Artificial Intelligence-Supported Online Learning: Digital Self-Efficacy, Learning Anxiety, Technology Acceptance, and Students’ Learning Satisfaction

Abstract

The present study examined the role of Artificial Intelligence-supported online learning in relation to digital self-efficacy, learning anxiety, technology acceptance, and students’ learning satisfaction in higher education. The study was significant because the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into online education has created new opportunities for personalized and flexible learning while also raising concerns regarding students’ technological confidence, anxiety, acceptance, and overall learning experience. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was adopted, and data were collected from 343 university students from higher-education institutions in Pakistan, through a structured adopted questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed online through Google Forms, and respondents participated voluntarily based on their experience with online learning and AI-supported educational technologies. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, independent-samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey HSD post-hoc analysis were used to examine the study variables and their relationships. The findings demonstrated significant positive relationships between AI-supported online learning, digital self-efficacy, technology acceptance, and learning satisfaction, while learning anxiety was negatively associated with the major positive learning outcomes. Digital self-efficacy positively predicted technology acceptance, whereas learning anxiety negatively predicted technology acceptance. Technology acceptance was also strongly associated with students’ learning satisfaction, indicating that students who perceived AI-supported technologies as useful and manageable were more likely to report satisfactory learning experiences. Significant differences were additionally observed across selected demographic and experiential groups, particularly according to gender, academic level, and online-learning experience. Hence, the study concluded that the effectiveness of AI-supported online learning was influenced not only by technological availability but also by students’ digital confidence, emotional readiness, and acceptance of AI-based educational technologies. The study highlights the importance of strengthening digital and AI literacy, reducing technology-related learning anxiety, and providing structured institutional support to promote effective, inclusive, and satisfying AI-supported learning environments in higher education.