Investigating the Impact of the Community of Inquiry Presence on Online Learning Satisfaction: A Chinese College Student Perspective

PURPOSE: This study investigated how teaching, social, and cognitive presence within the community of inquiry (CoI) framework impacts Chinese college students’ online learning satisfaction through self-regulated learning and emotional states. METHODS: A total of 2608 Chinese college students from 112 universities completed a 38-item Likert scale survey measuring teaching, social and cognitive presence, self-regulated learning, emotional states, and online learning satisfaction after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted on December 7, 2022. The study examined the influence of teaching, social, and cognitive presence on online learning satisfaction, mediated by self-regulated learning and moderated by emotional states using SmartPLS. It also analyzed demographic differences using multi-group analysis in the model. RESULTS: The results indicated a significant positive relationship between a) self-regulated learning and online learning satisfaction, b) teaching presence, cognitive presence, and self-regulated learning, but no relationship between social presence and self-regulated learning. Additionally, self-regulated learning partially mediated the relationship between teaching and cognitive presence and online learning satisfaction. In contrast, self-regulated learning did not mediate the association between social presence and online learning satisfaction. Positive emotional states moderated the relationship between self-regulated learning and online learning satisfaction. IMPLICATIONS: The study advances the knowledge of these factors influencing online learners’ satisfaction, which can help create efficient programs and regulations for students, teachers, and policymakers.