Muhammad Nurtanto, Rina Febriana Hendrawan, Nur Kholifah, Mohd Kasturi Nor Abd Aziz, Valiant Lukad Perdana Sutrisno, Farid Mutohhari, Mustofa Abi Hamid
Online learning in higher education in Indonesia continues to encounter substantial challenges, particularly marked by declining student engagement, increased dropout rates, and the emergence of academic burnout. A shocking phenomenon is the widespread perception of learner apathy, where students demonstrate minimal motivation, reduced participation, and a sense of emotional disconnection from the learning process. These psychological obstacles often undermine the potential of online learning, even when supported by adequate technological infrastructure. Despite these hurdles, online learning remains a necessary and strategic mode of education, especially in bridging geographical disparities across the Indonesian archipelago. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the psychological factors affecting online learning success, including emotional intelligence (EI), psychological well-being (PWB), self-efficacy (SE), and self-motivation (MO), which are believed to be critical in enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes. Engaging 1,052 students in Yogyakarta, the research examined these variables’ relationships with online learning success. Online data collection via Google Forms was utilized, with analysis conducted through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), tested via path analysis and bootstrap. Results indicated that EI, PWB, SE, and MO significantly and positively influenced online learning success. Particularly, MO emerged as an indirect mediator, influencing PWB and SE, thereby enhancing overall online learning effectiveness. This study is pivotal for understanding psychological factors in Indonesian online learning, offering insights into how MO can bolster PWB and SE, ultimately contributing to online learning success. These findings lay a foundation for refining online learning systems, aiming for a more effective and motivating learning environment in the future. © 2026, The Online Learning Consortium. All rights reserved.
Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia; Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Malaysia; Universitas Sebelas Maret, Indonesia; Universitas Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa, Indonesia; Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, Indonesia
