Original Research
Online English Learning Realities: Satisfaction and Challenges among Thai EFL University Students
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This study examined the satisfaction and challenges encountered by 293 Thai university students in their online English learning experiences. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the data were collected through a 20-item questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Quantitative findings reported a high overall level of satisfaction, indicating generally positive perceptions of online English learning. The highest-rated aspect was instructors, particularly for creating opportunities for students to ask questions and check their understanding. In contrast, the lowest-rated aspect was learners, especially regarding students’ ability to maintain focus during online lessons. Qualitative data revealed several key challenges, including poor internet connectivity, lack of interaction, distracting home environments, and instructors’ limited technological skills. Furthermore, the study also found that prolonged exposure to online learning led to long-term effects, such as reduced motivation, increased passivity, and weakened academic discipline that persisted even after returning to on-site classes. The study highlights the need for active instructor engagement, ongoing training in online teaching, student-centered course design, and structured support to help students regain motivation and discipline after passive online learning. This research contributes to support the improvement of more efficient and responsive online English instruction.
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Keywords
Non-English Major Students; Learning Experiences; Online English Instruction; Second Language Teaching; Language Education
Author(s) Information
Publisher’s Note
The claims, arguments, and counter-arguments made in this article are exclusively those of the contributing authors. Hence, they do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the authors’ affiliated institutions, or EUROKD as the publisher, the editors and the reviewers of the article.
Acknowledgements
The authors sincerely thank the experts whose valuable advice and constructive feedback significantly contributed to the refinement of this study. The authors are also deeply grateful to all the participants who generously shared their time, experiences, and insights.
Funding
The research is funded under the Division of Research Administration and Academic Services, Kasetsart University Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus, Thailand.
CRediT Authorship Contribution Statement
Wichuta Chompurach: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Software, Validation, Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing
Siraprapa Kotmungkun: Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Software, Validation, Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing
Pakaporn Piriyapithakporn: Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Software, Writing – Original Draft
Generative AI Use Disclosure Statement
No generative AI tools were used in the writing or analysis of this manuscript. Only language editing was performed manually by the authors.
Ethics Declarations
World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Helsinki–Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants
This research received approval from the Institutional Review Board (reference no. XXREC-XXX65/020), and all ethical standards were respected.
Competing Interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Data Availability
The data supporting the findings of this study are not publicly available due to ethical and privacy considerations but are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.