The Role of Relevance in Group Work Among Learners of French as a Foreign Language: An Arcs Model Perspective

This study investigates the influence of relevance in group work on learners’ attention, satisfaction, and confidence using Keller's ARCS motivational model in the context of foreign language learning. A quantitative survey design of 35 items covering four constructs: relevance, attention, satisfaction, and confidence, was adapted from Keller (1979), Bateman et al. (2002), and Studnicka (2023). Data were collected from 169 undergraduate French learners from a public university in Malaysia and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Significant positive relationships were found between relevance and all three variables. The relationship between relevance and attention scored the strongest correlation (r=.927) and (p=<.001). However, no significant differences were found across academic clusters. These findings suggest that relevant and meaningful group work promotes effective language learning and boosts learner motivation.

group work, attention, relevance, confidence, satisfaction, ARCS model, French as a foreign language, L2/FL learning

1. Ahmad, N., Alias, F.A., Hamat, M., & Mohamed, S.A. (2024) Reliability Analysis: Application of Cronbach’s Alpha in Research Instruments. SIG: e-Learning@CS, 114-119. https://appspenang.uitm.edu.my/sigcs/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Akoto, M. (2021). Collaborative multimodal writing via Google Docs: Perceptions of French FL learners. Languages, 6(3), 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages6030140 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Alzubi, A. A. F., Nazim, M., & Ahmad, J. (2025). Identifying English as a foreign language students’ attitude to improving speaking skills through collaboration. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 19(1), 180-190. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v19i1.21333 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Anisah, S., & Suryati, N. (2025). Understanding university students’ perceptions of the group workbased activity to enhance collaborative problem-solving skills and its impact on academic writing performance. Journal on English as a Foreign Language, 15(1), 213–236. https://doi.org/10.23971/jefl.v15i1.9653 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Ataia, M. E., & Maayah, A. K. (2025). Effects of group work on the academic performance of high school students in EMI classrooms in Riyadh. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 14(1), 992-1003. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v14-i1/24691 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Bächtold, M., Roca, P., & De Checchi, K. (2023). Students’ beliefs and attitudes towards cooperative learning, and their relationship to motivation and approach to learning. Studies in Higher Education, 48(1), 100–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2022.2112028 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Bakir, N., Humpherys, S., & Dana, K. (2020). Students’ perceptions of challenges and solutions to faceto-face and online group work. Information Systems Education Journal (ISEDJ), 18(5), 75–85. https://isedj.org [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Bateman, B., Colin Wilson, F., Bingham, D. (2002) Team effectiveness-development of an audit questionnaire. Journal of Management Development, 21(3), 215-226. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Bonebright, D. A. (2010). 40 years of storming: A historical review of Tuckman’s model of small group development. Human Resource Development International, 13(1), 111–120. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Chang, Y., & Brickman, P. (2018). When group work doesn’t work: Insights from students. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 17(4), ar40. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.17-09-0199 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Cruaud, C. (2018). The playful frame: gamification in a French-as-a-foreign-language class. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 12(4), 330-343. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2016.1213268 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. de Saint Léger, D., & Mullan, K. (2014). “A good all-round French workout” or “a massive stress”?: Perceptions of group work among tertiary learners of French. System, 44, 115-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2014.03.005 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Dos Santos, L. M. (2024). Motivations for learning Chinese as a foreign language: A case study in Belgium. International Journal of Instruction, 17(1), 85-104. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2024.1726a [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Edvardsen Tonheim, L., Molin, M., Brevik, A., Wøhlk Gundersen, M., & Garnweidner-Holme, L. (2024). Facilitators and barriers to online group work in higher education within health sciences – a scoping review. Medical Education Online, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2024.2341508 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Feng, H. (2025). Enhancing university students’ oral English: A mixed-methods study. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(10), 4958–4979. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.910000408 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Ha, T. Y. N., Nguyen, T. B. N., Nguyen, N. L. D., & Tran, T. N. (2022). The Effects of Collaborative Learning on Young ESL Learners’ L2 Anxiety and Speaking Performance. International Journal of Asian Education, 3(2), 125–137. https://doi.org/10.46966/ijae.v3i2.286 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Haque, M. N., Dahal, N., Hasan, M. K., Manandhar, N. K., & Sharmin, S. (2025). Impact of activity types and speaking hours on spoken English fluency: A comparative study in Bangladeshi tertiary classes. Frontiers in Education, 10, Article 1639602. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1639602 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. He, L. (2024) The Application of SPSS Correlation Analysis in the Study of Precision Teaching of English in Universities. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Science, 9(1), 1-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/amns-2024-1371 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Hosseini, S. M. H. (2014). Competitive team-based learning versus group investigation with reference to the language proficiency of Iranian EFL intermediate students. International Journal of Instruction, 7(1). Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1085235.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Ismail, S., Isa, H. M., Amali, N. A. K., Zakaria, N. N. N., Othman, J., & Yazid, N. I. (2024). An Investigation of Motivational and Burnout Factors among Learners Learning French As A Foreign Language. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(2), 294–312. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v14-i2/20654 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Ismail, S., Isa, H. M., Zakaria, N. N. N., Rahmat, N. H., Idris, N., & Taib, N. A. M. (2022). Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) Working Title: What Causes Foreign Language Anxiety? International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(8), 1359 –1372. 25. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v12-i8/14534 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2009). An educational psychology success story: Social interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational Researcher, 38(5), 365–379. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Johnson, K. (2017). An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching, Routledge, London. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351213868 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Kamarulzaman, L. M., Hassan, J., & Abdul Ghani, M. T. (2020). Integrating collaborative learning in English proficiency classroom: Does it resolve students’ speaking anxiety? Sains Insani, 5(1), 200–204. https://doi.org/10.33102/sainsinsani.vol5no1.188 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Keller, J. M. (1979). Motivation and instructional design: A theoretical perspective. Journal 30. of Instructional Development, 2(4), 26–34. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30220576 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Keller, J. M. (1987). Development and Use of the ARCS Model of Instructional Design. Journal of Instructional Development, 10, 2-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02905780 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Kilpeläinen-Pettersson, J., Koskinen, P., Lehtinen, A., & Mäntylä, T. (2025). Cooperative learning in higher education physics: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 23, 2707–2729. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-024-10538-3 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Koh, J. (2023). Deconstructing the benefits of reading-while-listening on L2 reading comprehension: The influence of cross-orthographic distance. Foreign Language Annals, 57(1), 163–183. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12732 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Kos, T. (2025). Enhancing young learners’ peer collaboration: Pedagogical ideas for language teachers. Tesol Quarterly, 59(1), 541-551. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.3344 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Le, D. H., & Nguyen, T. L. T. (2025). Exploring the organization of consecutive group-work activities in English lessons: A case study at a public university. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 5(3), 147–159. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.25539 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Myslihaka, L. (2016). Communication as the center of teaching/learning process of foreign languages (the case of French language). European Journal of Social Science Education and Research, 3(2), 147154. https://econpapers.repec.org/scripts/redir.pf?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.26417%252F948onc27 s;h=repec:eur:ejserj:81 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Orprayoon, S. (2014). Effects of Cooperative Learning on Learning Achievement and Group Working Behavior of Junior Students in Modern French Literature Course. Journal of Effective Teaching, 14(1), 80-98. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1060448.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Point, R. G., Ng, C.-C., & Ting, S. H. (2021). Perceptions of Students Learning French as a Foreign Language in Malaysia. Trends in Undergraduate Research, 4(1), f1-12. https://doi.org/10.33736/tur.3094.2021 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Postykina, I (2025), Student Group Work as an Effective Way of Organizing Collective Work in English Language Classes in the Context of Blended-Learning. Scientific and Practical Journal "Materials of Scientific Conferences of the Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University". 42. https://doi.org/10.34132/mspc2025.01.09.20 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Poupore, G. (2016). Measuring group work dynamics and its relation with L2 learners’ task motivation and language production. Language Teaching Research, 20(6), 719-740. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168815606162 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Rahmat, N. H., Abdullah, N. A. T., Ahmad, N., Sharif, S., Yean, C. P., & Boon, M. H. A. (2021) Social learning during Online Learning? The Case for Japanese Language. International Journal of Asian Social Science, Vol 11(3), pp 168-176. 46. http://doi.org/ 0.18488/journal.1.2021.113.168.176 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Rahmat, N.H., Aripin, N., Razlan., A., Arepin, M., Mohandas, E.S., & Sim, M.K. (2021) Analyzing the Cadence of Group Conflicts across Gender during Online Learning. European Journal of Open Education and E-Learning Studies, 6(2),55-69. https://oapub.org/edu/index.php/ejoe/article/view/3886 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Situmorang, M.A.,2021. Students’ perception of using group work in English class. Journal of English Teaching. 7(1), 80–88. https://doi.org/10.33541/jet.v7i1.2302 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Studnicka, K., Zarzycka, D., and Zalewski, J. (2023) Student satisfaction and self-confidence in learning scale (SSCL)-reliability and validity test of the Polish version. Signa Vitae. 2023; 19(5): 104-111. doi: 10.22514/sv.2023.069. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Talgatov, Y., Baiturina, A., & Nashenova, A. (2023). Teamworking and interaction in foreign language education. Annali d’Italia, (50), 23-26. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10432520 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. Tanaka, M. (2025). Impact of group work environment and size on L2 motivation in project-based learning. System, 130, 103621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.103621 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

42. Tuckman, B. (1965). Developmental Sequence in Small Groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384-399. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0022100 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

43. Tuckman, B. W., & Jensen, M. A. C. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 2(4), 419–427. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

44. Vien Truong, Huy Gia Huynh, & Han Van Ho. (2025). Motivational Orientations of Learning English as a Foreign Language: A Survey at a Private University in Vietnam. Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 16(6), 1944–1954. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1606.16 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

45. Vetter, T.R. (2017) Descriptive Statistics: Reporting the Answers to the 5 Basic Questions of Who, What, Why, When, Where, and a Sixth, so What? Anesth Analg, 12595), 61. 1797-1802. https://doi.org/10.1213/ane.0000000000002471 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

46. Zhang, F., Xu, H. Exploring foreign language learners’ cognitive motivation in the learning process and subsequent language use. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1295 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599025-05683-1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

47. Ziegenfuss, J. Y., Casey A. E., Jennifer M. D., Meghan M. J., Thomas E. K, and Marna, C. (2021). Impact of Demographic Survey Questions on Response Rate and Measurement: A Randomized Experiment. Survey Practice 14 (1), https://doi.org/10.29115/SP-2021-0010. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Evaluating the Impacts of Mind Mapping Strategy on Developing EFL Students’ Critical Reading Skills
• Significance of Reading Instructions for Language Improvement in Children with Down Syndrome
• Prenasalised Consonants in Liangmai
• Metadiscourse Matters: Definitions, Models, and Advantages for ESL/ EFL Writing
• Blank Minds and Stuck Voices: Understanding and Addressing Cognitive Anxiety in High-Stakes ESL Speaking Tests