Inspiring academic confidence in university students: perceived digital experience as a source of self-efficacy

Purpose This study aims to introduce a research framework that identifies the potential sources of design self-efficacy that emerge from the digital class by covering the teaching for professional competence model (TPCM) to enhance students’ design self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach The multistage and purposive sampling technique is used, and the respondents considered are Malaysian university students. Further, the students who completed the survey included both local and international students so as to capture responses through primary data. Findings The findings of this research study reveal that design self-efficacy is determined not only by feedback and collaborative learning but also by perceived digital class experience. Research limitations/implications Moreover, this study is limited in offering a theoretical framework using the TPCM; therefore, future studies may incorporate Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and may also use the theory integration approach. Also, in terms of geographic coverage, the current work is limited to an area in Klang Valley. Future studies may be carried out in other parts or regions of the country. Future researchers may also focus on technological self-efficacy to capture the other related factors that may be related. Practical implications This study not only contributed to the theoretical extensions but also to practical implications, which would benefit the policymakers of higher education providers in Malaysia. Originality/value TPCM components, which are students’ personal characteristics, teaching practices and student’s perceptions of the classroom climate, are mapped into the digital class context as potential sources of design self-efficacy and collectively labelled as digital class experience. To the authors’ knowledge, the digital class environment variable is yet to be tested as a component of TPCM.