Motivating the unmotivated through technology

Motivated learners are more likely to achieve their learning goals more effectively than the less motivated ones. The lack of motivation among learners may also explain the difficulty in promoting independent language learning. To address this issue, a learner support system has been created in a university in Hong Kong. Learners are required to take the initiative to register for some diagnostic tests, complete the tests on their own, read the feedback on their performance, draft language learning plans according to the given suggestions and meet a language adviser. To maintain learners' motivation, the delivery of the feedback needs to be timely. To ensure that learners will take actions to improve their language weaknesses, the feedback needs to be presented in a learner-friendly manner. To encourage learners to complete the many steps involved, the system needs to be user-friendly. Technology plays a crucial role in this learner support system. Apart from steps that involve human marking and language advisory, most steps have been automated through the use of technology. A registration site, a testing platform, a marking platform and a website have been developed and linked together seamlessly. This paper presentation will describe how technology is employed in this learner support system and will report questionnaire and interview findings on changes in students' motivation before and after taking this support.