The Relationships Between Students’ Expectations, Approaches to Learning, Academic Performance, and Wellbeing in an Online Undergraduate Psychology Program

Background Online undergraduate programs are increasingly popular, yet students often enter with inaccurate expectations about academic requirements. Objective This study aimed to determine whether mismatches between students’ initial and current expectations are associated with their approaches to learning, academic achievement, and wellbeing. Method We measured 113 online undergraduate students’ expectations of their undergraduate studies, learning approaches, university-related stress, anxiety, burnout, and academic achievement in an online survey. Results When current expectations fell short of initial expectations (a negative mismatch in expectations), students reported greater study-related stress, anxiety, cynicism, and adopted surface learning approaches. Students reported greater academic efficacy, higher GPA, more study time, and more deep and strategic learning approaches when their expectations were exceeded (a positive mismatch). Further, students’ learning approaches mediated the relationship between mismatched expectations and wellbeing. Conclusion This study confirmed that when online undergraduate students experience a mismatch between their expectations of higher education and their actual experiences, this mismatch is associated with their approach to learning, wellbeing, and academic performance. Teaching Implications Higher education institutions should set realistic expectations for new online students and encourage the adoption of a strategic approach to learning, thereby enhancing student wellbeing and academic success.