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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 17. Number 3, September 2026 Pp.93-113
Department of English, College of Science and Humanities,
Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University,
Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
By adopting a self-determination-theoretic perspective, this paper examines the impact of online learning on the sustainable development of Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) majors’ metacognitive and motivational regulation. The study focuses on three learning constructs: metacognitive awareness, strategic autonomy, and motivational control. A mixed-methods design is employed by incorporating quantitative data from a validated self-regulated learning questionnaire into qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews with EFL instructors at a Saudi university. There are three findings of the study: First, online learning contributes significantly to students’ metacognitive awareness as a result of planning, monitoring, and reflecting on their activities. Second, online learning improves strategic autonomy through independent strategy choice and adaptation in an interactive digital environment. Third, motivational control is developed due to increased perception of autonomy, task importance, and motivation for learning. The study accentuates the assumption that well-structured online learning environments support sustainable learner regulation and align with educational transformation goals in Saudi higher education.
AlDereihim, A. A. (2026). The Impact of Online Learning on the Sustainable Development of Saudi EFL Majors’ Metacognitive and Motivational Regulation: A Self-Determination-Theoretic Perspective. Arab World English Journal, 17(3):93-113
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AlShahad AlDereihim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University. She earned her PhD from the University of Southampton, England, specializing in EFL learner language analysis. Her research interests lie broadly within the field of EFL, including language teaching, language learning, discourse analysis, and corpus linguistics. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1191-6192