The Influence of Instructor Support in Online Classes

Abstract

In recent years, the widespread adoption of virtual learning environments has fundamentally transformed teaching and learning practices in higher education. However, many students continue to struggle with a lack of motivation, engagement and a profound sense of isolation in virtual classrooms. This quantitative survey study investigated the relationship between instructor support and university students’ motivation to learn online, specifically examining the dimensions of expectancy, value and social support. Data were collected using a four-section questionnaire adapted from Fowler (2018) and distributed to a convenience sample of 182 undergraduate respondents in Malaysia. The findings revealed that while students highly valued the task content, they were heavily driven by grade-oriented extrinsic goals, and their academic self-efficacy dropped significantly when facing complex online materials. Independent samples t-test results showed a significant difference in online learning motivation across gender, with male students scoring higher than females (p = .034), but no significant difference across academic clusters (p = .057). Crucially, Pearson correlation analyses demonstrated strong, positive and statistically significant relationships between instructor support and all motivational variables: expectancy (r = .529), value (r = .574) and social support (r = .510, all p < .001). In terms of teaching, these results show that online classes need to move away from heavy exam-centric structures. Instead, instructors should focus on breaking down complex content into smaller steps and using real-world, practical assessments. To fill the remaining gaps in the literature, future studies should consider using mixed-methods approaches and looking closer at how a teacher's presence works in highly interactive, specialized digital environments.