Effects of real-time danmaku interaction on student engagement in live video-streaming teaching: analyzing the mediating roles of social, teaching, and cognitive presences

This study aimed to gain insights into how real-time danmaku interaction (i.e. organized danmaku interaction (ODI) and unorganized danmaku interaction (UDI)) directly and indirectly relates to student engagement (SE) through community of inquiry (COI) presences in live video-streaming teaching. Survey data gathered from 386 Chinese high school students (10th to 12th grades) who participated in a live video-streaming course were analyzed. Partial least square structural equation modeling results indicated that real-time danmaku interaction has a positive predictive effect on SE, and COI presences have a positive effect on SE. Furthermore, the PROCESS plugin in SPSS was used to conduct mediation analysis. Results demonstrated that after controlling for gender and grade, the relationship between real-time danmaku interaction and SE was partially mediated by COI presences. In particular, COI presences have a significant positive mediating effect between ODI and SE. Social presence also has a significant positive mediating effect between UDI and SE. Meanwhile, cognitive presence has a significant negative mediating effect between UDI and SE. Findings highlight the value of real-time danmaku interaction for SE and the significant mediating role of COI presences. Finally, this research provides effective suggestions on how to enhance students' SE in live video-streaming teaching.