Bridging the Divide: A Comparative Assessment of Two English Distance Learning Programs in Rural Bangladesh

With the expansion of distance learning programs, the digital and educational divides are widening in developing nations. Therefore, it is critical to examine distance learning as a viable tool for promoting equitable English language education. Assessment of effective English distance learning programs designed for rural learners is a crucial and yet underexplored area in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. There is a notable paucity of empirical research that examines the outcomes of the existing distance learning programs, particularly in terms of motivation and anxiety of rural learners. This study addressed this research gap by investigating two English distance learning programs and their effectiveness among rural learners, in relation to learners’ motivation and anxiety. Additionally, by applying Krashen’s (1982) affective filter hypothesis and Mayer’s (2022) Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) in the distance learning setting, this study addressed a theoretical gap in existing research. The study employed a quantitative research design (i.e., survey), collecting data from 448 secondary-level learners in rural areas. The data were analyzed using SPSS, and included one-sample t-tests, independent t-tests, multiple regression, and ANOVA. The results of the study indicated that the distance learning programs were perceived to be effective by the rural learners, and the affective filters (i.e., motivation and anxiety) explained 23.6% of the variance in program effectiveness, with higher motivation strongly predicting greater effectiveness, and higher anxiety predicting lower effectiveness. This study provided a crucial insight for EFL educators and English Language Teaching (ELT) policymakers in designing effective pedagogical interventions through distance learning initiatives to facilitate disadvantaged learners, thus bridging the digital divide not just in Bangladesh, but in similar Global South economies.