What Factors Influence Online Distance Learners' Engagement? Malaysian Student's Perspective

Abstract

This study evaluates both direct relationships between online learning attitudes, online peer collaboration, psychological motivation, and online engagement, as well as the indirect relationship between online learning attitudes, online peer collaboration, and online engagement, mediated by psychological motivation. This study uses a purposive sampling of three Malaysian ODL higher education students, and 307 were analyzed. The survey questionnaire uses a five-point Likert scale for 20 observed variables representing four constructs. The SmartPLS3 is used for data analysis and hypothesis testing. Online learning attitude and online peer collaboration influenced psychological motivation, with online peer collaboration having a stronger influence. Online learning attitude and online peer collaboration were found to have a direct positive relationship with online engagement. Psychological motivation mediated the relationship between online learning attitude and online engagement. The originality of this study is the holistic approach to investigating the relationships between factors influencing online distance learners' engagement within the context of ODL higher education institutions. New insights from this study enable strategies to promote collaborative learning environments, motivation, and ODL students' online engagement. The findings demonstrated that an online learning attitude and peer collaboration are essential antecedents to online engagement, while psychological motivation significantly strengthens the learners' online engagement. Higher education institutions engaged in Open Distance Learning (ODL) should cultivate a sense of community and collective academic effort to enhance positive attitudes towards online learning and boost psychological motivation.