Title: Undergraduate student performance during the pandemic: a sequential mediation effect of grit and student motivation

Authors: Abdul Hafaz Ngah; Nurul Izni Kamalrulzaman; Nurul Ain Chua Abdullah; Nur Asma Ariffin; Rosseni Din

Addresses: Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia ' Faculty of Bioresources and Food Industry, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Besut Campus, 22200 Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia ' Centre for Fundamental Studies and Continuing Education, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia ' Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia ' Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract: To flatten the curve of COVID-19 spread out, most educational institutions around the globe have started to enforce online learning without a proper understanding of how to enhance student online learning performance. The study aims to explore the role of lecturer competency towards the student's grit, motivation, and performance. Based on the stimulus-organism-response model, the study performed an online survey with Google Forms, enrolling 416 undergraduate students attending courses and examinations through online learning systems. The result indicates that lecturer competency has a positive relationship with a student's grit, motivation and performance. Moreover, student's grit and motivation mediate the relationship between lecturer competency and student performance. Consequently, designing online courses with the consideration of improving social interactions and encouraging the student's ability to monitor their learning processes without lecturers' guidance is a crucial task for lecturers and universities. It is also a milestone in exposing and preparing students readiness toward Education 4.0.

Keywords: learning; lecturer competency; grit; motivation; performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2024.142082

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2024 Vol.36 No.4, pp.467 - 487

Received: 21 Jun 2023
Accepted: 14 Sep 2023
Published online: 07 Oct 2024 *

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