This post summarizes the paper titled ‘Exploring the Mediating Effect of Academic Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulated Learning in the Relationship Between Teaching, Social Presences and Cognitive Presence’. Click here to read DOI
Imagine two students attending the same blended learning class. Both have access to identical learning materials, online platforms, and teacher instructions. Yet one student actively participates, completes assignments confidently, and manages their learning effectively, while the other struggles to stay motivated and often doubts their abilities. If both students have the same learning opportunities, why do they get different outcomes? The answer may lie beyond the classroom: their confidence, learning habits, and ability to take responsibility for their education.
To understand these relationships, Zidi and fellow researchers conducted a quantitative study involving 538 students from four vocational colleges in Hebei Province, China. Using the extended Community of Inquiry framework, they examined how teaching presence, social presence, academic self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning influence cognitive presence in blended learning environments. The researchers used structural equation modelling to investigate how these factors were connected.
The findings showed that teaching presence, social presence, and learning presence predicted cognitive presence. In simpler terms, students’ ability to think deeply and construct knowledge was associated with teacher guidance, meaningful interaction, and their personal learning abilities. Academic self-efficacy, students’ confidence in completing academic tasks, positively influenced self-regulated learning. The researchers also found that self-efficacy and self-regulated learning helped explain how teaching and social interactions were associated with cognitive development.
In conclusion, the study highlights that successful blended learning depends on more than access to digital platforms or educational resources. Students also need supportive teachers, opportunities to interact with others, and confidence in their ability to learn independently. By developing these qualities, educators can create environments that encourage students to take greater responsibility for their learning. Meaningful learning does not happen simply when information is available, but when students feel confident, supported, and capable of turning that information into understanding.
