Is There a Relationship Between Environment on Behaviour and Cognitive Components in Online Learning to Learn French?

Have you ever wondered how students truly feel about learning from behind a screen—are they engaged, distracted, or simply going through the motions? Foreign language (FL) learners in Malaysia often struggle with low confidence and motivation in traditional classrooms. This study aimed to explore learners’ perceptions of the environmental, behavioral, and cognitive aspects of online learning. Online learning, also called e-learning, internet learning, or distance learning, delivers personalized and interactive content in real-time. A quantitative approach was used with 120 participants from a Malaysian public university. This quantitative study is done to explore motivation factors for learning among undergraduates. Data were collected through a 5-point Likert-scale survey based on [8]’s social cognitive theory and [22]’s presence construct. The survey has 4 sections. Section A has items on demographic profile. Section B has 6 items on learner-learner interaction. Section C has 8 items on learner-instructor interaction. Section D has 8 items on learner-to-content interaction. The study emphasizes the importance of peer collaboration and interaction in online learning. The instructor’s teaching style encourages active participation, supporting behaviorist principles. Reviewing content before sessions and using interactive activities help improve understanding. The findings suggest that instructors should improve their knowledge of educational technology and apply it in offline classes. Tailored collaborative activities can help achieve course goals and improve language skills. In conclusion, every teaching method has its strengths and weaknesses, depending on the situation. For this reason, problems like keeping learners motivated, engaged, and helping them understand why lessons matter must be addressed.