Unveiling the dynamics of learner engagement: An idiodynamic investigation of L2 speaking tasks

Abstract Learner engagement (LE) is a complex meta-construct that denotes physical and mental activity toward learning goals. To understand what fosters and thwarts LE, we applied the idiodynamic method to investigate it moment-by-moment. We addressed the following research questions: 1. How do self-appraisals of learners’ emotional engagement (EE) fluctuate over time? 2. Do EE fluctuations overlap with the other engagement dimensions? 3. How do contextual and learner-internal influences produce shifts in LE? 12 English-majors’ classroom dyadic interaction was video recorded. The idiodynamic software produced graphs of their EE ratings that, together with the videos, were used as stimuli in the immediate recall. In another round of stimulated recall, the graphs were enriched with information on manifestations of the other LE dimensions. Rich quantitative and qualitative data were collected. We discovered multiple EE triggers and mitigators, mutual influence of the engagement dimensions, and fluctuations of the other LE dimensions. Our data show that LE in oral tasks is a dynamic and complex construct, whose dimensions usually support one another, even when external and other learner-internal influences are suboptimal.