Resumen de A Need to Communicate: An Intercultural Story of Motivation Generated in Disrupted Text-Based Electronic Chat
Despite an ever-expanding interest in interactive computer-mediated communication (CMC), the motivation of language learners who use it remains an under-researched avenue of investigation. This chapter aims to shed light on the second language (L2) motivation of learners using CMC interactively. In the study, 14 female Japanese university students chatted textually in English with 22 Vietnamese university students to resolve: (1) a jigsaw activity and (2) a decision-making activity. A number of technical problems were encountered during the activity that disrupted the flow of the chat session. Utilizing quantitative and qualitative analyses, the study revealed that the students generally relished the opportunity to chat with one another, while brushing aside the problems. Several motivation variables were also found to significantly influence the level of their motivation.
