An Environmental Resource within the Job Demands-Resources Model: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy between Properties of the Learning Environment and Academic Engagement

The characteristics of learning environments are relevant for promoting academic engagement and learning achievement. Thus, this study seeks to identify whether perceived characteristics of the learning environment, and specifically, the sub-dimensions of Perceived Restorativeness (compatibility, being away, extent, fascination), can promote academic Engagement and self-efficacy using the Job Demands-Resources Model as the underlying conceptual framework. Further, we tested the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between Perceived Restorativeness and academic engagement. Data were collected from a sample of 188 Italian university students. Hierarchical multivariate regression analysis indicated that a restorative quality of the learning environment (i.e., compatibility and fascination) was positively correlated with academic engagement, but that there was a non-significant relationship between being Away and academic engagement and between extent and academic engagement. Regression analyses showed significant indirect effects of compatibility and extent through students’ self-Efficacy. Further, self-efficacy was a complete mediator between extent and academic engagement. Furthermore, self-efficacy was found to play a partially mediating role between compatibility and academic engagement. The results of this study provide important information that students, teachers and designers should pay attention to levels of restorative quality in the environment for improving engagement and self-efficacy.