Investigating student engagement in Malaysian higher education: a self-determination theory approach

Abstract

ABSTRACT Often, student engagement in higher education (HE) is viewed from a structural perspective, which reduces the role of student agency. This mixed methods study thus focuses on investigating what engages students in HE through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT), in order to better understand the internal processes of engagement in individual students. In Phase 1, through a survey distributed to 838 students in four higher education institutions in Malaysia, it was revealed that perceived sense of autonomy, competence and belonging provided a crucial framework for understanding what is important for student engagement in HE. Further analysis revealed significant differences between what students believed as important for engagement, and what they actually do (actions), affirming how engagement is invariably a joint product of student motivation and the availability of support in the HE context. Conclusions from this study highlighted the importance of establishing the basic psychological needs of SDT, namely; competency, autonomy and relatedness in HE in order to create a supportive and conducive learning environment in HE for enhancing and sustaining student engagement. Implications and limitations of the findings are discussed.