A Study On The Effects Of Teacher Autonomy Support On Academic Engagement Of Upper Elementary School Students

Academic engagement has been widely discussed by scholars as an important indicator reflecting quality development in education.Academic engagement is variable and can be influenced by the external environment.Therefore,it is vital to explore how the external environment contributes to students’ academic engagement.Social support has a positive contribution to academic engagement,and teacher support has the greatest positive contribution to students’ academic engagement among social support.Therefore,this study explores the mechanisms underlying the effect of teacher’s autonomy support on academic engagement in upper elementary school students based on self-determination theory.This study used literature reading,questionnaires,and interviews to explore how upper elementary students’ teacher autonomy support directly influences academic engagement.Second,self-efficacy theory was used to explore whether upper elementary students’ perceptions of teacher autonomy support can have an impact on learning engagement through the mediating role of academic self-efficacy.The following conclusions were drawn from the analysis of 434 student questionnaires and interviews with teachers in this study.(1)There were no significant gender differences in upper elementary school students’ teacher autonomy support,academic self-efficacy,and engagement in learning.However,there were significant grade differences in student engagement.(2)There was a significant positive relationship between teacher autonomy support,academic self-efficacy and student engagement in upper elementary school students.(3)The degree of teacher autonomy support of upper elementary school students positively predicted academic self-efficacy and engagement in learning.And the degree of academic self-efficacy positively predicted students’ engagement in learning.(4)The academic self-efficacy and its dimensions in upper elementary school students partially mediated the perception of teacher autonomy support and engagement in learning and its dimensions.(5)Teachers’ level of theoretical knowledge,personal competency experience,and the school’s management system can influence the implementation of autonomous support behaviors.This study argues that promoting student engagement in learning requires,on the one hand,awakening teachers’ awareness of autonomy support,providing an environment conducive to teacher autonomy support,and fostering the adoption of correct autonomy support behaviors.On the other hand,teachers can also achieve the effect of promoting students’ engagement in learning by enhancing students’ academic self-efficacy.