Modelling the Relationship between English Language Learners’ Academic Hardiness and Their Online Learning Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study presents a structural relationship model that integrates English language learners’ academic hardiness with their online learning engagement. Two questionnaires, Academic Hardiness (OH) and Online English Learning Engagement (OLLE), were developed and administered to 453 Chinese university students. The results indicated that AH is composed of four factors, namely commitment, control-effort, control-affect and challenge. Meanwhile, OLLE consists of four factors: behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, emotional engagement and social engagement. The path analysis revealed that academic hardiness played a positive role in the different aspects of their online learning engagement. Surprisingly none of the sub-dimensions of academic hardiness could predict emotional engagement. Related pedagogical implications are also discussed.