Do Digital Cognitive Skills Matter in Academic Well‐Being? Student Engagement and Digital Learning Satisfaction as Mediators

ABSTRACT

Students' digital skills are essential for their academic well‐being. This study aims to develop a model that explains the complex association between digital cognitive skills and academic well‐being in online learning. Using the Conservation of Resources theoretical framework, our study tests a hypothesised serial mediation model in which student engagement and learning digital satisfaction mediate the relationship between digital cognitive skills and academic well‐being. The results of our research, conducted on 289 university students from India who learn online, reveal only an indirect association between digital cognitive skills and academic well‐being. In addition, the results highlight and support the role of student engagement and digital learning satisfaction as serial mediators. This study reveals that digital cognitive skills not only enhance engagement but also have a favourable impact on overall satisfaction with the learning process, leading to the academic well‐being of students in online learning. These findings underscore the importance of exploring the mechanisms through which students' digital cognitive skills are associated with educational outcomes.