The Impact of Online Interactive Teaching on University Students’ Deep Learning—The Perspective of Self-Determination

In the process of educational practice in the digital age, the higher education system has shifted to the online model, and the training of college students’ deep learning has become the core issue. While online teaching offers great possibilities for education, its inherent lack of interaction has always been a major limiting factor in its effectiveness. To address this challenge, interactive pedagogy is an interaction-based teaching model in which students learn knowledge more effectively through communication and interaction with teachers and classmates, which helps to improve students’ learning abilities. This study, rooted in the theoretical framework of self-determination theory and utilizing structural equation modeling for empirical analysis, seeks to investigate the influence of online interactive teaching on deep learning among university students. The research reveals that interactive teaching significantly and directly contributes to deep learning, while the fulfillment of university students’ three fundamental psychological needs indirectly fosters deep learning by fostering intrinsic motivation. This study uncovers novel dimensions of factors influencing deep learning and underscores the vital role of interactive teaching in fostering deep learning among university students. Moreover, this not only deepens the application of self-determination theory in education but also provides valuable theoretical support for online education practices.