Effects of online participation, ICT use, and online interaction quality on adult learners’ social connectedness

Online interaction and interactive web-based technologies usage (ICT use) have been associated with positive outcomes, academically and psychologically. In educational settings, a mechanism through which instructional design can foster social connectedness has rarely been examined. The present study investigates the relationship between learners’ online participation, ICT use, and online interaction quality regarding their social connectedness. The interplay between these variables was also analyzed. A questionnaire was developed to collect data with adult learners in Belgium as participants. Multiple regressions and interaction analysis were conducted. The result shows that online participation, ICT use, and online interaction quality significantly predict social connectedness. For learners who have low and average levels of online participation and ICT use, the effect of online interaction quality is stronger whereas for those with high level, the effect of online interaction quality is non-significant. Thus implications for research and instructional design are discussed.