Mediating Effects of Students’ Study Time on ICT Resource Availability, Teacher Competence and Academic Performance in Programming Languages
Abstract
This study investigated the mediating role of students' study time in the relationships between the availability of ICT (information and communication technology) resources, teacher competence, and academic performance in programming language courses. The researchers used a sample of 287 undergraduate students and employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the hypothesized mediating effects. The findings showed that both ICT resource availability and teacher competence had positive and significant indirect effects on academic performance, which were partially mediated by the amount of time students spent studying. Specifically, the indirect effect of ICT resource availability on academic performance through study time was 0.159 (p < 0.001), and the indirect effect of teacher competence on academic performance through study time was 0.195 (p < 0.001). These results suggest that while ICT resources and teacher competence directly contribute to improved academic performance in programming languages, they also indirectly influence performance by promoting increased study time among students. The mediating role of study time highlights the importance of creating an environment that supports and encourages students to engage in self-directed learning activities, in addition to providing adequate technological resources and competent teaching. The findings have important implications for educational practitioners and policymakers, as they emphasize the need to adopt a holistic approach to enhancing student learning outcomes in programming courses by understanding the complex interplay between various factors and their indirect effects.