Foreign language motivation in distance learning: a study on academic FL online activities during the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy

This article belongs to the ongoing debate in online FL (foreign language) motivation, which was brought into the limelight by the COVID-19 outbreak. More broadly, it stands vis-à-vis the theoretical framework of FL learning motivation in the distance learning context and the role of the learning experience on students’ FL motivation. The study was conducted with 76 university students attending an online foreign language course as part of their academic curriculum and examines the impact of online individual and collaborative activities on students’ FL motivation. Data was collected through a self-completion questionnaire, which was published online. Findings indicate that even if respondents show a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motives to participate in the activities, their motivation to persevere learning tends mostly towards internal sources regardless of whether they engage in individual or collaborative activities.