The increasing prevalence of online learning in higher education necessitates understanding its impact on student well-being and academic performance. Online class-related boredom, a largely understudied negative emotion, is a significant concern. This study, grounded in self-determination theory (SDT) and the control-value theory of achievement emotion, explores the relationship between online class-related boredom, school motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), and academic achievement among college students. The research aims to determine if boredom negatively affects academic achievement, if school motivation mediates this relationship, and if gender moderates this mediating effect. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for improving the quality of online learning and teaching, contributing significantly to the existing body of literature on student affect, motivation, and academic success in online learning environments.

Existing literature highlights the negative impact of boredom on student engagement and learning outcomes in both online and traditional classroom settings. Studies show a negative correlation between boredom and achievement, indicating that managing boredom could enhance student performance. Research also explores the association between academic boredom and lower levels of student success and psychological well-being. However, research on online class-related boredom is limited, particularly regarding the role of gender and school motivation in mediating the relationship between boredom and academic achievement. This study aims to address these gaps by investigating the complex interplay between these variables.

This cross-sectional study employed a quantitative approach using survey data from 1294 Chinese college students (368 male, 926 female) across seven universities representing diverse geographical regions and academic disciplines. The Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ) was adapted to measure online class-related boredom, while the Inventory of School Motivation assessed both intrinsic and extrinsic school motivation. Academic achievement was measured using self-reported general skills and quantitative academic performance. Data analysis involved correlation analysis, mediating effect analysis using the PROCESS macro in SPSS (Model 4 and Model 7), and moderated mediating effect analysis using bootstrapping. Control variables included gender, grade, and major. The study received ethical approval from the Academic Ethics Committee of Liaoning Normal University, and informed consent was obtained from all participants.

The study confirmed a significant negative correlation between online class-related boredom and academic achievement (r = -0.289, p < 0.01). Intrinsic school motivation significantly mediated the relationship between online class-related boredom and academic achievement (indirect effect = -0.162, 95% CI = [-0.214, -0.002]). Extrinsic school motivation did not show a significant mediating effect. Gender significantly moderated the mediating effect of school motivation. Specifically, the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation was significant only for female students (indirect effect = -0.225, 95% CI = [-0.286, -0.168]), while the mediating effect of extrinsic motivation differed significantly between genders. For male students, higher online class-related boredom was associated with higher extrinsic motivation, whereas for female students, it was associated with lower extrinsic motivation. These findings were statistically significant (p < 0.001 for the overall model) and robust after controlling for grade and major.

The findings support Hypothesis 1, confirming the negative impact of online class-related boredom on academic achievement. The mediating role of intrinsic motivation (Hypothesis 2, partially supported) aligns with self-determination theory and the control-value theory of achievement emotions. The lack of a mediating effect for extrinsic motivation suggests that merely providing external rewards may not effectively counteract the negative effects of boredom. The significant moderating role of gender (Hypothesis 3, supported) highlights the need for gender-sensitive approaches to online teaching. The differing effects of boredom on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation between genders suggest that interventions should be tailored to address specific gender-related motivational factors.

This study demonstrates the detrimental effect of online class-related boredom on academic achievement, mediated primarily by intrinsic motivation and moderated by gender. The results underscore the importance of creating engaging online learning environments that foster intrinsic motivation and address the unique needs of male and female students. Future research should explore the underlying mechanisms driving these gender differences and investigate effective interventions to mitigate boredom and enhance learning outcomes in online settings. Further research with larger, more diverse samples and longitudinal designs is recommended to strengthen these findings.

The study's limitations include the cross-sectional nature of the data, which limits causal inferences. The sample, while diverse geographically and academically, may not fully represent the entire population of Chinese college students. The reliance on self-reported measures for both boredom and academic achievement introduces potential biases. Future studies should address these limitations by employing longitudinal designs, expanding the sample size to encompass a broader range of demographic factors, and incorporating objective measures of academic achievement.