The Mediating Effect of Academic Buoyancy on the Causal Chains of Online Learning Readiness, Academic Motivation, and Academic Performance

Abstract

This study investigated how online learning readiness, academic motivation, and academic buoyancy influence academic performance among high school students in an online learning environment during the 2021–2022 school year. Drawing on a descriptive-correlational design and structural equation modeling, the study explored both direct and indirect relationships among these constructs. Results showed that students demonstrated high levels of readiness, motivation, and buoyancy. Notably, online learning readiness positively influenced both academic buoyancy and academic motivation, while academic buoyancy emerged as a critical mediator—channeling the effects of readiness into increased motivation and improved academic performance. In contrast, motivation alone did not significantly mediate the relationship between readiness and performance. These findings underscore the importance of buoyancy in enabling students to convert their preparedness for online learning into tangible academic success. The study highlights the need for educational interventions that not only enhance technical readiness but also build students’ capacity to adapt, persist, and recover from academic challenges in an online learning environment.