The Interplay of School Environment and Academic Self-Beliefs in Predicting Learning Engagement Among Chinese Students

Xiaodan Lai; Noraini Zainal

doi:10.71222/fe3f5t20

Authors

Xiaodan Lai City University Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Author
Noraini Zainal City University Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71222/fe3f5t20

Keywords:

learning engagement, school climate, academic self-efficacy, academic emotions, structural equation modeling

Abstract

This study explores Chinese students' learning engagement, encompassing behavioral, cognitive, and emotional aspects, and its intricate relationships with school atmosphere, academic self-efficacy, and academic emotions—an area that remains significantly under-researched in contemporary educational psychology. A positive school climate, which is fundamentally characterized by harmonious teacher-student and peer relationships, a highly positive campus culture, and democratic teaching management practices, is hypothesized to substantially promote overall learning engagement. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy is proposed as a critical factor moderating and mediating this complex relationship. To empirically investigate these dynamics, a quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire administered to a randomly cluster-sampled cohort of 379 Chinese students across various educational levels. Advanced structural equation modeling techniques were rigorously applied to analyze the collected data concerning the four key variables and to systematically test the proposed theoretical hypotheses. The expected contributions of this comprehensive investigation include robust empirical evidence demonstrating the significant role of a positive school climate in directly improving student learning engagement. Practical implications derived from the findings strongly advocate for educational stakeholders to actively foster a positive school atmosphere, enhance effective teacher-student communication channels, and implement targeted interventions aimed at boosting students' academic self-efficacy. Ultimately, this study aims to inform ongoing initiatives for Chinese educational quality improvement and to lay a solid, evidence-based foundation for future longitudinal research exploring the grade-specific and subject-specific impacts of school climate on academic outcomes.

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