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The structural relationships between students' field of study choice, learning readiness and academic competence in higher education: the mediating role of student engagement

Yalalem Assefa (Department of Lifelong Learning and Community Development, Woldia University, Woldiya, Ethiopia)
Melaku Mengistu Gebremeskel (Department of Educational Planning and Management, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia)
Shouket Ahmad Tilwani (Department of English, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, AlKharj, Saudi Arabia)
Bekalu Tadesse Moges (Department of Pedagogical Sciences, Woldia University, Woldiya, Ethiopia)
Yibeltal Aemiro Azmera (Department of Educational Planning and Management, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia)

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education

ISSN: 2050-7003

Article publication date: 19 October 2023

Issue publication date: 27 November 2024

125

Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of this study is aimed to estimate the mediating role of student engagement in the structural relationships between students' field of study choice, learning readiness and academic competence of undergraduate students in higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

In the study process, a correlational design was employed. Data were collected from 419 participants who were selected through a simple random sampling technique. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data.

Findings

The study findings showed neither field of study choice nor learning readiness has a significant direct effect on student's academic competence. However, when student engagement, entered the relationships between “field of study choice and academic competence” as well as “learning readiness and academic competence”, the indirect effects became significant. Both conditions, therefore, suggesting student engagement had a full mediation role in the structural relationship models.

Originality/value

Based on the results, it can be concluded that student engagement is shown as one of the key variables used to comprehend how students develop competence in the teaching-learning process. Hence, teachers and academic administrators could use engagement as a strong instrument to optimize students' learning and academic competence to enhance their academic success.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study is supported via funding from Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University project number (PSAU/2023/R/1444).

Citation

Assefa, Y., Gebremeskel, M.M., Tilwani, S.A., Moges, B.T. and Azmera, Y.A. (2024), "The structural relationships between students' field of study choice, learning readiness and academic competence in higher education: the mediating role of student engagement", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 16 No. 5, pp. 1627-1641. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-06-2023-0243

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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