THE INTERPLAY OF EXPECTANCY BELIEFS AND MOTIVATIONAL COMPONENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING SUCCESS

Abstract: Online learning, once considered difficult to implement, has now become a central mode of instruction, particularly in the context of foreign language acquisition. With the advancement of digital technology, both educators and learners are increasingly able to engage in online learning environments with greater ease. However, maintaining students’ motivation and emotional engagement remains a challenge, often impacting their language learning outcomes. This study investigates students’ perceptions of three key motivational components in online learning: expectancy, value, and social support. It also explores the relationships among these components to better understand how they influence learners' motivation. A quantitative survey was conducted with 179 undergraduate students from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) enrolled in Arabic language courses. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analysed using Pearson correlation in SPSS to examine the strength and direction of the relationships among the motivational constructs. The findings indicate significant positive correlations betweenexpectancy, value, and social support. Notably, external rewards and recognition, along with students’ sense of responsibility for their own learning, emerged as important drivers of motivation in online settings. These results highlight the importance of incorporating motivational strategies that not only emphasize goal-setting and perceived value but also foster a supportive learning environment. The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on effective online language instruction and provides practical implications for educators seeking to enhance student engagement and performance.Keywords: Expectancy; Learning Motivation; Online Learning; Social Support; Value