Multimedia learning system and its effect on self-efficacy in database modeling and design: an exploratory study Waiman Cheung a , Eldon Y. Li b, *, Lester W. Yee c a The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong b California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA c eXcelon Corporation, 25 Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Received 18 September 2002; accepted 22 April 2003 Abstract Metadatabase modeling and design integrate process modeling and data modeling methodologies. Both are core topics in the information technology (IT) curriculum. Learning these topics has been an important pedagogical issue to the core studies for management information systems (MIS) and computer science (CSc) students. Unfortunately, the learning curve for the associated metadatabase modeling methodologies andtheircorrespondingcomputeraidedsoftwareengineering(CASE)toolshavemadeitdifficultforstudents to grasp. Addressing this learning issue, this study developed a multimedia learning system (MLS) and examines the effect of this MLS on the self-efficacy of learning these topics. It confirms that the MLS has significant impact on the self-efficacy in learning and that the software usefulness and software ease-of-use indeed affect the learning self-efficacy of MIS students. Furthermore, longer usage of the MLS can improve the self-efficacy in learning, but cannot make the improvement faster. Finally, the MLS can help the MIS students improve their self-efficacy in learning more than helping the CSc students. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Multimedia learning system; Learning process; Self-efficacy; CASE tool; Software usage; Metadatabase; Database modeling and design; Information technology 1. Introduction Databasesareubiquitousinmoderninformationsystems.Aproperlydesigneddatabaseunderpins the success of an information system. The nature of designing a database involves much human judgment, particularly in the aspect of database and business-process modeling. Together they are 0360-1315/03/$ - see front matter # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0360-1315(03)00048-4 Computers & Education 41 (2003) 249–270 www.elsevier.com/locate/compedu * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: wcheung@baf.msmail.cuhk.edu.hk (W. Cheung), eli@calpoly.edu (E.Y. Li), lyee@exln.com, lester_yee@usa.net (L.W. Yee).