The Essence of Interactivity and Its Impact on Online Learning Community

Abstract

Interactivity, as the vital attribute of technique dimension, functions in promoting emotional sustenance and aiding the accomplishment of task, which facilitates the maintenance and development of online learning community. This study argued that in spite of the diversity of communicative systems and tools, it is the essence of interactivity that contributes significantly to learners' task fulfillment and social-emotional satisfaction, and thus indirectly to their continuance intention. In this research, data were collected from 299 university students of 3 online learning modes, and the relationships between interactivity, sense of community, perceived usefulness and learners' continuance intention were examined by SmartPLS2.0. This study proved that the advocated essence of interactivity has significantly positive effect on learners' sense of community and perceived usefulness of online education, and plays a partially mediating role in maintaining their continuance intention.