Online learning motivation among secondary vocational students in China through an integrating technology acceptance and Community of Inquiry framework

This study examines the relationships among technology-related beliefs, Community of Inquiry (CoI) dimensions, and online learning motivation (OLM) among secondary vocational students in China by integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and CoI framework. Survey data from 962 students were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to investigate how self-efficacy (SE), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (EU), and CoI dimensions relate to students’ motivation for online learning. The findings indicate that SE was the strongest factor associated with OLM, followed by PU and EU. Consistent with TAM, EU was positively associated with PU. Within the CoI framework, teaching presence (TP) showed a significant relationship with OLM and demonstrated significant indirect effects in the relationships between SE/EU and OLM. In contrast, social presence (SP) and cognitive presence (CP) did not demonstrate significant mediating effects. This study contributes to TAM and CoI research by providing context-specific evidence that teaching presence may represent an important motivational pathway in secondary vocational online learning environments. The findings suggest that effective online learning design should integrate accessible technologies with structured instructional support and confidence-building strategies.