Measuring the Relationship Between Attitudes and Intentions to Participate in SLA Research: A Study of EFL Students at the School of Arts & Humanities of Meknés, Morocco

ELT in Focus, Vol. 6(2) December 2023 Copyright © 2023 ELT in Focus EXPLORING THE CORRELATION BETWEEN ATTITUDES AND INTENTIONS TOWARD PARTICIPATING IN SLA RESEARCH AMONG EFL STUDENTS: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY AT THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES OF MEKNÉS, MORROCO Hicham Laabidi* School of Arts & Humanities of Meknés, Moulay Ismail University-Morocco Abdenbi El Harrath School of Arts & Humanities of Meknés, Moulay Ismail University-Morocco doi: 10.35706/eltinfc.v6i2.9935 To cite this article: Laabidi, H. & Harrath, A. E. (2023). Exploring the correlation between attitudes and intentions toward participating in SLA research among EFL students: A correlational study at the school of Arts and Humanities of Meknés, Morroco. ELT in Focus, 6(2), 65-81. doi: 10.35706/eltinfc.v6i2.9935 Abstract This study was conducted to explore the relationship between undergraduate EFL students’ attitudes and their behavioral intentions toward participating in SLA research at the School of Arts and Humanities, Moulay Ismail University. This was a quantitative study with descriptivecorrelational design. The study population consisted exclusively undergraduate EFL students from the School of Arts and Humanities at Moulay Ismail University. A validated Likert scale-based questionnaire was used to collect data from 115 participants selected through convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, means, and standard deviations were used to measure students’ attitudes and intentions toward participating in SLA research. While Spearman rank correlation was used as a non-parametric test to measure the relationship between attitudes and behavioral intention toward participating in SLA research. The study found that EFL students have moderately positive attitudes towards participation in SLA research. Likewise, the study found that EFL students have a moderately positive intention to participate in SLA research. Spearman rank correlation yielded a coefficient of .703 indicating a strong positive correlation between attitudes and behavioral intention to participate in SLA research. The results of this study can serve as a basis for further research into attitudes toward participation in SLA research. Keywords: Attitudes, Behavior, Behavioral intention, SLA research, research participation. science but also in various aspects of life (Schuman & Johnson, 1976). It forms the knowledge based that leads to innovation in various area. Research on second language acquisition (SLA) is no exception as it aims to develop a better understanding of how learners acquire a second language (Saville-Troike & Barto, 2016). This includes examining the different linguistic INTRODUCTION Research is the process of finding answers to questions relevant to a scientific field. According to Bryman (2012), questions arise when researchers review the literature on a topic or when they think about current social issues in real-life situations. Research is essential not only in *Corresponding author 65 ELT in Focus, Vol. 6(2) December 2023 Copyright © 2023 ELT in Focus and non-linguistic factors in language acquisition, such as age, input, motivation, and aptitude. According to Pica (1997), SLA researchers also aim to explore the cognitive processes involved in language learning, such as attention, memory, and perception, and how these processes interact with various aspects of language learning. In order to specifically address these factors and processes in second language acquisition, researchers must address second language learners as a target group. Research gap In recent years, the role of attitudes and intentions in influencing behavior has garnered attention in various academic disciplines. However, when focusing on the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), especially within the Moroccan context, there appears to be a limited body of research addressing the correlation between attitudes and intentions of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students toward participating in SLA research. Specifically, at the School of Arts and Humanities of Meknés, there is a conspicuous gap in understanding how the predispositions of students shape their willingness and commitment to be a part of SLA studies. This paucity of data not only hinders academic exploration but also affects the design and efficacy of SLA research that relies on active and willing participation from EFL students. Addressing this gap is crucial to fostering an environment conducive to more robust and inclusive SLA research within the region. For English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, participating in SLA research studies can be highly beneficial. It can contribute to the development of knowledge in the field and provide EFL students with direct experience of research methods, such as data collection, analysis, and interpretation. By participating in SLA research studies, EFL students also have the opportunity to practice and improve their language skills, gain access current language learning techniques, and identify areas in need of development. They can also build a professional network with researchers and other professionals in the field, opening up new opportunities for collaboration and career development. Statement of the Problem There is growing interest in university students’ attitudes toward research and research participation. Both researchers and participants may have different attitudes toward research, which may affect their willingness to participate in studies or their commitment to conducting challenging research. Review of the relevant literature revealed that most studies focused on students’ attitudes from the practitioner’s perspective , using Papanastasiou's (2005) construction of the Attitudes Towards Research (ATR)scale. However, little is known about students’ attitudes towards participation in research. A positive attitude toward participation in research can lead to increased participation and a greater likelihood of conducting high-quality research, while a negative attitudes can lead to lower participation However, EFL students may have negative attitudes toward participating in SLA research despite the numerous potential benefits that participation in such research can provide. Attitudes toward research have been identified as one of the most frequently cited factors affecting research and research participation (Papanastasiou, 2005, 2019). Therefore, it is important to understand EFL students’ attitudes towards participating in SLA research is important to promote the ethical and effective conduct of research, and to ensure that research findings are accurate, reliable, and applicable to the populations studied. 66 ELT in Focus, Vol. 6(2) December 2023 Copyright © 2023 ELT in Focus and poorer research quality (Deniz & Çıtak, 2010; Khan et al., 2021). Therefore, measuring EFL students’ attitudes and behavioral intentions toward participating in SLA research can help SLA researchers dev (...truncated)