Investigating Malaysian distance learners’ perceptions of their English proficiency courses

Abstract

The paper describes a study that investigated Malaysian distance learners’ perceptions of their English proficiency courses. The approach used in this study was primarily a quantitative approach based on questionnaires, with a qualitative component based on semi‐structured interviews included to add depth and scope to the study. The questionnaires used were adapted from Entwistle and Ramsden’s Course Perception Questionnaire. ANOVA and factor analysis were used for analysing the questionnaire data. The interview data were analysed qualitatively by identifying main themes and patterns. While the analysis of the questionnaires and the interview data generated roughly comparable results, there were some interesting differences. The main difference was that the interviews demonstrated that the majority of the 13 distance learners interviewed would prefer more support and guidance rather than greater freedom as evident in the questionnaire data. The results of the interviews provide a useful supplement to the quantitative data and give us a better understanding of the factors that influence learners within a distance learning environment.

Keywords:

• Distance learning
• Learner autonomy
• Malaysian distance learners
• Perceptions of courses
• Teaching of ESL
• Distance language learning

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to Cynthia White, Massey University, New Zealand and to Monica Shelley of the Open University, United Kingdom for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper.