Self-efficacy, motivation and quality of life in distance education: A network approach.

Abstract

Background. Distance education has rapidly become consolidated in Brazil, as indicated by educational management authorities. This growth is driven by considerable changes in educational policy, advances in educational technologies, and increasing expectations regarding student engagement. Within this context, teachers face new challenges, making it essential to investigate the dimensions of self-efficacy, motivation, and quality of life, which are key factors for understanding professional performance and teachers' health. Methods. A network approach was applied, to analyze node centrality indicators, precision, and stability, in order to explore the relationships among aspects of self-efficacy, motivation, and quality of life. The sample comprised 168 Physical Education teachers in higher education, of both sexes, aged 26-50 years, with varying professional experience, working in distance education programs across different regions of São Paulo State, Brazil. Results. The analyses revealed strong direct connections (edges) between motivation and quality of life dimensions. The shortest path linking these constructs involved the lack of peer support as a limiting factor for teachers’ willingness to face challenges or seize opportunities, as well as adequate energy levels for daily activities. It was also observed that the availability of information in teachers’ daily routines showed the highest centrality indices, indicating that this variable is the most likely to rapidly influence all other nodes in the network. Conclusion. The results underscore the importance of institutional and peer support, daily energy levels, and information availability as central elements in the psychosocial interrelations of educators working in Distance Education. These findings provide valuable evidence for institutional policies and management practices aimed at promoting teacher well-being and performance in this educational context.