Anxiety effects of using face-to-face vs. synchronous voiced-based CMC

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a study investigating the use of synchronous computer-mediated communication (henceforth CMC) vs. face-to-face (henceforth FTF) in an EFL context. Anxiety is a phenomenon very likely to occur in foreign language lessons, which can hinder oral performance levels. The main aim of the study was to discern which of the two methods proposed was more effective for anxiety-reduction. 44 first of ESO Spanish EFL students in a public High School participated in the study. The data were collected through a pre-test and two post-tests of a translated version of Horwitz’s Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). The results showed that the anxiety levels of the experimental group decreased even though it was the group with higher initial anxiety levels, whereas the control group anxiety levels increased