Virtual Identity Construction Among Iranian EFL Learners: A Grounded Theory

The main purpose of this study was to investigate how virtual identity is constructed and projected through learning English among Iranian learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) while interacting inthe virtual space. In other words, this study intended to use an inductive exploratory approach to gain aninfluential explanation of the effective factors on EFL learners’ virtual identity construction. [1] and [2] Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM) was applied in this work and sixteen EFL learners (8 high school learners and 8 university students) were interviewed. The recorded interviews were transcribed and the datawere subsequently coded and analyzed using the MAXQDA software. Data analysis using GTM yielded sixcategories: learning English context, learning English obligations, learning English facilities, affective conditions, synchronous learning, virtual zone privacy. These sub-categories resulted in a core category of EFL learners’ virtual identity construction. The results were discussed in the context of EFL teaching and some pedagogical implications were also proposed.

Keywords:

Identity , virtual identity , EFL learners , grounded theory methodology , virtual space