Beyond scrolling: asynchronous video exchanges for building confidence in language learners

This study, grounded in social cognitive theory and employing a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design, systematically observed 118 first-year accounting students from a regional public university in central China over eight weeks. The aim was to explore the associations between extracurricular asynchronous short-video chats, text chats, learners’ self-confidence, and foreign language proficiency among Chinese EFL (English as a foreign language) learners. Specifically, three intact classes were assigned to asynchronous video, asynchronous text, or business-as-usual control conditions. Outcomes were assessed with pre-/post- speaking proficiency tests and a validated self-confidence scale, and message/video logs were coded to triangulate engagement. The findings indicate that the text chat group showed no significant differences in their post-test results when compared to the control group. However, the video chat group exhibited statistically significant improvements in both self-confidence and foreign language proficiency in the post-test. These results provide important empirical support for the use of asynchronous communication tools in foreign language teaching, highlighting their potential to foster affective and cognitive gains in the short-video era.