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Examining the Roles of Perceived Connectedness and Motivation in Predicting Positive University Learning Outcomes During COVID-19 Emergency Remote Schooling Practices

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Abstract

The sudden outbreak of COVID-19, which has presented great challenges to pedagogy, has catalyzed the transition of teaching and learning to the online mode. Uncovering the key factors that facilitate positive learning outcomes in online learning environments has thus gathered importance. To bring these factors to light, this study aims to understand and model the effect of perceived online connectedness on the relationship between student motivation and university learning outcomes. Based on 470 questionnaire responses collected by students from nine universities in Hong Kong and Macao, findings from structural equation modelling, showed students’ online connectedness partially mediated the relationship between online learning motivation and university learning outcomes. These results suggest that the learner’s motivation derives not only from the perceived relevance of the learning subject, but also from the learner’s attributes such as confidence, satisfaction, and attention during online learning. Moreover, students’ perceived connectedness, which considers the comfort, community, facilitation, interaction, and collaboration of students in an online context, plays a key role in students’ positive learning outcomes. Pedagogical implications for teachers, educators and students and university policy implications are discussed.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This study is supported by the Faculty Knowledge Transfer Fund (Reference Number: 04560) from the Education University of Hong Kong awarded to the second author.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, 8 Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong, China

    Baohua Yu

  2. The Education University of Hong Kong, Ting Kok, China

    Artem Zadorozhnyy

Authors
  1. Baohua Yu
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Correspondence to Baohua Yu.

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Appendix: Factor analysis with the second level factors

Appendix: Factor analysis with the second level factors

Factor name

M

DV

CR

Learning motivation in online spaces: Factor loadings

    

Attention

Relevance

Confidence

Satisfaction

ATT1

3.18

0.88

0.88

0.86

   

ATT2

   

0.91

   

ATT3

   

0.77

   

REL1

3.67

0.86

0.90

 

0.84

  

REL2

    

0.91

  

REL3

    

0.85

  

CONF1

3.45

0.91

0.87

  

0.82

 

CONF2

     

0.84

 

CONF3

     

0.83

 

SAT1

3.57

0.87

0.84

   

0.78

SAT2

      

0.86

SAT3

      

0.75

Factor name

M

DV

CR

Perceived connectedness in online courses: Factor loadings

    

Comfort

Community

Facilitation

Interaction and collaboration

COMF1

3.44

0.75

0.86

0.77

   

COMF2

   

0.83

   

COMF3

   

0.83

   

COMF4

   

0.71

   

COMM1

2.96

0.87

0.89

 

0.80

  

COMM2

    

0.89

  

COMM3

    

0.83

  

COMM4

    

0.78

  

FACIL1

3.62

0.73

0.87

  

0.84

 

FACIL2

     

0.83

 

FACIL3

     

0.84

 

FACIL4

     

0.64

 

INT1

3.70

0.80

0.91

   

0.85

INT2

      

0.92

INT3

      

0.87

Factor name

M

DV

CR

University learning outcomes

Creative thinking

3.54

0.66

0.88

0.76

   

Intercultural competence

   

0.70

   

Leadership skills

   

0.72

   

Autonomous learning

   

0.75

   

Time management

   

0.67

   

Presentation skills

   

0.69

   

Critical thinking

   

0.72

   

M: overall mean value; DV: standard deviation value; CR: composite reliability index.

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Yu, B., Zadorozhnyy, A. Examining the Roles of Perceived Connectedness and Motivation in Predicting Positive University Learning Outcomes During COVID-19 Emergency Remote Schooling Practices. Tech Know Learn 29, 537–555 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-023-09668-4

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