Determinants of Twelfth-Grade Students’ Intentions to Choose Distance Learning

Hendrian Hendrian; Cynthia Ayu  Manggarani

doi:10.37899/journallaedusci.v6i6.3251

Hendrian Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia
Cynthia Ayu Manggarani Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37899/journallaedusci.v6i6.3251

Keywords: Brand Trust, Digital Learning Flexibility, Employability, Academic Reputation

Abstract

This study examines the determinants of twelfth-grade students’ intentions to choose Universitas Terbuka in digital learning. Using an explanatory quantitative approach with a cross-sectional survey design, data from 428 simulated respondents were analyzed באמצעות Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The findings reveal that Brand Trust is the strongest predictor of enrolment intention, followed by Perceived Digital Learning Flexibility, Perceived Employability, and Perceived Academic Reputation. The model explains 68.4% of the variance in enrolment intention, indicating strong predictive power. Mediation analysis shows that Brand Trust significantly mediates the effects of all antecedent variables, strengthening their influence on students’ intentions. Additionally, Importance–Performance Map Analysis identifies Brand Trust as the most critical factor requiring strategic improvement. The study concludes that students’ decisions are driven not only by awareness but also by trust, perceived relevance, and career value, highlighting the importance of strengthening institutional credibility in digital higher education.

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