Governmental restriction due to COVID-19 pandemic led to Italian Universities moving teaching from faceto-face, to online. This represented an unexpected transition from traditional learning to what can be considered e-learning. This, together with the psychological distress that may be associated with the experience of lockdown, might have affected students’ performance. It was hypothesised that grit may be a protective factor in such situations. Indeed, compared to their less gritty peers, individuals with higher levels of grit are expected to exhibit greater persistence in the pursuit of goals despite setbacks. A longitudinal study was conducted using an online survey in order to assess the moderated mediation effect of grit on students’ achievement. 176 undergraduate students participated in the survey. The results showed that grit affects students’ grades in final exams (t(173)=4.13; p<0.001); perceived self-efficacy in the management of complex problems had a mediation effect on grades (0.32; b=0.30; 95% C.I. [0.10,0.60]) while psychological distress moderated the first part of the mediation process (t(172)=-2.65, p=0.01,). These novel findings extended our knowledge regarding the role of grit in academic performance.
The covid-19 induced e-learning experience within Italian undergraduates traditional courses: the relation of grit to academic performance in a moderated mediation model
Aquino Antonio;Rollo Dolores
2022-01-01
Abstract
Governmental restriction due to COVID-19 pandemic led to Italian Universities moving teaching from faceto-face, to online. This represented an unexpected transition from traditional learning to what can be considered e-learning. This, together with the psychological distress that may be associated with the experience of lockdown, might have affected students’ performance. It was hypothesised that grit may be a protective factor in such situations. Indeed, compared to their less gritty peers, individuals with higher levels of grit are expected to exhibit greater persistence in the pursuit of goals despite setbacks. A longitudinal study was conducted using an online survey in order to assess the moderated mediation effect of grit on students’ achievement. 176 undergraduate students participated in the survey. The results showed that grit affects students’ grades in final exams (t(173)=4.13; p<0.001); perceived self-efficacy in the management of complex problems had a mediation effect on grades (0.32; b=0.30; 95% C.I. [0.10,0.60]) while psychological distress moderated the first part of the mediation process (t(172)=-2.65, p=0.01,). These novel findings extended our knowledge regarding the role of grit in academic performance.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
