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Face-to-face, online or HyFlex instruction? The effects of self-directed learning on stress reduction and student satisfaction among emerging adults

Soochan Choi (Department of Marketing and Logistics, Craig School of Business, California State University, Fresno, California, USA)
Zhen Li (Department of Accounting and Finance, College of Business, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas, USA)
Kittipong Boonme (Department of Accounting and Finance, College of Business, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas, USA)
He Ren (Department of Accounting and Finance, College of Business, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas, USA)

Journal of International Education in Business

ISSN: 2046-469X

Article publication date: 30 April 2024

Issue publication date: 9 October 2024

144

Abstract

Purpose

The outbreak of COVID-19 significantly disrupted educational activities and forced universities to rapidly transition from the traditional face-to-face (F2F) environment to online learning formats. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of self-directed learning (SDL) on three instructional modalities (F2F, online and HyFlex) among emerging adults. The authors propose that class interaction enjoyment serves as a channel to understand how SDL relates to students’ satisfaction and stress reduction.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was distributed to the emerging adults, aged 18–25, at six universities across five different US states. Construct validity and reliability were tested by using confirmatory factor analysis. The moderated mediation relationship was examined by calculating the indirect effects of each course delivery format.

Findings

The results show that the positive indirect effect of SDL on stress reduction via interaction enjoyment was stronger for F2F classes. In addition, the positive indirect effect of SDL on class satisfaction via interaction enjoyment was stronger for HyFlex classes.

Originality/value

This literature has shown contradictory results: the effects of SDL on student satisfaction and stress reduction prove to be sometimes positive, sometimes non-significant. To better understand this relationship, the authors aim at a mediating variable – enjoyment of class interaction – as a mechanism, and a moderating variable – the instructional modality – as a boundary condition. This research contributes to emerging adults learning literature by involving the interplay among SDL, enjoyment of class interaction and the instructional modality.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for constructive comments offered by the anonymous reviewers and editor.

Conflict of interest: Neither author has any conflict of interest to declare.

Data availability statement: The data that support the findings of this study will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Citation

Choi, S., Li, Z., Boonme, K. and Ren, H. (2024), "Face-to-face, online or HyFlex instruction? The effects of self-directed learning on stress reduction and student satisfaction among emerging adults", Journal of International Education in Business, Vol. 17 No. 3, pp. 373-394. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-09-2023-0064

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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