Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic prompted an abrupt transition to online teaching and learning, profoundly affecting students' educational experiences worldwide (Huang & Wang, 2023). As society moves into the post-pandemic era, shifting perspectives on learning have reshaped students' motivation to engage in education (Firmansyah, Hamamah, & Emaliana, 2023). University students in Hungary faced similar challenges with online instruction, yet little research has explored the motivational tendencies of non-English majors learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in this context. To address this gap, a semi-structured interview guide was designed and piloted with five participants. This paper details the development process of the instrument, which elicited in-depth insights during 30- to 40-min interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that non-English majors' EFL motivation was shaped by their ideal and ought-to L2 selves, previous learning experiences, influence of significant others, instrumentality, intrinsic motivation, and international posture. Participants reported higher motivation in traditional classroom settings than in online environments. The pilot results support the instrument's trustworthiness and highlight key factors influencing motivation to learn English in Hungarian higher education. The interview was piloted with five participants, yielding preliminary results. The study also outlines future steps for broader implementation and aims to assist novice researchers in designing and piloting similar qualitative tools.
Kaw et al. (Thu,) studied this question.