Learning Engagement as a Predictor of Performance in Mathematics among Nigerian Senior Secondary School Students

Abstract

Learning engagement is a multifactorial paradigm that predicts content achievement. Yet, learning engagement is rarely assessed in conjunction with mathematics. Therefore, this study explored a survey of learning engagement as a predictor of students’ performance in mathematics. A stratified random sampling technique was used to choose a sample of 1200 senior secondary school students from 40 senior secondary schools across the six education districts of Lagos state in Nigeria. A valid and reliable Mathematics Engagement Questionnaire (MEQ, Cronbach alpha=0.81) was used in collecting primary data related to learning engagement while secondary data related to end-of-year examination grades were collected from school records and were used to measure performance in mathematics. The results showed that there were significant associations among behavioural, affective and cognitive engagement, and performance in mathematics. In addition, affective engagement was the greatest contributor to variance in performance in mathematics (β=0.935, p<0.001), and this was trailed by behavioural engagement (β=0.722, p<0.001), and the least contributor to performance in mathematics was cognitive engagement (β=-0.521, p<0.01). It is the suggestion of this study that stakeholders in mathematics education should articulate policies and curricula that allow the development of cognitive, behavioural and affective engagement in order to increase and sustain students’ performance in mathematics.