O n f e r e n c e

Discussion of the Challenges from Learner Variable
The study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of applying blogs to teaching an 
EFL college writing class. With a body of survey and questionnaire types of 
studiesclaiming the benefits of blogs, the researcher expected that the treatment of blogs 
would benefit the experimental class a lot. Though a variety of variables were controlled 
in advance to make the comparison fair, the findings still surprised the researcher, 
especially the part of writing self-efficacy (self-confidence). Regardless of the benefit of 
blogs to the studen
ts’ metalinguistic performance, blogs did not impressively help boost 
their other performances. Along the way of study, in fact, it was the control class who 
impressed the researcher in a lot of ways so as to inspire her to examine the effect of 
learner variable on learning outcome in her future study.
By way of the observation data of student learning behaviors, it was found that there was 
an obvious difference in the two classes’ personalities and classroom dynamics, which 
was confirmed by the researche
r’s colleague who was invited to observe the two classes 
twice and noticed by the rater who helped code the data for metalingusitic performance. 
As the colleague and rater described, overall, the control class was relatively a more out-
going, livelier and concentrated class while the experimental class was a quieter, more 
reserved, and less devoted one. By the researcher’s observation, the two classes differed 
in the frequency of eye-
contact and laughter, their responses to the teacher’s class 
inquiry, learning atmosphere as well as classroom participation. By and large, the control 
class was recalled as a vivid class and the experimental class a passive and more reticent 
one. 
If we match the observation date with the learning outcome of the students’ self
-
confidence in writing, then the findings would not surprise us. It seems that the positive 
learning atmosphere of the control class infected the whole class and made them 
engaged in learning and feels confident about in writing regardless of not having the aid 
of technology. The control class’ learning behavior impressed the researcher in that 
learner’s exercise of agency within a particular community can tip the balance of two 
classes and even surmount an allegedly beneficial treatment. The results direct the 
researcher to re-visit the theory of second/foreign language acquisition, which confirms 
its importance again. Notice that a variety of variables were controlled to make the 
comparison fair, including the age, gender, major, language proficiency level, syllabus 
design, and instruction. What we did not know in advance is the students’ personalities 
and what they could contribute to the classroom dynamics and learning atmosphere. 
Though we could measure learners’ personalities by way of 
the Myers-Briggs type 
indicator (1998),
the study did not carry out the measurement in advance since the focus 
of the study was not about the correlation between personality and learning outcome. 
The results, nevertheless, showed us that learner contribution resulted from a unique 
learning community plays a significant role in learning outcome.
The interesting findings from learner variable in this study suggest a future agenda: a 
study conducting in the classroom should incorporate more qualitative data into its 
quantitative ones even though the primary focus is on the quantitative data for analysis.
 

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-93- 
2014 CALL Conference 
LINGUAPOLIS
www.antwerpcall.be