Self-efficacy is stronger than social support in predicting technology-enhanced hands-on learning

ABSTRACT

Tiny and affordable computers (e.g. Raspberry Pi and Arduino) have been widely applied to technology-enhanced hands-on learning (THL). However, little scholarly attention has been devoted to the key factors behind students’ performance in THL contexts. Therefore, this study not only helped the participants learn computer science through THL, but also devised a research model to investigate the major factors affecting their learning performance. In this model, self-efficacy and social support serve as the independent variables, and perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment and behavioral intention act as the mediating variables, while learning performance functions as the dependent variable. The research findings reveal that (1) self-efficacy is a more significantly influential factor than social support behind learning performance; and (2) perceived enjoyment is more significantly influential than perceived usefulness in affecting learning performance via the mediation of behavioral intention. These findings imply that students’ self-efficacy in using technologies is more important than others’ assistance in THL contexts, since the latter may not be offered in a timely manner, whereas the former will prompt students to solve problems independently and ergo deliver better performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Hands-on learning
• self-efficacy
• social support
• learning performance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of China, Taiwan [grant numbers MOST 109-2511-H-218-004-MY3, 109-2511-H-218-002-MY2].

Notes on contributors

Ding-Chau Wang

Ding-Chau Wang received Ph.D. degree in computer science and information engineering from National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. He is currently a professor in the Department of Information Management at Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan. His research interests include game-based learning, Internet of things, mobile computing, security, database systems and performance analysis.

Yong-Ming Huang

Yong-Ming Huang is currently a Professor in the Department of Multimedia and Entertainment Science at Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. He received his Ph.D. degree in Engineering Science from the National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan in 2012. His research interests include user acceptance of educational technologies and digital game-based learning.