Learning in an Online Environment: Remapping Social Cognitive Theory

• In Event: 43.078 - MTCC Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: 43.078-11 - Learning Online: Social Cognitive Theory, Students' Engagement, MOOCs, and Asynchronous Online Discussions

Abstract

Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study aims to re-map the reciprocal determinism model within an online educational context. Specifically, this study closely examined the mediational pathway from online interaction via academic self-efficacy to academic performance. Mediation analyses was performed with 2,500 bootstrapping samples. The results from the preliminary results supported existing findings that both online interaction and self-efficacy have an impact on academic performance. The mediation effect of self-efficacy on online interaction and academic performance was at the verge of significance (p=.066). Discussion were made on the interpretation of the non-significant results. A further exploration of the model using multilevel mediation analysis will be conducted to take into account the nested structure of the data.

Authors

• Shiyu Song, University of Connecticut

• Sarah D. Newton, University of Connecticut

• Scott W. Brown, University of Connecticut

• Kimberly A. Lawless, The Pennsylvania State University - University Park