This presentation explores the impact of digital learning activities on student self-efficacy and academic performance within online higher education, focusing on how authentic, scaffolded assessment practices and hybrid learning approaches can reshape the digital assessment landscape. Drawing from a mixed-methods study involving first-year undergraduate students enrolled in a fully online degree programme, the research examined the relationship between academic self-efficacy, engagement with digital learning tools, and academic achievement.

The study’s findings disrupt the prevailing narrative that increased digital fluency inherently leads to better outcomes in online environments. While quantitative data revealed no significant correlation between measured self-efficacy and academic achievement or engagement, qualitative insights painted a richer picture. Students consistently identified decision-based learning (DBL) activities and Canvas quizzes as confidence-building tools, especially when these tools aligned closely with assessments and offered scaffolded feedback. These forms of “simulated mastery” created low-stakes opportunities for students to develop competence and build trust in their abilities, illustrating the importance of relevance and feedback within digital learning design. Unexpectedly, students also emphasized the value of “unplugged” learning opportunities using printed resources and offline study methods to support their learning in online courses. This hybrid strategy, blending digital and physical resources, challenged the assumption that effective engagement in online learning must be exclusively tech-driven. For many students, offline study habits not only persisted but also enhanced their confidence and engagement.

The implications for assessment in digital education are twofold. First, digital learning tools must do more than replicate traditional assessments online; they should simulate real-world challenges, provide feedback that fades over time, and directly connect to summative tasks. Second, inclusion in digital education must consider diverse learning preferences and prior experiences, including students who benefit from tactile, offline resources. This presentation will share practical recommendations for course designers, educators, and assessment developers looking to build more inclusive and efficacy-supportive digital environments. Attendees will gain insights into how “simulated mastery” tasks and hybrid learning strategies can increase student confidence, engagement, and performance, especially in asynchronous, online learning spaces. By rethinking the role of technology, not as a standalone solution but as one part of a broader learning ecosystem, this research contributes to more inclusive and effective digital assessment practices. It invites institutions to prioritise pedagogy over platform and consider how digital innovations can support learner confidence and success, not just content delivery.