Correlation of Student Engagement in Bluebonnet Learning and Academic Performance in Middle School Mathematics

Abstract

Student engagement is a key factor influencing academic performance, particularly in middle school mathematics, where motivation and active participation are often challenging. This study examined the relationship between eighth-grade students’ engagement with Bluebonnet Learning mathematics materials and their academic performance. Using a correlational design, 56 eighth-grade students participated through universal sampling during the first semester of the 2025–2026 academic year. Engagement was measured using the validated Student Engagement with Bluebonnet Learning (SEBL) instrument (α = 0.87), and mathematics performance was assessed via a teacher-made midterm examination aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS; α = 0.85). Descriptive analyses indicated moderate to high engagement across behavioral, cognitive, and emotional domains, with cognitive engagement scoring highest (M = 3.27, SD = 0.48). Pearson correlations showed positive relationships between all engagement domains and mathematics performance, with cognitive engagement exhibiting the strongest correlation (r = .56, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that cognitive engagement was the only statistically significant unique predictor of mathematics performance (β = .41, t = 3.28, p = .002), accounting for the largest proportion of variance (R² = .36, adjusted R² = .32). These findings suggest that deeper cognitive involvement with structured, standards-aligned materials supports higher academic achievement, highlighting the importance of instructional strategies that promote behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement in middle school mathematics classrooms.