The EFL Students’ Interaction Patterns in Online Learning Platforms: A Qualitative Observational Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70152/leotech.v2i2.305Keywords:
Online Learning, interaction patterns, EFL Students, Qualitative Observation, Higher EducationArticle Metrics
Abstract
This study explores EFL students’ interaction patterns in online learning platforms through a qualitative observational approach. Grounded in Moore’s interaction framework, the research focuses on three types of interaction: learner–teacher, learner–learner, and learner–content interaction. The study was conducted in an undergraduate online course involving 27 EFL students who participated in synchronous sessions supported by a learning management system. Data were collected through participant observation across five online meetings, supported by field notes, chat transcripts, and LMS discussion records. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring interaction behaviors and patterns. The findings reveal that learner–teacher interaction was the most dominant form, characterized by students’ responses to instructors’ questions and feedback. Learner–learner interaction occurred less frequently and was often limited to brief peer responses, while learner–content interaction varied depending on task requirements. These results indicate that although interaction is present in online learning environments, it is uneven and largely teacher-driven. The study highlights the importance of intentional instructional design and active facilitation to promote balanced interaction and meaningful engagement in online EFL learning contexts.
Downloads
References
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage.
Hrastinski, S. (2008). What is online learner participation? Computers & Education, 51(4), 1755–1765.
Martin, F., & Bolliger, D. U. (2018). Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of engagement strategies in the online learning environment. Online Learning Journal, 22(1), 205–222.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). Sage.
Moore, M. G. (2005). The theory of transactional distance. In M. G. Moore (Ed.), Handbook of distance education (pp. 89–105). Routledge.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). Sage.
Salmon, G. (2013). E-moderating: The key to teaching and learning online (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Song, D., Rice, M., & Oh, E. Y. (2019). Participation in online courses and interaction with course content. Distance Education, 40(1), 1–19.
Zhao, Y., Lei, J., Yan, B., Lai, C., & Tan, H. S. (2005). What makes the difference? A practical analysis of research on the effectiveness of distance education. Teachers College Record, 107(8), 1836–1884.
Mafulah et al. (2025). Exploring Indonesian EFL teacher-student interactions online. SiELE.
Dewi & Halimi (2022). Pedagogic interaction in an online EFL class at a junior high school in Depok. Lingua Cultura.
Faizah, Suwandi & Pratama (2022). EFL Students’ Perception of Interaction in Online Learning Practices. LINGUA.
Sekar Rukminingsih (2021). Investigating EFL learners’ engagement in online platforms. Jurnal Pendidikan Tambusai.
Astuti, Alexandro & Purnawarman (2023). The relationship between learning strategies and learner-instructor interaction in MOOCs. Humaniora Journal.
Hafifah (2024). Online interaction in public speaking course: Implementation and challenges of MOOC. Englisia Journal.
Sulistyani & Riwayatiningsih (2025). Modeling online classroom interaction to support language learning. IDEAS Journal.
Xu et al. (2024). The Digital Classroom: Systematic review of collaborative online EFL settings. Intl. J. of Learning & Teaching.
Jurnal Je-LKS (2023). Types of online interaction and implications for learning design. Je-LKS.
Howatt, A. P. R., & Widdowson, H. G. (2004). A history of English language teaching (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press
Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). Understanding language teaching: From method to postmethod. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and principles in language teaching (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Littlewood, W. (2004). Communicative language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Franssisca & Lestariningsih (2025). Students’ perception on teacher-student interaction online. JOLLT.
Interaction & Learning Engagement (2022). Interaction and learning engagement in online learning.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Moh. Fajar Amirul Mukmin
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright for this article is held by the journal LEOTECH: Journal of Learning Education and Technology and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). The article may be used, shared, and adapted for any purpose with proper attribution and distribution under the same license. Full license details: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
