UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1216

Submission information
Submission Number: 1216
Submission ID: 20676
Submission UUID: 1b65a0ac-d306-474e-b3ce-ee75e98fa96e

Created: Mon, 08/18/2025 - 01:10 AM
Completed: Mon, 08/18/2025 - 03:56 PM
Changed: Mon, 08/25/2025 - 12:42 PM

Remote IP address: 46.110.139.149
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Wenxiao Li
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns
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Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) wl20bb@fsu.edu
Position Title Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name Amy S. Thompson
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email ast24d@fsu.edu
FSU College (if applicable) Education, Health, and Human Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation School of Teacher Education
Headshot (optional) Screen Shot 2022-03-08 at 2.27.20 PM.png
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above)
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable)
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Title of the Project Beyond the chronological age: Age identity, L2 motivation, and perceived working memory among elderly learners
Project Keywords elderly, working memory, L2 motivation, L2
Are you currently looking for research assistants? Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): Partially Remote
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 5
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description Recently, the increasing attention to non-WERID (western, educated, rich, industrialized, and democratic) learners (Godfroid & Andringa, 2023) have been reflected in the uprising trend of studies dedicated to these groups, promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization (EDID) in the field (Li et al., 2023). Despite the effort, some existing studies unintentionally perpetuate the stereotypes of these underrepresented learners. For example, among studies about the elderly learners, most of them identified the elderly based on their chronological age only while studies in other fields indicated ones’ subjective age (i.e., age identity) might be a more sensitive indicator than chronological age (Bowling et al., 2005) of their health, psychological, and social characteristics.
With a mixed-method design, this study therefore will investigate how age identity influenced older adults’ L2 motivation (i.e, L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and anti-ought-to self) and (perceived) working memory. A questionnaire, adapted from established frameworks (Dörnyei, 2009; Thompson, 2021; Vallat-Azouvi et al, 2012), will be distributed among 120 elderly L2 learners from China and the US, respectively. Complementary qualitative data will be also obtained through semi-structured interviews. Noticeably, due to the different perspectives of aging in various cultures (Hess & Emery, 2011), this study also will involve a culture perspective, which will be emphasized in the later semi-structured interview as well. The quantitative data will then analyzed using regression analysis. The findings of this study will emphasize the necessity of critical reflection on engaging non-WERID populations, advocating for nuanced approaches that avoid reinforcing stereotypes and effectively contribute to EDID in SLA research.
Research Tasks Literature review: finding existing studies that are relevant to this study and outline the framework of literature review
Data collection: recruiting participants and developing interview protocols
Data analysis: Quantitative analysis through SPSS and thematic analysis through open coding approach.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: recommended: SPSS, thematic analysis experiences, experiences of developing or adapting a questionnaire, social media
Mentoring Philosophy Coming from a background in second and foreign language teaching, and as an international female scholar, I am dedicated to creating a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere that emphasizes the importance of effective communication. My experiences across multiple cultures have helped me recognize the diversity of communication styles, and I strive to work with mentees in ways that honor and accommodate their individual approaches. By fostering clear, respectful, and efficient communication, I aim to cultivate the kind of interpersonal collaboration that is essential to the success of my projects.

Having been a mentee myself, I understand the desire to gain meaningful academic experiences while preparing for future challenges. Therefore, I am committed to providing my mentees with opportunities to engage in all stages of research, from literature review and data collection to framing reports and disseminating findings. These experiences will not only enhance their skills but also strengthen their confidence and readiness for the demands of the field.

Finally, I believe that research, like any meaningful endeavor, should be enjoyable. One lesson I have learned from training dogs as a hobby is that growth comes most naturally when the process is engaging and fun. Likewise, through clear communication, structured tasks, and a mentee-centered approach, I hope to create an environment where everyone can enjoy the collaborative process of addressing important questions together.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable):
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? Yes
Roundtable times and Zoom links Tuesday, Sept 2nd, 12-12:30pm
Wednesday, Sept 3rd, 12-12:30pm
Thursdsay, Sept 4th, 12-12:30pm
Zoom link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/lwenxiao
Roundtable Info
  • Day: Tuesday, September 2
    Start Time: 12:00
    End Time: 12:30
    Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/lwenxiao
  • Day: Wednesday, September 3
    Start Time: 12:00
    End Time: 12:30
    Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/lwenxiao
  • Day: Thursday, September 4
    Start Time: 12:00
    End Time: 12:30
    Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/lwenxiao
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation Yes
Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series? Yes
Year 2025
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