Online Learning Environments, Learners’ Empowerment, and Learning Behavioral Engagement: The Mediating Role of Learning Motivation

This study aimed to explore the influence of online learning environments on learners’ empowerment, learning behavioral engagement and learning motivation and examine the mediating role of learning motivation. A total of 398 (132 male and 266 female) students from a comprehensive university in China participated in questionnaire survey and reported on their perceived online learning environments, learners’ empowerment, learning behavioral engagement, and learning motivation. Results showed that online learning environments significantly and positively influenced learners’ empowerment, learning behavioral engagement, and learning motivation; learners’ empowerment is positively associated with learning behavioral engagement. Furthermore, learning motivation mediated the relation between online learning environments and learning behavioral engagement. These findings unraveled the associations of both the external factors (e.g., online learning environments) and the internal factors (e.g., learning motivation; learners’ empowerment) of affecting students’ online learning behavioral engagement, thereby contributing to our further understanding and exploration of the imperatives of the joint inherent and extrinsic driving mechanisms. This study highlighted the importance of constructing appropriate online learning environments in accelerating students’ learning behavioral engagement, and would suggest focusing on teachers’ conscientious behaviors of enhancing the awareness of online learning community and stimulating students’ learning motivation.