CORRELATION BETWEEN COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF AFL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: Korelasi antara Penglibatan Kognitif dan Prestasi Pelajar Prasiswazah dalam Persekitaran Pembelajaran Maya

The virtual learning environment (VLEs) is becoming an essential instructional technology in this new era due to its effects and impacts on learning process. It has been implemented by many Malaysian higher educational institutions. This study aims to examine the correlation between cognitive engagement and performance among undergraduate students in an online learning environment. The using survey items adapted from Greene and Miller (1993) and data were collected from 216 Arabic Foreign Language (AFL) students. In evaluating the correlation and factors of cognitive engagement that affect student performance, this study employed the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and a conceptual model was designed. The findings demonstrated positive correlation between cognitive engagement and student performance. The study indicated that the strongest predictor among the three factors of cognitive engagement is Self-Regulatory Strategy Use (SR), followed by Shallow Strategy Use (SSU) and Deep Strategy Use (DSU). As a result, cognitive engagement demonstrated to be critical predictor that can moderately affect students’ performance on the use of virtual learning environment. The coefficient of determination R2 values predicting performance are 0.588 (R2 = 0.588), which means can explain 58.8% of variance in students’ performance. This proportion is considered as moderate effect in affecting performance of AFL undergraduate students.