Effects of Self-Efficacy and Online Learning Mind States on Learning Ineffectiveness during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

With the outbreak of COVID-19, more online learning has been adopted for distance learning. However, the effectiveness of online learning for those students engaged in it for the first time has not been discussed. This study aims to investigate perceived ineffectiveness of online learning and its antecedents related to cognitive and affective factors. Internet self-efficacy (ISE) and Self-efficacy of interacting with learning content (SEILC) were hypothesized to have a correlation with perceived ineffectiveness of online learning (PIOL) mediated by participating Internet cognitive fatigue (ICF) and mind-unwandered, and that ICF was hypothesized to have a correlation with mind-unwandered. Data of 251 students collected from high schools in China during the lockdown period of COVID-19 were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis via AMOS. Results indicated that participants’ ISE and SEILC were positively related to mind-unwandered, but negatively related to ICF during online learning; ICF was positively associated with PIOL; on the other hand, mind-unwandered was negatively associated with PIOL. Furthermore, students’ ISE and SEILC indirectly affect their PIOL mediated by ICF. Findings suggest that an enhancement of learners’ ISE and SEILC could reduce the level of PIOL the first time that online learners were under the COVID-19 lockdown to promote learning effectiveness. This understanding will be useful in case of another pandemic outbreak.

Keywords

• e-learning
• high school students
• internet cognitive fatigue
• mind-unwandered
• online learning