Abstract

Undergraduate students often experience difficulty seeking academic help, particularly when instruction alternates between online and face-to-face formats. A longitudinal mixed-methods design examined help-seeking avoidance among 59 undergraduates enrolled in technology-enhanced English courses delivered first online and later in traditional classrooms. Evidence from surveys, course grades, and reflective essays indicated higher avoidance during online instruction, linked to reduced immediacy, weaker social presence, and technology-related barriers. Lower avoidance appeared during face-to-face instruction, yet fear of embarrassment and culturally patterned restraint continued to limit questioning. The findings point to the need for college instructors to design interaction-rich learning environments that normalize help-seeking and reduce perceived social risk across instructional contexts.