Self-Efficacy In Online Asynchronous Graduate Students: Data Literacy As A Component For Academic Success

Enrollment in fully online, asynchronous graduate programs continues to grow, yet student successes within this learning environment remain uneven. Graduation success rates for online graduate students often range from approximately 12% to 60% and are frequently lower than those of students enrolled in traditional, in-person programs (Aslanian & Fischer, 2024). Research suggests that learner confidence, or self-efficacy, is a key factor that contributes to student engagement, motivation, and academic success in online learning environments (Hart, 2012; Lee, Choi, & Kim, 2013). Drawing on Bandura’s (1997) theory of self-efficacy, this presentation looks at how data literacy—the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use data—can increase graduate students’ confidence in completing academic tasks in online formats. Self-efficacy refers to an individuals’ beliefs about their capabilities, not necessarily their actual skills (APA.org, 2025). This presentation is framed by Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological and affective states (Bandura, 1997; Parsons, Croft, & Harrison, 2011). Online learners are often expected to be digitally savvy; however, research challenges this assumption and documents persistent difficulties in locating, evaluating, and applying credible data sources (Carlson, Johnston, Westra, & Nichols, 2011; Kirschner & De Bruyckere, 2017; Joo & Choi, 2015). Drawing on data literacy and information literacy frameworks, this presentation will look at how access to data resources, awareness of library-supported services, and confidence in data use structure self-efficacy among online graduate students. This presentation will provide practical strategies for data services, instructional design, and faculty to use to enhance student’s online learning experience, so students feel more capable and confident in accessing resources to have a positive learning experience and feel competent in successfully completing an asynchronous graduate education.