Explaining students' learning activity: Effects of motivation, environment, and self-efficacy
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This research investigated the influence of motivation, learning environment, and self-efficacy on students' learning activity through an explanatory research approach. The population consisted of 3,481 vocational students in Palu City, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, from which 359 respondents were selected using the Slovin formula and a simple random sampling. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed through Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling with SmartPLS 3. The assessment of the measurement model confirmed adequate validity and reliability, as all constructs met the recommended thresholds for outer loading (> 0.70), composite reliability (> 0.70), and average variance extracted (> 0.50). The structural model analysis revealed that motivation exerted a positive and significant effect on learning activity (β = 0.395; t = 4.506; p < 0.001), while self-efficacy emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.470; t = 6.919; p < 0.001). Conversely, the learning environment did not demonstrate a significant direct effect on learning activity (β = 0.062; t = 0.696; p = 0.487). The results indicate that internal psychological factors, particularly self-efficacy and motivation, play a more substantial role than external environmental factors in shaping students' learning activity.
Authors: Fatmawati Samudin, Saharuna, Anas Arfandi
Institution: State University of Makassar
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7161849014