A Study on the Impact of College Students' Learning Motivation on Online Learning Engagement - The Mediating Effect of Academic Self-efficacy

Based on self-determination theory and social cognitive theory, this study focused on the impact of university students' learning motivation on online learning participation and the mediating role of academic self-efficacy. Combining computer modeling and data simulation methods, this study conducted an empirical analysis. A stratified sampling method was used to select 230 undergraduate students from six universities (with a 92% effective response rate). Using SPSS 26.0, PROCESS macros, and Python simulation tools, six original quantitative models (including an intrinsic motivation participation index model and a cumulative self-efficacy model) were constructed, and three core simulation analyses were conducted. Simulation results showed that across genders, when intrinsic motivation scores were 4.0, female students had an Online Participation Index (OPI) of 0.78, significantly higher than male students' (0.65) (t=3.57, p<0.001). Regression and mediation tests confirmed that intrinsic motivation (β=0.42, p<0.01), identified regulation (β=0.28, p<0.01), and internalized regulation (β=0.19, p<0.05) significantly and positively predicted engagement, and academic self-efficacy played a differential mediating role.