How Teacher Moderates the Relationship between Democratic Classroom Environment and Student Engagement

Iqbal Ahmad,Syed Shafeq Syed Mansor,Hamdan Said,Zainudin Hassan,Mahani Mokhtar

doi:10.5539/res.v6n4p239

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between democratic classroom environment and student engagement and its three dimensions: cognitive engagement, emotional engagement and behavioral engagement. Previous research has extensively reported about the positive relationship between democratic classroom environment and student engagement. However, these studies have evaluated only the relationship between democratic classroom environment and student engagement neglecting the three dimensions. This study contributes to this gap by examining the three dimensions as well. Thus, the paper had two aims: First to investigate the relationship between democratic classroom and the three dimensions of classroom engagement: behavioral engagement, emotional engagement and cognitive engagement and second, to examine the moderating role of teacher between democratic classroom and student engagement. A survey questionnaire was utilized to collect data from secondary school teachers. Since the study was based on correlation method, therefore, regression analysis were conducted to test the hypotheses of the study and to analyze the relationship between the variables. The findings of the study showed that there is a strong positive correlation between democratic classroom environment and student engagement and its three dimensions: behavioral, emotional and cognitive. The study also discovered that teacher moderates the relationship between democratic classroom environment and student engagement. On the basis of the results, the paper concludes that teacher plays an important role in the behavioral, emotional and cognitive engagement of students in the teaching and learning process.

Highlights

In the present democratic age, schools should prepare young people for democratic living
This study investigates the relationship between democratic classroom environment and student engagement and its three dimensions: cognitive engagement, emotional engagement and behavioral engagement
The analysis shows that teacher positively moderates the relationship between democratic classroom environment and student engagement

Summary

Introduction

In the present democratic age, schools should prepare young people for democratic living. Schools should transmit knowledge to students about democratic life but, they should be provided with such a learning environment where they can learn and practice democracy For this purpose, students can be better engaged for learning in a democratic classroom which is characterized by encouragement, support, guidance and trust (Patrick, 2004). Researchers have suggested that for students’ citizenship development, teachers must try to engage students in learning opportunities in such a way, where they can learn and practice their newly gained knowledge and skills. This aim can be achieved by creating an open, democratic and engaging classroom environment where students are able to learn and practice citizenship. Teachers may help the students to reconstruct their learning by being engaged in learning experiences (Johnson & McClure, 2004)

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