Effort expectancy mediate the relationship between instructors’ digital competence and their work engagement: evidence from universities in China

In a very short time, higher education transitioned to online and blended learning, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Although research literature is replete with rationale for instructors to develop digital competence during the Great Online Transition, research on the correlates of digital competence and effort expectancy in relation to their work engagement has remained insufficient. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the effects of digital competence and effort expectancy and how they predict teachers’ work engagement. A sample of 321 in-service teachers selected from universities in China took part in this study. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that teachers’ digital competence positively and significantly correlated with their work engagement and their effort expectancy. In addition, effort expectancy significantly influenced teachers’ work engagement. Lastly, effort expectancy, as the mediator variable, was found to mediate the relationship between teachers’ digital competence and their work engagement. Implications were suggested for improving teachers’ work engagement to support digital shifts.