The Characteristics and Self-Regulation of Undergraduate Students in Online English Learning: A Case Study of A Private University in Thailand

Online learning is readily available in Thailand, and scholars acknowledge its importance in assisting language learners to accomplish their foreign language goals. Currently, with the COVID-19 global pandemic, self-distancing is helping to reduce the infection rate. Since learning must continue, technologies play a vital role. Educators and students have managed to adjust to the unprecedented situation and continue with classes despite the many obstacles. Thus, this study examines the characteristic variables (motivation, belief in language, and anxiety) and self-regulation in online English learning classes, as well as investigating the relationship between the characteristic variables and self-regulation of undergraduate students at a private university in Thailand. The study involves 132 participants enrolled in an online English course during the pandemic, with a questionnaire and focus group interviews employed as the research instruments. The results showed that the students were highly motivated, exhibited positive beliefs, moderate anxiety, and high self-regulation toward online English learning. Two variables, namely motivation and positive beliefs, were found to be correlated with self-regulation in online English learning at the 0.01 and 0.05 significance level, respectively. Anxiety in online English learning was found to have no significant relationship with self-regulation in online English learning, indicating that students experiencing some level of anxiety during the online class could still exhibit self-regulated behavior. These findings are expected to provide a foundation for further research in the online learning field.


Introduction
The English language continues to be recognized as the most vital language to learn. Consequently, the rapid growth of technology and its usefulness has now become part of education. Zou et al. (2018) stated that "powerful new technology such as social media and networking, mobile applications, wearable computing, cloud computing, and virtual reality have been integrated into language learning to facilitate various aspects" (p. 426).
Nevertheless, successful online teaching may not depend solely on the method used and can be affected by other factors.
Many previous studies have been conducted on the language learning variables potentially influencing student achievement in the traditional classroom. Characteristics such as motivation, anxiety, belief, and self-regulation have been found to significantly impact on language learning outcomes (Keskin and Yurdugul, 2019;Desta, 2019;Panagiotidis et al., 2018;Adithepsathit and Wudthayagorn, 2018;Cakir and Solak, 2014;Mahroof, 2014;Solak, 2012). Wang and Zhan (2020) also emphasized that these variables have been commonly found to influence language learning performance. However, few studies have been conducted on online learning, especially in Thailand. It is important to recognize the level of motivation, anxiety, belief, and self-regulation in students-the latter being the most prominent factor in online learning. Hence, this study investigates the level of motivation, anxiety, positive belief, and self-regulation exhibited by undergraduate students, and examines the influence of three characteristics on self-regulation in online English learning. This research was conducted using the framework proposed by Wang and Zhan (2020) but with the qualitative research design applied to gather in-depth information from participants regarding online English learning. Previous research concerning online learning has been examined in this work, providing interesting results on the factors under investigation and contributing to existing research.

Self-regulation in Online English Learning
Although the trend has shifted toward online learning as technology becomes part of education, self-regulation is still an important factor in the investigation of student learning when measuring outcomes in the traditional classroom environment. Thus, the utilization of self-regulation in the online learning environment is a topic of considerable interest. According to Barnard et al. (2009), "self-regulation skills are important to the success of learning face-to-face in the classroom; it can be expected that these self-regulation skills will play a vital role in the online learning environment" (p. 1). This means that students who lack self-regulation may not accomplish online learning tasks, ultimately impacting language learning achievement. The study by Barnard et al. (2009) also attempted to develop a questionnaire for online self-regulated learning and the results indicated it was an acceptable measure, widely used in a variety of perspectives. The questionnaire consisted of six dimensions for measuring online self-regulated English learning: goal setting, environment structuring, help-seeking behavior, learning strategies, time management, and self-evaluation.
As previously mentioned, self-regulation is an effective language learning variable in the traditional classroom and may therefore be similarly productive in the online English language learning environment. Wang and Zhan (2020) stated that "self-regulation is critical in sustaining online learners' continuous efforts and predicting their learning outcomes" (p. 1). Students in online language learning need to have more self-monitored management, time management, self-regulation, and goal setting to be able to attain their course goals (Kuama and Intharaksa, 2016). A person who can manage or control themselves to attain their goals seems to have greater potential to succeed in life than someone who usually fails in goal achievement; this also applies to language learning. Language learners with greater self-regulation will be able to achieve greater success in language learning compared to those with less self-regulation. According to Kirmizi (2015), "self-regulation is an important factor in predicting the success of a second language learner" (p. 32). Furthermore, self-regulation also provides another perspective on autonomous or life-long learning, which is an essential skill nowadays (Banisaeid and Huang, 2015). Thus, increasing self-regulation helps language learners to accomplish their objectives, especially in an online learning environment.

Language Learner Characteristics
In language learning, three common characteristics have a significant positive impact on the learner's achievement: belief, motivation, and anxiety (Wang and Zhan, 2020). In their work on beliefs and motivation, Adithepsathit and Wudthayagorn (2018) studied the psychological variables present among first to fourth-year undergraduate students at Prince of Songkla University. The study emphasized that positive beliefs and good motivation were important factors supporting language learners in becoming successful. The results showed that third-year students had the strongest beliefs and the highest motivation. Educators were recommended to encourage and shape students' positive beliefs and motivation in language learning, especially during their first year, and adjust language teaching to improve its effectiveness in promoting the related psychosocial factors. Mahroof (2014) supported these findings, agreeing that understanding learner beliefs in language learning was important to the effective planning of language instruction.
Over the decades, researchers have also found motivation to be strongly related to language learners' outcomes. Students with high motivation, whether instrumental (extrinsic) or integrative (intrinsic), appear to have the potential to achieve their language goals. Solak (2012) explored the role of motivational factors in the academic achievement of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Turkey. The participants consisted of 230 prospective freshman teachers from four different major academic fields attending English classes. The results showed a significant difference between motivational factors and the academic achievement of participants, with successful language learners being more interested in a foreign language and expressing both integrative and instrumental motivations. They also had a positive attitude, greater desire to learn English, and experienced less anxiety. In the Thai context, Kitjaroonchai and Kitjaroonchai (2012) investigated both the integrative and instrumental motivation exhibited by Thai students at Asia-Pacific International University toward English language learning, and the relationship between the students' motivation and their academic achievement (Grade Point Average, GPA). Although students showed high integrative and instrumental motivation, the latter seemed slightly higher than the former. Moreover, a significant positive relationship was found between students' motivation and their GPA, demonstrating that highly motivated students acquired better language skills and consequently higher language learning achievement. Another recent study by Zhang et al. (2020) examined the relationship between participants' motivation and second foreign language proficiency in China. The participants consisted of 335 English major students at top universities in Shaanxi, China. The results of this study confirmed that both integrative and instrumental motivation positively affected second foreign language proficiency. These studies clearly demonstrate that motivation plays a vital role in language learning.
In contrast, high anxiety can be a huge barrier to language learning. According to Halder (2018), English language anxiety makes it more difficult to master listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Anxiety is considered to be one of the factors affecting student achievement; for example, communication anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, test anxiety, and anxiety toward the English class or classroom (Amiri and Ghonsooly, 2015). Numerous previous research studies have investigated the relationship between anxiety and language learner achievement. Desta (2019) investigated the English foreign language learning anxiety of students and their English language test performance. The participants consisted of 176 first-year students at an Ethiopian university, employing both quantitative and qualitative data in the analysis. The results indicated that 75% of students were anxious since their English language classroom anxiety levels were higher than 3.00. Moreover, a significant negative relationship was found between students' English foreign language learning anxiety and their test performance. It is therefore important for EFL instructors to recognize the potential impact of anxiety and help alleviate feelings of inadequacy, confusion, and failure in students by providing positive feedback. The latest studies in the Thai context have examined anxiety from various perspectives, revealing that it had some effect on the outcomes of EFL learners. Kalra and Siribud (2020) investigated public speaking anxiety problems encountered by Thai EFL students. The results revealed that anxious students experienced issues with self-confidence, self-esteem, and risk-taking ability, all of which are likely to ultimately hinder their foreign language proficiency. Vo et al. (2017) examined the relationship between foreign language anxiety in the classroom and students' academic performance, and found a significant correlation between anxiety and other variables, including course grades. Furthermore, they supported that anxiety had a debilitating impact on students' language performance. Hence, it is vital that instructors recognize anxiety in students and encourage their self-beliefs and motivation toward English language learning to create a favorable atmosphere and plan the courses appropriately to alleviate student anxiety. This is particularly important for language students in an online learning environment; a topic on which few studies have so far been conducted.

E-learning Environment
Numerous methodologies and strategies can be used by language teachers to help learners acquire language skills and accomplish their goals. Technology is currently the most important tool for language teachers to help fulfill such goals. According to Ahmadi (2018), technology is an important part of language learning and also facilitates student improvement. Mofareh (2019) also supports the use of modern technology in teaching English such as the innovative application of methods, tools, materials, devices, systems, and strategies to facilitate English language learning achievement.
The development of technology has introduced the concept of online learning or e-learning into the education system. Kumar (2017) defined e-learning as using ICT to learn. There are two types of e-learning: synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous e-learning is "an instructor-led platform that provides real-time teaching/learning instantly (online) to students" (Mohammed et al., 2017). This can assist teachers and students to share their knowledge in real time, while also enabling them to immediately respond to student inquiries. The disadvantage of this platform is that time management is less flexible. Alternatively, asynchronous e-learning is "a self-placed learning process that can be done even offline with or without the presence of a teacher or student" (p. 218) (Mohammed et al., 2017). Students can study coursework through the web or email as well as other forms of learning communication, benefiting from time flexibility and improving cognitive thinking. Another advantage of e-learning is that it facilitates distance education to access the knowledge provided by the course at any time and in any place. Haron et al. (2015) emphasized that "knowledge and information can be assessed at any time and from anywhere in the world; in this way, higher institutions will also have new applicants from different parts of the continent" (p. 80). However, the disadvantage is that students might feel isolated by having to work alone.
Hence, it is important for the instructor to recognize the student's level of anxiety along with their beliefs and motivation toward English language learning to create a suitable environment and plan courses to facilitate goal achievement, especially in the online learning environment which tends to require greater self-regulation.

Method
Descriptive research and mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) were employed in this study.

Population
The criteria used to identify the research population consisted of undergraduate students enrolled in English courses during the first semester of the 2020 academic year at a private university in Nakhon Pathom Province. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began during this period, the students had to immediately change to online study using Microsoft Teams. In total, 132 students met the criteria. Due to the small population group, all targeted undergraduate students participated in this study.

Research Instrument
The questionnaire was designed on the basis of related research concerning online English learning factors and self-regulation in language learning. The questionnaire focuses on anxiety, language learning belief, motivation, and self-regulation, adapted from the works of Wang and Zhan (2020); Zheng et al. (2018); Amiri and Ghonsooly (2015); Buyukyazi (2010); Barnard et al. (2009). The interview questions derived from the literature review were used to gather in-depth information on the students' characteristics and self-regulation in online English learning.

Validity and Reliability of the Research Instrument
The questionnaire content and interview questions were validated by two-thirds of the experts, with index objective congruence (IOC) used to calculate their average scores. Each question required an average score of 0.67 to pass the validity test. Those items failing to meet the required cut-off score were revised according to the experts' suggestions.

Self-regulation in
Online English Learning

High Motivation
Low Anxiety

Positive Belief Students' Language Learning Achievement in Online Learning
The content validity of the interview questions was checked and revised by the experts. The questionnaire in this study passed all the criteria.
Additionally, the questionnaire was trialed with 30 students who enrolled in English courses during the summer semester of the 2019 academic year. The scores from the questionnaire were computed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient for the questionnaire was 0.91.

Data Collection
The questionnaires were distributed to target participants through MS forms. The researcher explained the questionnaire to the participants prior to the completion process to give them the opportunity to raise queries. The researcher then collected the completed questionnaires.
The focus group interview was conducted with 10 participants. After completing the questionnaires, the researcher invited the volunteer participants to be interviewed. The participants were asked 16 questions regarding the challenges and experiences of online English learning. Each interview lasted about one hour.

Data Analysis
Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the information provided by participants to ascertain the level of learners' characteristics and self-regulation in online English learning. Multiple regression was used to examine the relationship between learners' characteristics and self-regulation in online English learning.
The qualitative data from the focus group interview was transcribed, coded, grouped, and the patterns analyzed.

Quantitative Findings
Descriptive statistics were used to examine the students' characteristics (motivation, anxiety, and belief) and self-regulation in online English learning. The results in Table 1 indicate that a high level of self-regulation, motivation, and belief in online English learning was reported by the students. They also exhibited a moderate level of anxiety during online English learning. The three highest scoring items for each variable are presented in Table 2. These three items received the highest scores in this section. Since online English learning is a compulsory subject, students must try to attend the class every week. According to the focus group interviews, students needed greater concentration when learning English in an online class, and therefore, finding a good location was essential. All the students mentioned that they were likely to find someone to assist them with both technical and linguistic skills. Eight out of ten students preferred to ask their friends for help rather than the teacher. As can be observed from Table 3, the students tended to have significant outside motivation (instrumental motivation). These quantitative results were consistent with the data obtained from the focus group interviews during which students stated that learning English in an online class would help them in their university examinations and future careers. In the focus group interview, most students reported that they felt anxious when waiting to be asked to speak in the English online class. They were also nervous when unable to keep up with what the teacher was saying, especially in the case of an unstable internet connection or technology issues. As part of the focus group interview, some of the students highlighted the importance of speaking skills, which may indicate a belief in their ability to speak English. One student mentioned that she was not good at sentence structure; she did not understand how to use the Past Simple. Additionally, seven of the students expressed that they usually looked up unfamiliar words in the dictionary when learning new vocabulary. The relationship between the three characteristics and self-regulation in online English learning was investigated using multiple regression to ascertain whether or not high motivation, a positive belief, and moderate anxiety have an effect on self-regulation in online English learning. The findings in Table 6 indicate that motivation is significantly correlated with self-regulation in online English learning at p < .01 level. It can therefore be assumed that students with high motivation also exhibit high self-regulation in online English learning. Furthermore, those students with high positive beliefs were also found to exhibit high self-regulation in online English learning, as evidenced by the significant correlation between the two variables at p < .05 level. Referring to the focus group interview, the eight students who stated that they always planned their study time, also mentioned motivation and positive belief in online English learning. This is consistent with the results concerning the relationship between self-regulation, motivation, and positive belief in online English learning. In addition, most students expressed that they felt anxious during the online English class. This information from the focus group interview supports that even though most students exhibited a certain amount of self-regulation, anxiety was still continuously present in online English learning.

Summary of the Qualitative Findings
The 10 students participating in the focus group interviews provided in-depth information on their characteristics and self-regulation in online English learning. The results revealed that the students had several reasons for planning their studies appropriately to ensure they passed the English online course. One participant stated that because it was a compulsory subject, she had to attend and pass the English course to be able to study another. Others said that they could do the assigned homework more effectively if they planned their online studies, while receiving a good grade was another reason. Some of the students reported that they always looked for a quiet place to study the English online class since this helped them to focus. However, they experienced difficulty in concentrating during the English online class. The students said that they had to pay more attention during the English online class than when studying in the traditional classroom environment.
The students were highly motivated to learn English online, while also demonstrating outside (instrumental) motivation. Moreover, the students acknowledged the importance of English language learning, as supported by a statement from a member of the focus group. Most of the students said they studied the English online course to pass examinations such as TOEIC and English Proficiency (English Exit Exam). They perceived that English language proficiency would enable them to get a job with a high salary. They also knew it would increase their employment opportunities. However, when asked about the online English learning experience, some of the students responded that they preferred to study in a traditional English class rather than online. The students felt they had to automatically pay attention in the traditional English class since it was controlled by an instructor, indicating that more concentration was likely to be exhibited by students learning English in a traditional classroom setting than online.
A moderate level of anxiety during online English learning was exhibited by the students in this study. They felt more nervous when studying online than in the traditional English classroom setting since they could not always keep up with what the teacher was saying. Students often encountered technological problems when studying in the online English class, and as a result, they did not want to ask or answer questions and express their opinions.
Finally, the students believed that both the online English class and traditional English class could help them succeed in English, emphasizing that it depended on their learning behavior.

Discussion
In language learning, some concealed variables influence and contribute to its successful acquisition. Previous research indicates that self-regulation, motivation, positive belief, and anxiety are proven to be crucial to language learning achievement. Empirical studies support how the previously mentioned factors affect language learners' accomplishments. In the most recent research by Ozer and Akcayoglu (2021), anxiety was found to play a vital role in students' academic performance with self-regulation being a strong predictor of class attendance, resulting in successful foreign language learning. Suamuang et al. (2021) also revealed a relationship between the components of self-regulation and students' academic achievement. However, the results demonstrate the prominence of self-regulation in the learning process only in the context of higher learning institutions, especially in Thailand. Furthermore, the two remaining factors of motivation and positive belief were notably found to influence the success of language learners in a few other recent studies as well (Hayati, 2020;Rahimi and Karkami, 2015).
The findings of the current study indicate that motivation and belief in online English learning are correlated with self-regulation at the 0.01 and 0.05 significance levels, respectively. The higher the student motivation, the greater the self-regulation acquired by the student in online English learning. Motivation has long been known for its importance in language learning success. Alizadeh (2016) stated that a learner's success in performing a task depends on their level of motivation, while educational stakeholders (learners, teachers, material developers, and researchers) agree that motivation is important when attempting to master a language. Previous studies have investigated the relationship between motivation and self-regulation in a traditional classroom setting. Banisaeid and Huang (2015) found a significant correlation between motivation and self-regulation in Chinese EFL students. Moreover, they emphasized that a student with greater motivation tended to be more self-regulated and successful. Another work by Mahmoodi et al. (2014) revealed the significant relationship between the variables of motivation and self-regulation, stating that self-regulation and motivation worked together to assist the learning and success of students in a classroom setting. Nevertheless, in an online environment, few studies have been conducted on the relationship between the two factors. The results of the most recent work by Wang and Zhan (2020) are consistent with those of this current study in that students' motivation in online English learning promotes self-regulation. Therefore, it can be concluded that despite a change in the learning environment, motivation still plays a vital role in language learning achievement; moreover, it is a significant factor in self-regulation.
Another factor impacting on self-regulation in online English learning is the learner's belief toward it. This is consistent with the findings of Wang and Zhan (2020) which showed that learners with a strong belief in language learning make a greater effort to explore ways of using their self-regulation skills than those with less belief. Belief in language learning is found to be an important contributory factor in proficiency achievement (Fazilatfar et al., 2015). Furthermore, a student with a positive belief toward language learning is also likely to have autonomous skills. Apairach and Vibulphol (2015) stated that a higher level of student belief assists autonomous learning. From another perspective, self-regulation is somewhat related to autonomous learning. Lee (2016) mentioned that "autonomous learning emphasizes independence and self-regulation" (p. 82). While Nakata (2014) expressed no surprise at the inclusion of self-regulation in the framework of learner autonomy. Research in this area is quite new, especially concerning the online environment, and although there are few studies on the relationship between positive belief and self-regulation in online learning generally, its importance in language learning should not be ignored. As previously mentioned, many studies have attempted to determine the learner's belief toward language learning in the traditional classroom. The new evidence provided in this study concerning the online environment indicates that positive belief directly influences self-regulation in online English learning.
Anxiety is commonly known to be an important variable in language learning. The students participating in this study expressed a moderate level of anxiety during online English learning, although the results revealed it to be insignificantly correlated with self-regulation in online English learning which contrasts with the findings of Wang and Zhan (2020). However, an educational psychology study examined the relationship between test anxiety and academic self-regulation, finding an insignificant correlation between these two factors in the traditional classroom setting (Msayar et al., 2016). It can be assumed that the level of anxiety experienced by language learners is related to their self-regulation during online English learning, or alternatively, students with high or moderate anxiety during online English learning are still able to effectively manage their studies for goal attainment. Moreover, anxiety in language learning may only appear during the online English class (during the online period), while all other language learning processes remain unaffected, hence the lack of correlation between anxiety and self-regulation in this current study. Despite the results, anxiety remains one of the factors hindering language learning accomplishment. Al-Khasawneh (2016) stated that anxiety negatively affects the process of learning a second language, recommending that teachers or curriculum designers create a friendly atmosphere to assist learners in reducing their anxiety. Bollinger (2017) focused on the awareness of foreign language anxiety in a distance learning class, finding that the anxiety level had an impact on students' foreign language achievement. Accordingly, teachers or instructors should create a comfortable environment both in traditional and online classes to ensure students feel less anxious when learning a language.

Conclusion and Recommendations
Several factors influence the success of foreign language learning, and these have been extensively studied by researchers in connection with language accomplishment in the traditional classroom. Examining student behaviors in language learning is certain to help them attain their language goal. The gradual integration of technology into education is believed to benefit the learner. In the current COVID-19 pandemic situation, Thai students have had to suddenly change their usual learning pattern (traditional classroom) and adapt to the online process. Consequently, many problems have been encountered, although there are also benefits. Thus, the factors affecting students when learning a second language is an interesting topic.
This research investigated the level of motivation, anxiety, belief, and self-regulation in online English learning as characteristic variables. The participants consisted of undergraduate students studying English subjects during the first semester of the 2020 academic year. Due to the spread of COVID-19, they had to study online through Microsoft Teams. The results show that the students possessed a high level of self-regulation and motivation, with a positive belief in online English learning, and a moderate level of anxiety toward it. Additionally, a relationship was identified between motivation and self-regulation in online English learning at the 0.01 significance level. This means that motivated students tend to have more self-regulation in online learning. Positive belief was also found to impact on self-regulation. The results revealed that students who expressed a high positive belief in online English learning were also likely to exhibit high self-regulation and vice versa. Although motivation and a positive belief toward learning a foreign language were found to be vital in the traditional classroom setting, this also applied to the online learning environment. Teachers and educators should encourage and create an appropriate environment to foster students' motivation and belief in language learning both in the traditional classroom and online. It is widely accepted that some technologies can be utilized during the process of language learning to assist learners further in accomplishing their goals. A clear course outline should be implemented in online learning, using time management, materials, and activities to help students succeed in acquiring a foreign language.
Further study should involve a larger group of participants and focus only on one variable to obtain more in-depth data. It would be interesting to conduct research in a blended learning environment or one which integrates the use of technological equipment into the classroom. This could help provide evidence of the usefulness of technology in language learning. The experimental research could be used to compare the fluctuating levels of variables involved in online learning with the traditional classroom environment. Furthermore, the relationship between academic achievement and each variable could also be examined to observe the various impacts on student outcomes.