Writing with motivation: To delve into the impacts of modifications in academic materials on learners' motivation, creativity, and writing progress in online instruction

Abstract

The rapid transformation in education towards online instruction has highlighted the essential need of motivation in improving learning results. Fostering and maintaining learner motivation is especially important in remote and virtual learning contexts, since students may quickly get disengaged without the physical presence and instant feedback from instructors. This research delves at the effects of modifications applied to academic resources on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' motivation, creativity, and writing development in an online instructional context. This study included a cohort of 47 EFL students attending a private language university in Malaysia. The data was analyzed using the ANCOVA statistical approach. The results indicate that modifications to the teaching materials, such as the inclusion of more captivating content, interactive components, and individualized feedback, had a noteworthy beneficial impact on the students' motivation, creativity, and overall writing proficiency. The findings underscore the need of creating online course materials that address the motivating requirements of students and encourage their active participation in the learning process. Furthermore, implications for instructional designers and online teachers, highlighting the need of adopting a learner-centered approach to improve the quality and efficacy of remote writing training are discussed.