Exploring the Impact of ICT and Learning Engagement on Academic Achievement and Self-Directed Learning

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become integral to higher education, yet its relationships with different dimensions of student learning remain inconsistent. This study distinguishes between self-directed learning as a process-oriented outcome and perceived academic achievement as a performance-oriented outcome to provide a more differentiated understanding of technology-supported learning. A quantitative cross-sectional correlational design was employed involving 206 undergraduate students at Universitas Jambi, Indonesia. Data were collected using a 19-item questionnaire measuring ICT use, learning engagement, self-directed learning, and perceived academic achievement. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 to examine the associations of ICT use, learning engagement, and their interaction with the two learning outcomes. ICT use and learning engagement were significantly associated with self-directed learning (p = .001 and p < .001, respectively), and their interaction was also significant (p = .001). In contrast, ICT use (p = .968), learning engagement (p = .910), and their interaction (p = .858) were not significantly associated with perceived academic achievement. The findings indicate that technology-related learning experiences may be more closely associated with students’ self-directed learning processes than with their perceptions of academic performance. These results highlight the importance of evaluating ICT integration not solely through performance-oriented indicators but also through its relationship with learner autonomy, engagement, and self-regulation.