Examining the Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Student Participation in Online Learning Settings

Abstract

Socioeconomic status critically shapes how students engage in online learning, yet the precise mechanisms of this influence are often unclear. This study investigates the specific pathways through which socioeconomic factors determine student participation in digital higher education. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the research surveyed 327 undergraduates from two Nigerian universities and conducted in-depth interviews and digital diaries with a purposive subsample. Quantitative analysis reveals a strong positive correlation between socioeconomic status and participation levels, with status explaining 38% of the variance. Mediation analysis confirms this relationship is fully channeled through two psychological variables: perceived time constraints and online learning self-efficacy. Qualitative findings illuminate the lived experience behind these statistics, identifying three core themes: the logistics of scarcity (managing data and power), the psychology of the digital space (eroded confidence), and negotiated participation in shared domestic environments. The integrated results demonstrate that socioeconomic disadvantage initiates a cycle of constraint. Material scarcity consumes cognitive bandwidth, which diminishes self-efficacy and heightens time pressure, ultimately leading to strategic but limited engagement. The study concludes that the disparity in online participation represents a profound experience gap, not merely a digital access gap. It recommends a paradigm shift in digital education towards low-bandwidth course design, flexible participation frameworks, and institutional policies that holistically address connectivity and empower all learners with strategic digital literacies.