The Mediating Effect of Classroom Learning Environment on the Relationship between Teacher Autonomy and Student Engagement among College Students

Abstract

Student engagement, encompassing emotional, behavioural, and cognitive dimensions, is crucial for academic success. This study determined the mediating effect of the classroom learning environment on the relationship between teacher autonomy and student engagement. The study involved 357 students from a local college in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte, selected through a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using three adapted questionnaires and analysed using mean, Pearson correlation (Pearson-r), and path analysis. The study's findings demonstrated that the level of teacher autonomy was high, while the levels of classroom learning environment and student engagement were both very high. Furthermore, there was a significant interrelationship in the classroom learning environment, teacher autonomy and student engagement. Furthermore, the classroom learning environment partially mediated 78.6% of the effect of teacher autonomy on student engagement. This means that a high level of teacher autonomy enables educators to effectively manage their teaching strategies and classroom decisions, which in turn fosters a more engaging and supportive learning environment for students.