The Influence of Lecturers' Digital Leadership on Students' Self-Regulated Learning in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: The Mediating Role of Technology Self-Efficacy

Authors

  • Khairul Anam Universitas Pamulang
  • Sulaimon Adewale University of South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37630/bijee.v4i1.4449

Keywords:

digital leadership, self-regulated learning, technology self-efficacy, artificial intelligence, higher education

Abstract

The integration of artificial intelligence into higher education has created new expectations for lecturers to guide students through increasingly complex digital learning environments, yet the mechanisms through which lecturers' digital leadership shapes students' self-regulated learning remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the influence of lecturers' digital leadership on students' self-regulated learning in the era of artificial intelligence, with technology self-efficacy positioned as a mediating variable. A quantitative explanatory design was applied to a sample of 412 undergraduate students from five private universities in the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area selected through proportional stratified random sampling. Data were collected using three validated instruments measuring digital leadership, technology self-efficacy, and self-regulated learning, all of which demonstrated acceptable reliability with Cronbach alpha values above 0.85. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted using SmartPLS 4.0 to test the measurement and structural models, with mediation tested through 5,000 bootstrap resamples. The results indicated that digital leadership had a significant positive influence on both technology self-efficacy and self-regulated learning, and that technology self-efficacy significantly predicted self-regulated learning. The mediation analysis confirmed that technology self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between digital leadership and self-regulated learning. These findings provide empirical support for integrating digital leadership development into faculty professional learning programs and for strengthening student technology self-efficacy as a strategic lever for enhancing self-regulated learning in the era of artificial intelligence.

References

Adewale, S., & Mtshali, T. I. (2024). ChatGPT usage and AI acceptance among female academics in higher education. Education and Information Technologies, 29(5), 5421-5443. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12567-5

Akbar, M. A., Khan, A. A., Mahmood, S., & Mishra, A. (2024). Digital leadership and AI integration in higher education: A systematic review. Education and Information Technologies, 29(5), 5523-5548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12603-x

Aldera, A. S. (2024). The relationship between digital leadership and teacher self-efficacy: Mediating role of school climate. SAGE Open, 14(1), 21582440241237854. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241237854

Alemayehu, L., & Chen, H. L. (2022). The influence of motivation on learning engagement: The mediating role of learning self-efficacy and self-monitoring in online learning environments. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(7), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.1977962

Alimuddin, A., Tamsah, H., & Yusriadi, Y. (2023). The effect of digital leadership on lecturer performance through work motivation in higher education. Quality Access to Success, 24(193), 252-260. https://doi.org/10.47750/QAS/24.193.27

Alqurashi, E. (2019). Predicting student satisfaction and perceived learning within online learning environments. Distance Education, 40(1), 133-148. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2018.1553562

Antonopoulou, H., Halkiopoulos, C., Barlou, O., & Beligiannis, G. N. (2021). Associations between traditional and digital leadership in academic environment: During the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging Science Journal, 5(4), 405-428. https://doi.org/10.28991/esj-2021-01286

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191

Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.

Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173-1182. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173

Bilal, M., Chen, S., Abdullah, M., Ul-Allah, S., & Ramzan, M. (2024). Influence of digital transformation leadership on academic performance: Mediating role of digital learning environment. Higher Education Quarterly, 78(2), 423-441. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12483

Broadbent, J. (2017). Comparing online and blended learner's self-regulated learning strategies and academic performance. The Internet and Higher Education, 33, 24-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2017.01.004

Broadbent, J., & Poon, W. L. (2015). Self-regulated learning strategies and academic achievement in online higher education learning environments: A systematic review. The Internet and Higher Education, 27, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.04.007

Chan, C. K. Y. (2023). A comprehensive AI policy education framework for university teaching and learning. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00408-3

Chien, C. F., Chen, Y. C., & Chen, Y. T. (2024). The mediating role of digital self-efficacy in the relationship between teachers' digital leadership and students' learning engagement in online learning contexts. Education and Information Technologies, 29(4), 4521-4543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12198-2

Compeau, D. R., & Higgins, C. A. (1995). Computer self-efficacy: Development of a measure and initial test. MIS Quarterly, 19(2), 189-211. https://doi.org/10.2307/249688

Crompton, H., & Burke, D. (2023). Artificial intelligence in higher education: The state of the field. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00392-8

Dong, Y., Xu, C., Chai, C. S., & Zhai, X. (2020). Exploring the structural relationship among teachers' technostress, TPACK, computer self-efficacy and school support. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 29(2), 147-157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-019-00461-5

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104

Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Danks, N. P., & Ray, S. (2021). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using R: A workbook. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80519-7

Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2-24. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203

Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8

Karakose, T., Kocabas, I., Yirci, R., Papadakis, S., Ozdemir, T. Y., & Demirkol, M. (2022). The development and evolution of digital leadership: A bibliometric mapping approach. Sustainability, 14(23), 16171. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316171

Kasneci, E., Sessler, K., Kuchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., Gasser, U., Groh, G., Gunnemann, S., & Hullermeier, E. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and Individual Differences, 103, 102274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102274

Kayyali, M. (2023). The role of technology self-efficacy in higher education: A systematic review and future research directions. International Journal of Educational Management, 37(5), 1056-1075. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-02-2023-0087

Liu, M., Ren, Y., Nyagoga, L. M., Stonier, F., Wu, Z., & Yu, L. (2024). Future of education in the era of generative artificial intelligence: Consensus among Chinese scholars on applications of ChatGPT in schools. Future in Educational Research, 1(1), 72-101. https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.10

Luckin, R., Cukurova, M., Kent, C., & du Boulay, B. (2022). Empowering educators to be AI-ready. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100076

Nuralam, N., Tahir, M., & Yusriadi, Y. (2023). The role of self-regulated learning in mediating the influence of digital literacy on academic performance among university students. Cogent Education, 10(2), 2244873. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2244873

Oberer, B., & Erkollar, A. (2018). Leadership 4.0: Digital leaders in the age of Industry 4.0. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 7(4), 404-412. https://doi.org/10.33844/ijol.2018.60332

Panadero, E. (2017). A review of self-regulated learning: Six models and four directions for research. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 422. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00422

Park, J., Ahn, S., & Kim, S. (2023). The mediating effect of digital self-efficacy on the relationship between digital leadership and innovative work behavior in higher education. Journal of Educational Research, 116(5), 478-491. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2023.2258769

Pintrich, P. R. (2004). A conceptual framework for assessing motivation and self-regulated learning in college students. Educational Psychology Review, 16(4), 385-407. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-004-0006-x

Podsakoff, P. M., Podsakoff, N. P., Williams, L. J., Huang, C., & Yang, J. (2024). Common method bias: It is bad, it is complex, it is widespread, and it is not easy to fix. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 11, 17-61. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-110721-040030

Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 879-891. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.40.3.879

Santosa, P. I., Aji, S. P., & Wibowo, A. (2023). Influence of digital leadership on students' academic engagement: Evidence from Indonesian universities. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 12(3), 1430-1442. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v12i3.24921

Saputri, A. C., Anam, K., & Wahyuni, S. (2023). Digital competence of higher education lecturers in the post-pandemic era: A mixed-methods study in Indonesia. Cakrawala Pendidikan, 42(2), 384-398. https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v42i2.59874

Scherer, R., Siddiq, F., & Tondeur, J. (2019). The technology acceptance model (TAM): A meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach to explaining teachers' adoption of digital technology in education. Computers and Education, 128, 13-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.09.009

Setyowati, R., Pratama, A., & Wijaya, H. (2022). Self-regulated learning of Indonesian university students during online learning: Strategies and challenges. International Journal of Instruction, 15(3), 567-586. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2022.15331a

Sheninger, E. (2019). Digital leadership: Changing paradigms for changing times (2nd ed.). Corwin Press. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781544350349

Strzelecki, A. (2024). Students' acceptance of ChatGPT in higher education: An extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. Innovative Higher Education, 49(2), 223-245. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-023-09686-1

Theobald, M. (2021). Self-regulated learning training programs enhance university students' academic performance, self-regulated learning strategies, and motivation: A meta-analysis. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 66, 101976. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2021.101976

Tigre, F. B., Curado, C., & Henriques, P. L. (2023). Digital leadership: A bibliometric analysis. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 30(1), 40-70. https://doi.org/10.1177/15480518221123132

Usher, E. L., Li, C. R., Butz, A. R., & Rojas, J. P. (2019). Perseverant grit and self-efficacy: Are both essential for children's academic success? Journal of Educational Psychology, 111(5), 877-902. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000324

Walter, Y. (2024). Embracing the future of artificial intelligence in the classroom: The relevance of AI literacy, prompt engineering, and critical thinking in modern education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 21(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-024-00448-3

Wong, J., Baars, M., Davis, D., Van Der Zee, T., Houben, G. J., & Paas, F. (2019). Supporting self-regulated learning in online learning environments and MOOCs: A systematic review. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 35(4-5), 356-373. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2018.1543084

Xu, Z., Zhao, Y., Liew, J., Zhou, X., & Kogut, A. (2023). Synthesizing research evidence on self-regulated learning and academic achievement in online and blended learning environments: A scoping review. Educational Research Review, 39, 100510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100510

Yang, Y., Cao, X., & Huo, M. (2024). The effect of teachers' technological self-efficacy on technology acceptance behavior, and the mediating effect of technological innovation. Sustainability, 16(2), 691. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020691

Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Attaining self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 13-39). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012109890-2/50031-7

Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(2), 64-70. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4102_2

Zimmerman, B. J. (2008). Investigating self-regulation and motivation: Historical background, methodological developments, and future prospects. American Educational Research Journal, 45(1), 166-183. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831207312909

Downloads

Published

2026-06-16

How to Cite

Anam, K., & Adewale, S. (2026). The Influence of Lecturers’ Digital Leadership on Students’ Self-Regulated Learning in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: The Mediating Role of Technology Self-Efficacy. Bima Journal of Elementary Education, 4(1), 41–54. https://doi.org/10.37630/bijee.v4i1.4449