The effect of Self-Directed Learning Motives and Students’ Cooperation on the success of Online Learning: The moderating effect of Resource Availability

Abstract

Technology and online education have become increasingly crucial components of education worldwide in the twenty-first century. Though online education is not a common practice in Sri Lankan higher education, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced it to embrace it. Self-directed learning motives and students’ cooperation become critical factors in determining online learning success. As a developing country, however, resource availability will be a matter of achieving the intended outcomes in online learning. Against this backdrop, the purpose of this study is to examine the effect of self-directed learning motives and students' cooperation on the success of online learning, while also assessing the moderating effect of resource availability. Using a quantitative approach, an online survey was carried out to gather 229 respondents from fifteen public universities in Sri Lanka during the Covid 19 pandemic, and the data were analyzed using correlation and multiple regression analysis. The study discovered the positive effects of self-directed learning and students' cooperation on the success of online learning. However, resource scarcity is eroding these connections. This study adds to the theory by expanding on the existing literature on self-directed and corporative learning on online platforms. It gives policymakers, government officials, educators, instructors, and students with insights into how to improve online education.