at one time and one context only. This study moves instead to consider L2 writing self-efficacy as a complex dynamic system that evolves in response to the environment as well as internal re-organisation. Changes in L2 learners’ writing self-efficacy were traced over a six-week period through the use of writing self-efficacy questionnaires and introspective journals. Results suggest that L2 writing self-efficacy is best perceived as a dynamic, rather than a fixed, construct, and as complex rather than one-dimensional. Students’ perception of their abilities to write is changeable, decentralised, open to influences from the environment and from other external factors, displays non-linear development and tends to settle down in attractor states.

Citation

Almutlaq, S., & Etherington, M. (2018). Investigating L2 learners’ writing self-efficacy as a complex dynamic system. International Journal of English Language Education, 6(1), 155-177. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijele.v6i1.13163

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 16, 2018
• Online Publication Date: May 20, 2018
• Publication Date: May 20, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jan 11, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 11, 2019
• Journal: International Journal of English Language Education
• Publisher: Macrothink Institute
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 155-177
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5296/ijele.v6i1.13163
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.5296/ijele.v6i1.13163
• Related Public URLs: http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ijele/index