Relational and psychological factors affecting exam participation and student achievement in online college courses

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to understand and model the effects of relationship factors and intra-individual psychological factors on exam participation and achievement of students enrolled in an online university course. The results of a survey of 506 students enrolled in university online courses showed that our initial theoretical model only partially fit the data. In fact, data analysis revealed that the relational factors studied exerted only indirect effects on whether online students completed the course. Perceived social support from teachers and peers, as well as the feeling of belonging to the learning community, were antecedents of the psychological processes studied. As for academic self-efficacy and engagement in learning, they allowed us to directly predict taking and successfully passing exams. The knowledge gained from this study helps us makes sense of the ways in which the various factors are related and the specific effect of each factor on the outputs considered.