Online learning readiness and challenges of EFL learners amidst the pandemic: a case of an undergraduate critical writing course

This study aimed to examine the online learning readiness of 66 undergraduate EFL students as well as the challenges they faced while studying in an online critical writing course at a public university in Bangkok during the pandemic. A quantitative research design was adopted, with an online questionnaire administered to obtain the data. The findings of the study revealed that EFL students’ readiness level for studying in an online critical writing course was moderate. They had a high level of readiness in terms of the computer and internet self-efficacy dimension but a moderate level for the dimension of the content, online communication self-efficacy and self-directed learning. However, they needed to improve their online learning readiness in the dimensions of motivation for learning and learner control, which were at a moderate level and the two lowest levels among the six dimensions. Moreover, the study found that more than half of the EFL students faced four significant challenges: difficulty focusing due to distractions from their surroundings, a lack of motivation due to the absence of face-to-face contact with friends and lecturers, poor internet connectivity and slow personal laptops.