In the era of education digitalization and informatization, online English learning has already become normalized, in which students’ online learning engagement determines their English learning effectiveness. Boosting students’ involvement in online English learning is a crucial task of student-centered instruction, and is highlighted in current pedagogical initiatives for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching. Although perceived teacher support and academic self-efficacy have been identified as robust predictors of students’ learning engagement, there is limited research investigating the relationship among perceived teacher support, academic self-efficacy, and online learning engagement in the college EFL learning context. With 501 non-English major undergraduates as participants, this study employed quantitative and qualitative research methods to explore the relationship among perceived teacher support, academic self-efficacy and online learning engagement in college EFL learning. The research findings showed that: 1) participants’ perceived teacher support and online learning engagement are at a high level, and their academic self-efficacy is at a medium to high level; 2) the correlations between perceived teacher support, academic self-efficacy and online learning engagement are significant; 3) the structural equation modeling (SEM) results reveal that perceived teacher support and academic self-efficacy directly and positively predict online learning engagement. Moreover, academic self-efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between perceived teacher support and online learning engagement. In light of the above findings, this paper presents corresponding suggestions on how to enhance perceived teacher support so as to bolster EFL learners’ academic self-efficacy, boost their online learning engagement, and consequently contribute to their enhanced subjective well-being and improved academic achievement.
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