Examining self-efficacy and self-regulation levels across gender in business distance education courses

The purpose of this study was to examine the roles self-efficacy, specifically technology self-efficacy and distance education self-efficacy, and self-regulation play in students´ learning via distance education. Participants were undergraduate and graduated students enrolled in business distance education courses at a university in northeastern USA. Prior to the completion of the semester, students were asked to complete an online survey that was designed to measure technology self-efficacy, distance education self-efficacy, and self-regulation. In addition, students responded to three short answer prompts concerning the benefits and drawbacks of distance education. Their self-efficacy and self-regulation levels were compared across gender to see if there were in fact gender gaps in technology, distance education, and self-regulation.