TEACHERS' EFFECTIVENESS AND INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY AS PREDICTORS OF STUDENTS' COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT IN BIOLOGY: EVIDENCE FROM SECONDARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v22.7445Keywords:
Teachers' Effectiveness, Instructional Quality, Cognitive Engagement, Biology Education, Secondary School StudentsAbstract
This study investigated teachers' effectiveness and instructional quality as predictors of students' cognitive engagement in Biology among secondary school students. Three research questions guided the study, while three null hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised all Senior Secondary School II (SS II) students offering Biology in public secondary schools in Abakaliki education zone, Ebonyi State. A sample of 362 students was used for the study. Data were collected using three researcher-developed instruments, namely: Teachers' Effectiveness Questionnaire (TEQ), Instructional Quality Questionnaire (IQQ), and Students' Cognitive Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ), each consisting of 20 items rated on a four-point Likert scale. The instruments were validated by experts, while their reliability coefficients of 0.84, 0.92 and 0.90 were obtained for TEQ, IQQ and SCEQ respectively using Cronbach's alpha and found to be satisfactory for the study. Data were analysed using simple and multiple linear regression analyses. The findings revealed that teachers' effectiveness accounted for 38.6% of the variance in students' cognitive engagement in Biology and significantly predicted students' cognitive engagement. Instructional quality explained 46.8% of the variance in students' cognitive engagement and also significantly predicted students' cognitive engagement. Furthermore, teachers' effectiveness and instructional quality jointly explained 58.2% of the variance in students' cognitive engagement and jointly made a statistically significant prediction of students' cognitive engagement in Biology. The study concluded that teachers' effectiveness and instructional quality are significant determinants of students' cognitive engagement in Biology and that their combined influence substantially enhances meaningful learning experiences. The study recommended among others that Biology teachers should participate regularly in professional development programmes to strengthen their pedagogical competence, adopt learner-centred instructional approaches that promote cognitive engagement, and receive continuous instructional support through effective classroom supervision.
References
Chi, M. T. H., & Wylie, R. (2014). The ICAP framework: Linking cognitive engagement to active learning outcomes. Educational Psychologist, 49(4), 219–243.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2022). The right to learn: A blueprint for creating schools that work. Jossey-Bass.
Fauth, B., Decristan, J., Rieser, S., Klieme, E., & Büttner, G. (2019). Student ratings of teaching quality in primary school: Dimensions and prediction of student outcomes. Learning and Instruction, 62, 101–110.
Federal Republic of Nigeria. (2023). National Policy on Education (7th ed.). Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.
Fredricks, J. A., Reschly, A. L., & Christenson, S. L. (2023). Handbook of student engagement interventions. Academic Press.
Greene, B. A. (2021). Measuring cognitive engagement with self-regulated learning. Educational Psychologist, 56(4), 325–340.
Hattie, J. (2023). Visible Learning: The Sequel. Routledge.
Holzberger, D., Philipp, A., & Kunter, M. (2013). How teachers' self-efficacy is related to instructional quality: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 774–786.
Kunter, M., Klusmann, U., Baumert, J., Richter, D., Voss, T., & Hachfeld, A. (2013). Professional competence of teachers: Effects on instructional quality and student development. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 805–820.
Kyriakides, L., Creemers, B. P. M., & Antoniou, P. (2019). Teacher behavior and student outcomes: Suggestions for research on teacher training and professional development. Springer.
Labak, I., Kujundžić, I., & Bognar, B. (2024). The effect of changes in teaching methods on pupils' academic performance in Biology. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 21(3), 448–466.
Mapulanga, T., & Bwalya, A. (2024). Teachers' and students' perceptions of teaching-learning activities used in secondary school Biology classrooms: A comparative study. Cogent Education, 11(1), Article 2372144. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2372144
National Research Council. (2012). A framework for K–12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. National Academies Press.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2023). PISA 2022 Results (Volume I): The State of Learning and Equity in Education. OECD Publishing.
Pianta, R. C., Hamre, B. K., & Mintz, S. (2022). Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS): Manual K–3. Paul H. Brookes Publishing.
Praetorius, A. K., & Charalambous, C. Y. (2018). Classroom observation frameworks for studying instructional quality: Looking back and looking forward. Learning and Instruction, 56, 1–13.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press.
Santhosh, M. E., Bhadra, J., Ahmad, Z., & Al-Thani, N. (2024). A meta-analysis to gauge the impact of pedagogies employed in mixed-ability high school Biology classrooms. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11, Article 175. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02338-x
Schiefele, U., & Schaffner, E. (2015). Teacher interests, mastery goals, and self-efficacy as predictors of instructional practices and student motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 42, 159–171.
Sinatra, G. M., & Heddy, B. C. (2022). Fostering deeper cognitive engagement in science learning. Educational Psychologist, 57(2), 101–117.
Stronge, J. H., Ward, T. J., & Grant, L. W. (2011). What makes good teachers good? A cross-case analysis of teacher effectiveness. Journal of Teacher Education, 62(4), 339–355.
UNESCO. (2023). Global Education Monitoring Report 2023. UNESCO.
Van de Grift, W. (2014). Measuring teaching quality in several European countries. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 25(3), 295–311.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Harvard University Press.
Wang, M.-T., Fredricks, J. A., Ye, F., Hofkens, T., & Linn, J. S. (2024). Student engagement and learning in contemporary classrooms: Recent advances and future directions. Educational Psychology Review.
West African Examinations Council. (2024). Chief Examiners' Report on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE): Biology. WAEC.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
I (we) submit this article which is original and unpublished, of my (our) own authorship, to the evaluation of the Veredas do Direito Journal, and agree that the related copyrights will become exclusive property of the Journal, being prohibited any partial or total copy in any other part or other printed or online communication vehicle dissociated from the Veredas do Direito Journal, without the necessary and prior authorization that should be requested in writing to Editor in Chief. I (we) also declare that there is no conflict of interest between the articles theme, the author (s) and enterprises, institutions or individuals.
I (we) recognize that the Veredas do Direito Journal is licensed under a CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE.
Licença Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
