Diagnostics of students’ motivation in the distance learning of a foreign language
The article deals with the problem of motivation of students, its role in encouraging active cognitive activity and knowledge acquisition in the conditions of distance learning. The authors reveal the essence of motivation, its role in educational activities, give definitions of the concept of "motivation", "internal and external motivation", as well as a general description of distance learning and its principles. The authors present the results of diagnostics of students' motivation during distance learning of a foreign language at a higher education level. In the study, the tasks were to identify the specifics and actual problems of distance learning; identify internal and external factors of motivation; to analyze the identified factors of motivation and its impact on productive cognitive activity and the effectiveness of mastering educational material. In the course of the study, the levels of internal and external motivation, individual characteristics of perception, the level of self-esteem, the personality orientation, the level of foreign language proficiency were determined. The paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning a foreign language and their causes, factors in changing the level of motivation during distance learning. Correlation analysis revealed the connection between the level of motivation with such internal factors as self-esteem, personality orientation and external factors, such as conditions and methods of distance learning. The diagnostic results allowed the authors to conclude that it is necessary to create conditions and develop methods for developing motivation for the effective mastering of the content of a distance learning program in a foreign language.