International Journal of
Information and Education Technology

Abstract

The transition to blended learning presents significant benefits but also poses challenges in maintaining student participation, particularly for highly normative courses. This study investigates the determinants of student learning engagement in National Defense and Security Education within a blended learning framework. Quantitative data were collected from 423 university students in Vietnam. To rigorously examine both direct and mediating structural relationships, data were analyzed utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The empirical findings demonstrate that online system quality, instructor support, and learner interaction exert significant positive effects on both intrinsic motivation and learning engagement. Notably, the practical nature of the instructional content does not directly drive engagement behavior; instead, its effect is fully mediated by intrinsic learning motivation. These results offer crucial empirical evidence highlighting the indispensable role of self-driven motivation in sustaining student engagement. Consequently, this research provides valuable empirical insights for higher education institutions to optimize their technological platforms and refine pedagogical strategies, ultimately enhancing the training quality of specialized disciplines in digital learning environments.