Relating university students’ online self-regulated English learning to motivational beliefs: a structural equation modelling analysis

This study investigated university students’ online self-regulated English learning (OSEL) and related it to their motivational beliefs in order to probe important psychological factors that may predict how students use self-regulated strategies to facilitate their online English learning. The data was gathered from 337 Thai university nursing students. The instruments used in this study were validated to measure motivational beliefs and OSEL in the context of Thai university students. All motivational belief factors were significantly associated with OSEL. The results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that the construct validity of the questionnaire items was acceptable. Furthermore, the structural modelling analysis (SEM) showed that intrinsic value and cost were significant predictors of all OSEL strategies, namely, behavioural strategies, goal setting, and environment structuring. Meanwhile, academic self-efficacy and attainment value were positively related to certain OSEL factors. Implications for enhancing students’ motivation and self-regulation in online language learning as well as directions for further investigations are discussed.