Fan Activities as Tools to Improve Learning Motivation

Abstract

Various fan scholars identified the positive uses of fan activities, and one of the outstanding aspects is to integrate fan activities in classroom context, especially to use fan fiction in creative writing class. The current study aims to test if students’ fan identification is the enabling predictors of fan activities done in class, and also test the effect of fan activities in class on learning motivation, mediated by self-esteem, enjoyment, expression (both verbal and non-verbal expression), and uncertainty. All of the four mediators are the variables that were explored in previous fan studies. Because most scales were adapted from the existing ones, pre-test or factor analysis was required. One hundred Thai undergraduate students were asked to complete the questionnaire. The results of factor analysis allowed the researcher to use all scales without rewriting them. The major data collection was done in DeviantArt.com since this website yields a large number of fan artists. An online questionnaire was completed by 240 users, and 217 valid cases were used in final analysis. Path analysis revealed that fan identification has a positive effect on fan activities in class, which indirectly increases students’ learning motivation, mediated by enjoyment and expression. However, the direct effect from both fan identification and fan activities in class on learning motivation was not found. Future study should identify other strategies that cause direct effect on learning motivation. The current study suggested that teachers and faculty members should integrate fan activities as a part of class assignment, especially for students who are high in fan identification.