Learning Beyond the Classroom: Investigating the Effects of SPOC-based Blended Learning on Chinese EFL Students' Reading Comprehension and Motivation

Authors

  • Lu Sun

    School of Languages, Civilisations and Philosophy, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok 06010, Malaysia

    School of Foreign Languages, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu 476000, China
  • Manvender Kaur Sarjit Singh

    School of Languages, Civilisations and Philosophy, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok 06010, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11141
Received: 18 July 2025 | Revised: 30 July 2025 | Accepted: 15 August 2025 | Published Online: 21 October 2025

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of Small Private Online Course (SPOC)-based blended learning on reading comprehension and learning motivation among first-year Chinese EFL university students. The research aims to determine whether integration of SPOC platforms with traditional classroom instruction can enhance learners' cognitive and affective outcomes in English language acquisition. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was employed involving 265 first-year EFL students from a university in Henan, China. Participants engaged in a semester-long SPOC-based blended learning program. Reading comprehension was assessed through a validated test, while learning motivation was measured using an adapted, reliable Likert-scale questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS with paired-sample t-tests and correlation analyses to evaluate changes and relationships between variables. Results revealed significant positive effects of SPOC-based blended learning on both reading comprehension and motivation. Students demonstrated improved comprehension skills and higher motivation levels after the intervention. Moreover, motivation and reading comprehension showed a positive correlation, suggesting a reciprocal relationship in blended learning contexts. This study contributes to EFL pedagogy by empirically validating the effectiveness of SPOC-based blended learning in higher education setting in China. It offers practical insights for educators and policymakers aiming to leverage technology-enhanced blended models to improve language learning outcomes, emphasizing the integration of cognitive and motivational strategies in instructional design.

Keywords:

SPOC-Based Blended Learning; Chinese EFL Learners; Reading Comprehension; Learning Motivation; Technology-Enhanced Language Instruction

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How to Cite

Sun, L., & Sarjit Singh, M. K. (2025). Learning Beyond the Classroom: Investigating the Effects of SPOC-based Blended Learning on Chinese EFL Students’ Reading Comprehension and Motivation. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(11), 432–448. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11141

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 11 (November 2025): In progress

Article Type

Article

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Copyright © 2025 Lu Sun, Manvender Kaur Sarjit Singh

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.