Spatial Analysis of Well-Being in Language Learning from the Point of View of War Migrants from Ukraine
Purpose: The article concerns the verification of spatial interdependencies of well-being in language learning of war migrants from Ukraine and the exploration of hidden variables of this index in connection with the region of the last residence. The article formulated three research questions: (1) Is there a relationship between the region of the last residence of war migrants and the previous knowledge of the Polish language and the channels of obtaining information in Poland? (2) Are there connections between education and the region of the last residence of war migrants, which affects well-being in language learning? (3) Is there spatial interdependence for well-being in language learning? In other words, does the proximity of regions affect each other in terms of spreading the Polish language and cause a higher level of well-being in language learning? Design/Methodology/Approach: The study covered 260 war migrants from Ukraine in 2022, which is 1.13% of people who registered applications for granting the status of a foreigner UKR in connection with the conflict in Ukraine in the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodship. Spatial data mining was carried out using spatial econometric techniques: LISA and Moran I statistics. Findings: The influence of the neighborhood on the spread of the Polish language and the influence of latent variables i.e. education, previous knowledge of the language, and the use of information channels in Poland on the sense of well-being in language learning were confirmed. Convergence between the regions of Ukraine, which are closer to each other, was noticed in the perception of well-being in language learning, which also had its source in education and previous knowledge of the language (e.g. through trips to Poland, contact with Polish culture and literature, contact with the language at home, school, work, etc.). Practical Implications: Research results indicate hidden factors affecting well-being in language learning in a foreign country. This knowledge is important for formulating recommendations in socio-economic policy, especially educational policy for war migrants, shaping curricula with particular emphasis on the profiles of migrants, and from the point of view of spatial processes. Originality/value: The research presented in the article is innovative and fills the cognitive gap in the field of well-being in language learning. Research is interdisciplinary in the fields of global economics, spatial econometrics, human capital management, the economics of education, socio-economic geography, and culture studies or neurocognitive studies.