Section

Educational technology

Abstract

This study investigated the antecedents of student engagement in online learning and the consequent impact on higher education students’ satisfaction with online learning. More specifically, a structural model was proposed to examine students’ perceptions of adaptability, interactivity, computer/ Internet self-efficacy and psychological safety as key factors impacting their engagement with online learning tools and satisfaction with the online learning experience. A self-administered online survey was conducted with 539 undergraduate students in China, Australia, and South Korea. Structural equation modelling and multigroup analysis were used to test the study’s hypotheses. The findings indicated that the proposed four antecedents significantly impacted their engagement with online learning tools, influencing their overall satisfaction with the online learning experience. In addition, this study found significant differences between the relationships of the four antecedents of engagement with online learning tools among students in China, Australia, and South Korea, influencing their satisfaction with the online learning experience. The study concludes with theoretical and practical implications informing future institutional practices.

Practitioner Notes

  1. The increased use of online learning tools and the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic have affected students’ learning engagement and satisfaction with online learning.
  2. Practitioners should be aware of four antecedents of student engagement with online learning tools – adaptability, interactivity, computer / Internet self-efficacy, and psychological safety.
  3. Practitioners can evaluate how these antecedents affect peer-to-peer engagement, student-instructor engagement, and student engagement, in line with their adopted constructivist teaching and learning approach.
  4. Practitioners should consider specifically whether online teaching and learning approaches and assessments are overwhelming or disengaging students in their learning process.
  5. A mix of individually and socially constructed learning activities and assessments should be used in post-pandemic online classrooms.
  6. Online teaching and learning strategies and the choice of online learning tools should be guided by students’ evaluations of their effectiveness.

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