Overseas Chinese parents’ motivation for their children’s online Chinese as second language learning: A case study in Australia

Abstract

An increasing number of overseas Chinese parents let their children learn Chinese as Second Language (CSL) worldwide. With myriad online learning platforms and mobile applications, online CSL learning has become a popular alternative for overseas Chinese parents. However, there remains a dearth of studies examining the driving force behind these parents’ decisions and actions. To fill this research gap, this study aims to explore Chinese parents’ motivation for enrolling their children in online CSL learning. This study is guided by two research questions: First, how do the first- and second-generation Chinese parents describe their children’s online CSL learning experience? Second, why do these parents decide to let their children learn CSL online? Guided by the Social Cognitive Motivation and Career Theory, this qualitative study examined the experiences of 50 Chinese parents in Australia in depth through conducting two one-on-one interviews and two focus group discussions with each participant. The researchers then categorised three themes and six subthemes. The themes included: favourable learning environment fostered by greater students’ engagement and teachers’ authority, attainment of learning goals like vocabulary and writing, and traditional Chinese values and beliefs to forge the bond with their cultural root and community. Since online or remote learning is likely to become a ‘new normal’ in the post-pandemic era, the findings of the study can provide insights for the educational institutions on the effective online CSL teaching and learning strategies, as well as for parents to provide better support for their children CSL learning in the future.