Abstract
The present study intends to explore the role of collectivism at group level in predicting individual e-learning outcomes for people aged over 45. Collaborative learning has been widely discussed in the research into online formats. However, less study has been carried out about how group values affects individuals’ learning decisions, especially with the technique of Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) for cross-level analysis, which provides the solution of case dependency between group members. This study examines the mediation effects of Internet self-efficacy (ISE) between peer support and e-learning outcomes. It also explores the moderation effects of collectivism at an individual level. The results show that ISE fully mediates the relationship between peer support and learners’ persistence in e-learning, and partially mediates learners’ perceived learning and satisfaction. On the other hand, collectivism plays a moderation role in the relationship between peer support and ISE. This study suggests that adult educators design and deliver e-learning courses with an emphasis on facilitating group processes