English Learning Anxiety and Motivation in an Online Learning Environment among Chinese Higher Vocational Students

Abstract

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, self-distancing measures have proven effective in reducing infection rates. However, the need for uninterrupted learning has necessitated the utilization of technology. Educators and students have successfully adapted to this unprecedented situation, overcoming numerous obstacles to ensure the continuation of classes. This research seeks to investigate the occurrence of anxiety in online English learning and the level of motivation for learning English in online settings among higher vocational students in the northeastern region of China. The research involved 356 participants who were enrolled in a virtual English course amidst the global pandemic and actively engaged in a comprehensive questionnaire assessment serving as the primary research instrument. The findings revealed that (1) the respondents generally experienced anxiety in online English learning while displaying moderate motivation in acquiring English in an online environment, and (2) an evident and noteworthy positive correlation emerged between anxiety in online English learning as well as the level of motivation for English learning in virtual settings. These results are anticipated to lay a solid groundwork for subsequent investigations in the realm of learning online.