AI-Enabled Learning Support and Student Learning Performance in Malaysian Higher Education: The Mediating Roles of Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Engagement

Authors

  • Raden Azamry Bin Raden Perhan Sarawak Administrative Officer, Tatau District Office, Malaysia Author
  • Rajoo Ramanchandram School of Business Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia Author
  • Saralah Devi Mariamdaran Chethiyar Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology image/svg+xml , School of Applied Psychology, Social Work and Policy, College of Arts and Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Malaysia Author
  • Revathi Munirathinam Engineering Department, Scientific Society Group, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu India Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66581/y89enm59

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, AI learning support, digital competence, self-regulated learning, academic integrity, academic engagement

Abstract

Objective: To develop a conceptual model examining the relationships between AI learning support, digital competence, teacher AI guidance, and learning performance among students in Malaysian higher education institutions. Methods: The proposed study adopts a quantitative cross-sectional design. Data will be collected through a survey of Malaysian university students, and the hypothesised relationships will be tested using structural equation modelling. The model includes academic engagement and self-regulated learning as sequential mediators and academic integrity concern as a moderator of the relationship between academic engagement and learning performance. Results: Drawing on self-regulated learning theory, student engagement theory, social cognitive theory, AI literacy, digital competence, and academic integrity literature, the proposed model suggests that AI learning support does not automatically improve students’ learning performance. Its effectiveness depends on students’ ability to use AI strategically, critically, and ethically, together with appropriate guidance from lecturers. Conclusion: The proposed model contributes to the AI education literature by shifting attention from students’ intention to adopt AI towards the learning mechanisms through which AI use may influence academic outcomes. It also provides a framework for understanding the roles of academic engagement, self-regulated learning, teacher guidance, digital competence, and academic integrity in AI-supported learning.

References

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall.

Bittle, K., Sadowski, C., & Nguyen, H. (2025). Generative AI and academic integrity in higher education: A systematic review and research agenda. Information, 16(4), 296.

Bond, M., Khosravi, H., De Laat, M., Bergdahl, N., Negrea, V., Oxley, E., Pham, P., Chong, S. W., & Siemens, G. (2024). A meta systematic review of artificial intelligence in higher education: A call for increased ethics, collaboration, and rigour. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 21, Article 4.

Boekaerts, M. (1999). Self-regulated learning: Where we are today. International Journal of Educational Research, 31(6), 445–457.

Boud, D., & Molloy, E. (2013). Rethinking models of feedback for learning: The challenge of design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38(6), 698–712.

Bretag, T. (Ed.). (2016). Handbook of academic integrity. Springer.

Carretero, S., Vuorikari, R., & Punie, Y. (2017). DigComp 2.1: The digital competence framework for citizens. Publications Office of the European Union.

Chan, C. K. Y., & Hu, W. (2023). Students’ voices on generative AI: Perceptions, benefits, and challenges in higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20, Article 43.

Cotton, D. R. E., Cotton, P. A., & Shipway, J. R. (2024). Chatting and cheating: Ensuring academic integrity in the era of ChatGPT. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 61(2), 228–239.

Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340.

Dotan, R., Parker, L. S., & Radzilowicz, J. G. (2024). Responsible adoption of generative AI in higher education: Developing a points-to-consider approach based on faculty perspectives. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.01930

Eaton, S. E. (2023). Postplagiarism: Transdisciplinary ethics and integrity in the age of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 19, Article 23.

Ferrari, A. (2013). DIGCOMP: A framework for developing and understanding digital competence in Europe. Publications Office of the European Union.

Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59–109.

Gu, X., & Ericson, B. J. (2025). AI literacy in K–12 and higher education in the wake of generative AI: An integrative review. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.00079

Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). SAGE.

Holmes, W., Bialik, M., & Fadel, C. (2019). Artificial intelligence in education: Promises and implications for teaching and learning. Center for Curriculum Redesign.

Ifenthaler, D., & Yau, J. Y. K. (2020). Utilising learning analytics to support study success in higher education: A systematic review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68, 1961–1990.

Jamaluddin, F. (2025). Malaysia’s AI-driven education landscape: Policies, applications, and comparative insights for a digital future. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.21858

Kahu, E. R. (2013). Framing student engagement in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 38(5), 758–773.

Kasneci, E., Sessler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., Gasser, U., Groh, G., Günnemann, S., Hüllermeier, E., Krusche, S., Kutyniok, G., Michaeli, T., Nerdel, C., Pfeffer, J., Poquet, O., Sailer, M., Schmidt, A., Seidel, T., & Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and Individual Differences, 103, 102274.

Kline, R. B. (2023). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (5th ed.). Guilford Press.

Kuh, G. D. (2009). The national survey of student engagement: Conceptual and empirical foundations. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2009(141), 5–20.

Long, D., & Magerko, B. (2020). What is AI literacy? Competencies and design considerations. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1–16). Association for Computing Machinery.

Luckin, R. (2017). Towards artificial intelligence-based assessment systems. Nature Human Behaviour, 1, Article 0028.

McCabe, D. L., Butterfield, K. D., & Treviño, L. K. (2012). Cheating in college: Why students do it and what educators can do about it. Johns Hopkins University Press.

McDonald, N., Johri, A., Ali, A., & Hingle, A. (2024). Generative artificial intelligence in higher education: Evidence from an analysis of institutional policies and guidelines. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.01659

Miao, F., & Holmes, W. (2023). Guidance for generative AI in education and research. UNESCO.

Ng, D. T. K., Leung, J. K. L., Chu, S. K. W., & Qiao, M. S. (2021). Conceptualising AI literacy: An exploratory review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 2, 100041.

Noy, S., & Zhang, W. (2023). Experimental evidence on the productivity effects of generative artificial intelligence. Science, 381(6654), 187–192.

Perkins, M. (2023). Academic integrity considerations of AI large language models in the post-pandemic era: ChatGPT and beyond. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 20(2), 1–24.

Pintrich, P. R. (2000). The role of goal orientation in self-regulated learning. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 451–502). Academic Press.

Schunk, D. H., & Greene, J. A. (2018). Handbook of self-regulation of learning and performance (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Selwyn, N. (2022). Education and technology: Key issues and debates (3rd ed.). Bloomsbury Academic.

UNESCO. (2023). Guidance for generative AI in education and research. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478.

Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y. L., & Xu, X. (2012). Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: Extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), 157–178.

Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16, Article 39.

Zimmerman, B. J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(2), 64–70.

Downloads

Published

2026-08-31

How to Cite

Bin Raden Perhan, R. A., Ramanchandram, R., Mariamdaran Chethiyar, S. D., & Munirathinam, R. (2026). AI-Enabled Learning Support and Student Learning Performance in Malaysian Higher Education: The Mediating Roles of Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Engagement. Journal of Psychology & Education, 1(7), 32-61. https://doi.org/10.66581/y89enm59