Abstract
Synchronous online learning refers to a mode of education where students and instructors participate in real-time interactions through digital platforms, typically at scheduled times. It promotes immediate engagement, feedback, and collaboration, enhancing the learning experience by fostering a sense of community and accountability. Thus, the purposes of this study were to explore the perceptions of Thai workforce engaged in online English study through Google Meet program and to analyze the challenges encountered during their online English learning experience. The participants were 53 Thai workers employed across various industries in Thailand. A combination of semi-structured interviews, an open-ended survey, and participant observation were employed to gather data. The results revealed that a majority of participants (73.6%) encountered no issues in their online learning experiences due to their familiarity with online meeting tools and the preparedness of learning devices. However, a notable portion (26.4%) acknowledged facing challenges, citing inadequate English proficiency for effective communication, occasional feelings of loneliness or drowsiness during online study sessions and conflicts between working schedules and class timetable.
