Differences in high school students’ English learning motivation and strategy use in face-to-face versus online blended learning modalities

The study investigates the effects of face-to-face and real-time online blended learning on high school students’ motivational goal orientation and strategy use in learning English. It also pursues how students’ motivation and strategy use differ depending on gender and academic achievement in English. A total of 82 first-year high school students alternated between face-to-face and virtual online classes over four weeks and completed surveys based on the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Results showed no statistically significant differences in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation between the two learning environments. However, female students, in both settings, exhibited higher levels of extrinsic goal orientation than their male counterparts. Additionally, students with higher academic performance displayed stronger motivation than their peers across both modalities. Significant differences were observed in students’ use of demonstration, elaboration, organization, critical thinking, and self-regulation strategies, with greater strategy utilization in online classes. On the other hand, variations due to gender and academic achievement were more pronounced in face-to-face classes. Regression analyses revealed that intrinsic motivation was the most powerful predictor of higher academic achievement in face-to-face classes, while self-regulation strategy emerged as the most critical factor for achievement across both contexts, highlighting the importance of self-management and control in blended learning.