The Impact of Collaborative Learning on Speaking Anxiety Among Foreign Language Learners in Online and Face-to-Face Environments

Abstract

While speaking anxiety is one of the most problematic aspects observed in English as a foreign language (EFL) context, a limited number of studies focused on the impact of collaborative learning on speaking anxiety in different learning environments. This study investigates the effects of collaborative tasks on foreign language learners' speaking anxiety in face-to-face and online learning contexts. In this experimental study, the data were collected from 34 foreign language students with a questionnaire consisting of a background part and a scale for measuring speaking anxiety. Even though the results revealed changes in speaking anxiety levels after the collaborative instruction in the face-to-face environments, no differences were found between face-to-face and online environments in terms of the impact of collaborative instruction on learners' speaking anxiety.