Fostering well-being in the university L2 classroom: the “I am an author” project

3.1 Project-based experiential learning and the Deep Approach to World Language Education

Our teaching module is grounded in project-based learning, a methodology that empowers students to take ownership of their learning process by working towards the creation of a meaningful end product (Buck Institute of Education 2022; Larmer et al. 2015; Mergendoller et al. 2006). Extensive research has demonstrated the benefits of this approach on students’ motivation, engagement, and well-being (see e.g., Amorati et al. 2022; Ghosheh Wahbeh et al. 2021; Gras-Velázquez 2019; Larmer et al. 2015; Polansky 2019; Stefanou et al. 2013; Stoller and Chandel Myers 2019; Supe and Kaupuzs 2015). However, the adoption of project-based learning as a methodology aimed at increasing student well-being, specifically focusing on Italian, has not received considerable attention in PP research.

The project is also informed by some of the key principles identified in the Deep Approach to World Language Education, a model proposed by Tochon (2014), which aims to promote meaningful learning experiences. This approach is based on the notion that students are at the centre of the learning process and that language education is not simply restricted to learning a language, but it is, to a large extent, a social action (see also Bouvet et al. 2020), which enables students to engage more deeply with the communities that they inhabit or wish to inhabit and to put their skills to use to “do good” in these communities and make a difference. In line with the principle of the Deep Approach, the project also gives students agency in giving direction to their learning process and promotes individualised learning driven by personal interest and motivation. In this approach, teachers are facilitators and empower students to explore and learn, while also giving them considerable autonomy in shaping and directing their learning. While this approach has been used before in research on well-being in language learning (see e.g., Bouvet et al. 2020), its implementation, together with the EMPATHICS model in the context of PPI studies, has not been attempted previously.

3.2 A positive psychology intervention drawing upon the EMPATHICS model

As noted in the introduction, the design of the project was guided by a notion of well-being as conceptualised by Oxford’s (2016a, 2016b) EMPATHICS model.

Oxford’s model posits that well-being can be understood from a complex dynamic system perspective, where components are interconnected and interact in non-linear and emergent ways. Table 1 below offers an overview of the components of the EMPATHICS model, provides Oxford’s (2016a) definition for each, and also indicates how these components characterise learners with high levels of well-being, i.e. students who “progress rapidly, develop proficiency, and relish the language learning experience” (Oxford 2016a: 10).

The “I am an author” PPI targets all components of well-being included in EMPHATICS. It is assumed that positive emotions (such as happiness, pride and accomplishment) can be sparked by the complex yet fulfilling process involved in the creation and production of a small book in Italian. It is anticipated that the learning activity fosters intrinsic motivation (Noels 2001), as it encourages students’ engagement with a valued and intrinsically enjoyable project which has a real audience, and which addresses a real problem (cf. Amorati and Hajek 2021). The activity also fosters autonomy and agency as related to self-directed learning: students reflect on their strengths and talents and how they can be drawn upon to make their project more relevant to themselves. The learning module was also designed with the hope of offering students a memorable learning experience and to have them reconnect to positive childhood memories, linked presumably to their own experience of reading young children’s literature. Finally, the project is also expected to have an effect on various self-factors: students’ new identity as authors of a book is anticipated to be associated with an increase in self-esteem and self-confidence.

3.3 Empirical studies on students’ well-being in L2 learning

This section presents some key studies in applied linguistics research informed by PP principles. Since there are very thorough recent overviews of literature in this area (see e.g., Dewaele et al. 2019), here we mostly present some general trends in the field and identify key studies that hold some relevance to our PPI.

As Dewaele et al. (2019: 9) note, since 2016 research on well-being in applied linguistics has mostly focused on positive emotions and positive character traits in an attempt to examine variables associated with positive learning experiences, such as – as they note – “empathy, selves, flow, perseverance, motivation, engagement, perseverance, love, and passion”. Studies conducted on the experiences of language learners throughout their learning process (e.g., Falout 2014, 2016]; Gregersen et al. 2014; Jia 2022; Oxford and Cuéllar 2014; Proietti Ergün and Ersöz Demirdağ 2022) show that emotions and students’ appraisals of various aspects associated with the L2 learning environment are key components of any learning experience. More recent lines of inquiry have demonstrated the positive effect of well-being and academic engagement on students’ grit and overall enjoyment of the learning process (see Huo 2022 for a recent overview).

There is also a developing body of research focusing on the implementation of classroom activities informed by well-being research, whose general goal is to find strategies and evaluate activities which can improve the emotional climate in the classroom. In her PPI study, Gregersen (2016) has discussed “the potential of exposing learners to positive psychology exercises like those built around gratitude, altruism, music, laughter, pets and exercise”, concluding that a focus on positive emotions increases student enjoyment as well as long-term investment in L2 learning. Ibrahim’s (2016) study focused on the experiences of seven foreign language learners and found that participants’ main source of happiness in learning the L2 came from the transformational process of personal growth, as well as from positive changes to their self-image and identity as L2 speakers.

Recent studies on well-being in second language learning conducted in Australia have yielded positive findings, showing that a focus on well-being in the language classroom does not only contribute to learners’ flourishing on a personal level, but also has an influence on their intrinsic motivation for learning and attitudes towards the language learning process. Strambi et al. (2017), for instance, have demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating language learning activities which embrace principles of PP, Transition Pedagogy (i.e. a guiding philosophy for curriculum design which enhances first-year university students in their transition to university), and Content-and-Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) into the university curriculum. The activities implemented, which pursued disciplinary aims and also contributed to students’ perceptions of their sense of self and self-efficacy, were perceived by students as relevant to their interests and personal goals. Bouvet and colleagues (2017]) have explored the benefits of having students undertake work placements in various community organizations, showing that these placements not only promote meaningful interactions with L2 communities, but also lead to improved well-being, sense of satisfaction and achievement and to the creation of new positive relationships. The development of relationships and processes of self-realisations were also found to be key components of well-being in other recent studies focussing on language learners (Palmieri 2017). While in its current design the “I am an author” project does not include group placements, it nevertheless aims to build a sense of connectedness between learners and the local Italian community, which is presented as the primary audience of the books produced by students.

Overall, this body of literature suggests that PP principles can be effectively implemented as part of classroom activities to improve students’ language learning experiences and emotional responses to the tasks at hand, as well as to encourage long-term investment in the L2 learning process. As noted previously, our research contributes to this body of literature by drawing on EMPATHICS and to the Deep Approach to Language Education to understand how a project-based learning activity targeting a language other than English can lead to enhanced well-being.

4.1 Participants

Participants in this study were university students of Italian at The University of Melbourne in the academic years 2019 and 2020. A total of 21 respondents participated in this study (see Appendix 1). In terms of gender, females (n = 61.9 %) outnumbered males (n = 38.1 %). Most respondents were aged between 18 and 25 (90.5 %) and spoke English as their L1 (98.1 %). All respondents were domestic (rather than international) students and were completing a Bachelor of Arts (61.9 %) a Bachelor of Science (33.3 %) or a Bachelor of Biomedicine (4.8 %). The largest portion of respondents studied Italian as a major (47.6 %) or as part of a Diploma in Languages (which incorporates a major in Italian) concurrent with their degree (42.9 %).

4.2 Approach

While an action research framework could have lent itself to the project, since the first author was teaching the students who partook in it, it was decided not to employ it, as action research relies heavily on participant observation (see e.g., O’Leary 2010) and students’ work on the book was mostly conducted outside the classroom. It was thus decided to collect data directly from students via a questionnaire eliciting both quantitative and qualitative data, following previous studies on intervention programs in educational research (see e.g., Magid and Chan 2012).

The present study takes advantage of the benefits offered by mixed-methods research designs, as outlined by Creswell (2013). By incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of students’ attitudes. While quantitative data allow us to examine the distribution of these attitudes, qualitative data add depth and complement the quantitative findings, helping to uncover complex aspects that numerical data alone cannot fully capture, while also assisting in illustrating and expanding upon the quantitative data presented. This investigation follows the principles of a convergent parallel mixed-method approach, as described by Creswell (2013). Unlike sequential explanatory and exploratory study designs, where qualitative data are used primarily to validate quantitative results, in this research design equal importance is given to both data sets, data collection and analysis proceed independently for each set, and the findings from both are then combined and integrated.

4.3 Materials

The Likert items in the questionnaire elicited data on the constructs included in the EMPATHICS model (see Table 1). Considering that, to the best of these authors’ knowledge, there are no previous studies that have measured EMPATHICS via Likert items, these items were developed by the two authors. Although we are aware of the difficulties involved in creating new questionnaires (see Dörnyei and Dewaele 2022), efforts were made to create items that reflected the definitions of each EMPATHICS component presented by Oxford (2016a, 2016b). The questionnaire also included previous well-established items in the field of L2 motivation, as various scholars have measured constructs like intrinsic motivation, which are also relevant to EMPATHICS. The validity of the questionnaire was tested with initial piloting: two student volunteers agreed to fill out the questionnaire and provide feedback on the items included and the clarity of the questions. This led to slight changes to the wording of certain items.

In the questionnaire, participants were also asked to answer open-ended questions (see Appendix 2). In particular, they were invited to indicate whether they had experienced positive or negative emotions while working on their book, to talk about the reaction of family and friends to the finished project, to discuss whether the project had an influence on their sense of accomplishment, on their perception about learning Italian or languages in general and on their motivation for learning Italian. Finally, participants were invited to elaborate on how memorable the experience was and whether they appreciated being given the opportunity to express their creativity by writing and publishing a book as part of the subject. All questionnaires were administered in English to avoid misunderstandings.

4.4 Procedure

The questionnaire was administered online via the software Qualtrics in 2021 using class lists from 2019 to 2020. In full consideration of ethical procedures, participants had already completed the subject and were not being taught by the researchers when they filled in the questionnaire.

4.5 Sample and data analysis

The data collected as part of the project are summarised in Table 2 below.

As can be seen, out of the 21 respondents who completed the Likert items, only some answered the open-ended questions. Responses for the qualitative section of the questionnaire ranged from 15 to 17. In addition, 7 respondents left additional comments at the end of the questionnaire. All the qualitative responses collected were in English except for 7 responses, which were given in Italian.

Because of the limited sample size, quantitative data were analysed by means of descriptive statistical procedures. Qualitative data were instead analysed on NVivo using general content analysis principles (O’Leary 2010: 256–277).

5.1 Positive emotions, accomplishment and self-factors

5.2 Engagement, relationships and meaning

5.3 Other components of well-being

This section presents data on the effect of the project on various aspects related to well-being identified by the EMPHATICS model, specifically as they relate to Dimensions 4–8 (see also Table 1). The first refers to the “hardiness” and “habits of mind” dimension. As can be seen in Table 8, most students stated that they needed to adopt various strategies effectively to successfully complete the project (item 1, overall 85.8 %), a finding that is not surprising given the complexity of the project. Similarly, most students affirmed that the project helped them develop strategies and skills that were useful for their own language learning (item 2, overall 81 %):

I think it [this project] is a good avenue for people to practice a variety of skills which cover multiple disciplines.

Outcomes associated with project-based learning are also found in responses to items related to the “agency” and “autonomy” dimensions. In general, students agreed that the project had an effect on their learning autonomy (item 3, overall 71.5 %) and that it helped them feel in control of their learning (item 4, overall 81 %). This result is confirmed by the qualitative data:

[…] It increased [my motivation] by showing me new ways in which to push myself and my use of Italian.

As for the items related to the dimension “time”, in general, students acknowledged that the project made them remember positive experiences that they had during childhood (item 5, overall 57.2 %). In fact, students often drew inspiration from their own experiences in structuring their stories to give their work a more personal touch. They then thought of topics that they found interesting as children and could therefore be of interest to their readers:

I chose this [topic] because I felt inspired by my childhood to write a fairy-tale and give other children a similar pleasurable experience.

I was reminded of all the books I read and films I watched in Italian when I was a child throughout this project, and it was a very positive experience to feel that I was now contributing to this area.

That said, it was not always possible for students to make such a connection – indeed this item had the highest number of students who did not agree (23.8 %). This may be because some students may have connected the question specifically to reading children’s literature written in Italian when they were children, rather than such literature in any language.

Students then confirmed that their book was evidence of their efforts in learning Italian (item 6, overall 81 %). Finally, the vast majority of students identified the experience as memorable over time (item 7, overall 90.5 %). As the qualitative data showed, this was mostly due to the uniqueness of the project and its focus on creativity, which is usually overlooked in more traditional assessment tasks (see also Amorati and Hajek 2021):

It [the project] is extremely memorable. I’ve never ever done anything remotely similar to this project.

It [the project] was very memorable and one of my favourite assignments I’ve done. It allowed me to have more autonomy and creativity still within an academic framework.

The project also made them reflect on the ability to use their skills and talents to improve in learning (item 8, overall 90.4 %). Finally, the project was perceived as a positive challenge, and made students reflect on their own ability to deal with a challenge – such as that represented by a complex and multi-step process (item 9, overall 90.4 %). These findings were fully confirmed by the qualitative data:

[The project contributed my sense of accomplishment] because I created my own challenge and rose to it.

6.1 Well-being

As shown in the results section, most respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statements included in the questionnaire relating to well-being. Students’ responses showed that the activity has a direct effect on each of the components of the EMPATHICS model. Figure 1 summarises key findings of the study in relation to EMPATHICS:

Figure 1:

Key findings on components of well-being identified in the EMPATHICS model.

Overall, it can be seen that the project had a positive influence on students’ well-being because it allowed them to use Italian to address a real audience outside the university and enabled them to give personal direction to their learning by working on a task that they perceived as creative, socially valuable and personally enriching (see also Amorati and Hajek 2021).

Engaging in the project fostered the emergence of positive emotions associated with their experience of authorship and their pride in drawing on their expertise to produce something meaningful for others. Our findings on the emergence of positive emotions are in keeping with previous research on projects fostering social outreach participation. Activities promoting such outreach recognise language learning as a social action (Tochon 2014) and can “inspire learners to be more collaborating, helpful and happier” (Krishnan et al. 2016: 855). Indeed, for many respondents, the project represented an opportunity to do something of benefit for the community (see Bouvet et al. 2020). As noted previously, while the project did not include community placements like other activities we drew inspiration from (see e.g., Bouvet et al. 2017, 2020]), the findings show that it nevertheless fostered engagement with the local Italian-speaking community, which were intended as the primary audience for the published short stories. A desire to engage with such a community was previously also found to be an important component of students’ motivation for learning Italian in Melbourne (Amorati 2022). The present study shows that activities promoting this engagement have the potential to positively influence students’ well-being, thus confirming the importance of creating language learning activities capitalising on Australia’s community resources (see e.g., Cordella and Huang 2016).

In line with Ibrahim’s (2016) study, the main source of happiness for participants in this study came from positive changes to their self-image and perception of themselves as L2 speakers and authors. Being able to give shape and claim an identity as the author of a book in an L2 was associated with positive feelings and sustained and reinforced students’ intrinsic motivation and learning effort. In keeping with the tenets of the Deep Approach to World Language Education (Tochon 2014), the fact that students could choose their own topic and were given full autonomy in the realisation of the project enabled them to make it relevant to themselves and be more engaged with it (see also Amorati and Hajek 2021; Amorati et al. 2022). Since learning a language often involves a process of identity reconstruction (Norton 2000, 2013]; Palmieri 2017), the opportunity to present themselves as authors of a book and to help others learn Italian contributed to students’ motivation (see also Amorati and Hajek 2021). Indeed, the project enabled them to meet academic expectations, while also feeling involved in meaningful activities associated with a clear personally relevant goal, which was viewed as a personal accomplishment that influenced their self-perception.

Overall, the study conducted with learners of Italian confirms the effectiveness of the activity on student well-being and contributes to previous studies on PPIs which have to this point been conducted primarily on learners of English. Our data also give support to previous research pointing to the centrality of identity (Gregersen 2016; Norton 2013) and emotions (Dewaele 2015; Falout 2014, 2016; Gregersen et al. 2014; Oxford and Cuéllar 2014) in language learning experiences. Hence, the study paves the way for future activities recognising language learning as a transformative and emotion-laden process. To test the effectiveness of activities aimed at promoting students’ well-being, our study also offers a survey which was developed to measure the various components of EMPATHICS and which could be adapted and re-utilised in other quantitative studies.

6.2 Contribution to PBL scholarship

Our data also confirm previous findings on the benefits of PBL on aspects related to students’ well-being, such as sense of self, achievement, pride, motivation (see e.g., Larmer et al. 2015) as well as for the development not only of disciplinary skills, but also of numerous other skills that are transferable to various fields, including the workplace, e.g., time management, organisational skills, etc. (see e.g., Ghosheh Wahbeh et al. 2021; Gras-Velázquez 2019; Larmer et al. 2015). Our study also shows that PBL lends itself well to tapping into students’ own creativity by providing them with a clear frame and opportunity to do so as part of an assessment task. As previously noted, the positive feeling generated by this aspect of the project was the most strongly agreed with item (76.9 %) in our survey. The study also demonstrates that activities with a practical outcome contribute to student investment in language learning, to their sense of self and to general positive attitudes towards their learning process (Dörnyei 2001; Swain 2013). Specifically, this research paves the way for future PPIs drawing upon PBL and principles of the Deep Learning Approach to World Language Education to foster community engagement. In keeping with previous studies presenting PBL activities in the classroom (see e.g., Amorati et al. 2022), our research shows that students are more invested in projects that are practical in nature and have an immediate relevance in their socio-contexts.