Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the role of self-directed learning ability as a mediating factor between digital literacy competence and academic achievement among nursing students.
Methods Employing a descriptive correlation desig...
Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the role of self-directed learning ability as a mediating factor between digital literacy competence and academic achievement among nursing students.
Methods Employing a descriptive correlation design, the study engaged 144 nursing students from two universities in two different cities. A self-report questionnaire was used to measure digital literacy competence, academic achievement (reflected by grade point average, GPA), and self-directed learning ability. Analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0 and the mediating effects were verified through the bootstrapping method by using the PROCESS macro for SPSS.
Results The mean scores of digital literacy competence and self-directed learning ability were 4.03±0.44, 3.60±0.49, and academic achievement was 3.62±0.44 respectively. Digital literacy competence did not have a direct effect on academic achievement (B=-.10, p=.286). However, it had a direct effect on self-directed learning ability (B=.57, p<.001). Self-directed learning ability had a direct effect on academic achievement (B=.30, p=.001).
Furthermore, digital literacy competence had an indirect effect on academic achievement through self-directed learning (B=.18, 95% CI=.05~.31). Self-directed learning ability had a mediating effect on the relationship between digital literacy competence and academic achievement of nursing students.
Conclusions Digital literacy competence did not have a direct effect, but instead an indirect effect on academic achievement through self-directed learning. These results suggests that educationl programs which consider the level of digital literacy competence and self-directed learning ability are essential to improve the academic performance of nursing students.