Abstract This study aimed to explore any significant difference between the motivational strategies of EFL teachers with a high and low online self-efficacy level in online teaching environments. Moreover, the study sought to probe into the perceptions of teachers with regard to their level of online self-efficacy and the motivational strategies they perceive to use in online teaching environments. The initial participants, selected based on convenience sampling procedures, comprised 150 Iranian EFL teachers teaching different proficiency levels at language institutes across Iran. The 150 teachers were given the teacher online self-efficacy questionnaire and 30 teachers with the highest scores and another 30 teachers with the lowest scores were asked to complete the motivational strategies questionnaire. Following that, 15 teachers from each group, selected based on random sampling, took part in semi-structured interviews. The results of independent samples t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between the mean difference of the two groups with the high self-efficacy group outperforming the low self-efficacy group in terms of motivational strategies. The results of thematic analysis for the high self-efficacy group revealed five themes encompassing confidence in technology use, innovative teaching strategies, proactive problem-solving, continuous self-assessment, and adaptability to diverse learners. The results of thematic analysis for the low self-efficacy group revealed four themes constituting limited technology confidence, traditional teaching approaches, reactive problem-solving, and limited self-assessment. The findings underscore the significance of online self-efficacy as a critical factor influencing the motivational strategies employed by EFL teachers in online teaching environments.
