Academic success in synchronous online learning environments

Abstract

The study aimed to analyze the influence of such factors, as cognitive engagement, learning strategies and social support on academic success and student satisfaction in online learning environments. Data were collected in a cross-sectional survey carried out in the Winter semester of 2023. Participants were 523 students recruited from universities located in Southern Italy, where the synchronous online learning modality was adopted. The questionnaires included self-reported measures assessing student satisfaction and academic achievement, social support (teacher and peer presence), and deep and shallow cognitive engagement, in an effort to collect data regarding the dynamics of online learning experiences with respect to the three interdependent presences of teaching, cognitive and social, as put forth by the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework (Garrison et al., 2001). Descriptive analysis, bivariate associations, and regression analyses were applied to the data. Data showed different patterns of relationships between academic success and predictors. Deep cognitive engagement was positively associated with academic achievement but unrelated to satisfaction, whereas no significant associations emerged between shallow cognitive engagement, academic achievement, and satisfaction. Furthermore, social presence was found to be unrelated to students’ satisfaction, deep cognitive engagement, or shallow cognitive engagement. The findings of the current study provide professionals in the field of education with suggestions for synchronous online-based teaching about ways to plan a community learning space where teacher-student interactions as well as peer interactions are fostered. This more collaborative-constructivist perspective could improve students’ academic achievements.