Kedekatan Komunikasi (Immediacy) Dosen Dalam Pembelajaran Bahasa Jerman Daring Dan Luring: Pengaruhnya Terhadap Motivasi Dan Kecemasan Berbahasa Mahasiswa

Teacher immediacy verbal and nonverbal behaviors that reduce psychological distance—is a well-established predictor of student motivation, but it is unclear whether its role differs between online and face-to-face foreign language classes. This study compares perceived lecturer immediacy in online (synchronous) and face-to-face German language courses and examines whether learning mode moderates the effects of immediacy on students’ state motivation and foreign language classroom anxiety. A comparative survey was conducted with 196 students of German language education programs (94 online, 102 face-to-face). Data were analyzed using Welch’s t-tests and moderated regression (PROCESS Model 1). Students in online classes perceived lower immediacy than those in face-to-face classes (t = −3.66, p < 0.001, d = −0.52), reported lower motivation, and reported higher anxiety. Immediacy positively predicted motivation, and this effect was significantly stronger in online classes (interaction B = 0.489, p = 0.022; simple slopes: online B = 0.913, face-to-face B = 0.424). Immediacy negatively predicted anxiety in both modes, without significant moderation (B = −0.074, p = 0.592). The findings indicate that immediacy is harder to convey online yet matters more there for motivation. Lecturers teaching German online are encouraged to deliberately compensate for reduced physical presence through explicit verbal immediacy and visible nonverbal cues.