A Comparative Study of High School Junior and Senior Students’ Social Presence, Flow and Technological Acceptance in Distance English Learning: A Mixed-Methods Perspective

Prior research on online language learning is extensive but mainly focused on higher education setting. However, secondary school learners’ distance learning experiences and psychological profile have been largely neglected due to the fact that teenagers are rarely involved in distance learning. This situation has changed with schools moving their classrooms online in a time of crisis during COVID-19. To address this issue, this study adopts a mixed-methods research design to investigate Chinese EFL (English-as-a-foreign-language) learners’ virtual experience in distance English learning, based on theories of positive psychology and technology acceptance model (TAM). Participants were 323 students from junior high schools and 398 students from senior high schools in China. Data were collected by both questionnaires and interviews. Quantitative results from independent samples t-tests and structural equation modeling (SEM) indicate that, first, junior high school students reported a significantly more positive perception than senior sample in all six measured constructs. Second, the predictive effects of social presence and flow on technology acceptance were broadly confirmed in both groups. Qualitative analysis reveals that learners had complex and multifaceted perceptions, highlighting the two-sided nature of distance English learning: technology can be both facilitating and challenging. This study aims at exploring the factors influencing learners’ acceptance of online English learning, providing ideas for optimizing the online learning environment, and maximizing the benefits and potential of online English learning.