Regression Analysis for Analyzing Students’ Engagement in Mathematics at Higher Education Institution

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of cognitive, affective and behavioral factors, as well as learning approach on higher education students’ engagement in mathematics courses. The research was conducted with the involvement of all students enrolled in the Business Mathematics course at Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Terengganu. A total of 342 students participated in the survey, comprising 200 females and 142 male students. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the relationships between the study variables and student engagement in mathematics learning. The correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between student engagement in mathematics and all examined variables with behavioral aspects demonstrate the highest correlation with student engagement in mathematics learning. However, regression analysis indicates that the affective aspect is the most important factor that influences their engagement in Mathematics followed by behavioral, cognitive and learning approaches. These findings suggest that although observable learning behaviors are strongly associated with engagement, students’ emotional factors play a more central role in sustaining engagement in mathematics learning. Hence, universities play a critical role to cultivate a conducive learning environment that supports students' mental well-being as this not only encourages pleasant emotional experiences but also increases engagement which leads to greater academic achievement throughout their studies.