(030) Exploring the contribution of student engagement for enhancing teaching quality in the tertiary education landscape of Mauritius, Dr. Sharmila Pudaruth, Sharonne Wan
Dr. Sharmila Pudaruth and Sharonne Chan Lim Wan
University of Mauritius
Mauritius
DOI: 10.47556/J.IJSR.3.2.2013.5
Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the various determining constructs for promoting student engagement in the tertiary education landscape of Mauritius. It further examines the relationship between student engagement and teaching quality for tertiary education providers in Mauritius.
Design/methodology/approach: The paper applies the data reduction technique using exploratory factor analysis on a sample of 221 respondents from a leading tertiary education provider in Mauritius and condenses a set of 35 attributes into a list of eight (8) comprehensible dimensions contributing towards student engagement in the tertiary landscape.
Findings: The factor analysis identified that students visualise the contributing dimensions of student engagement as a combination of eight (8) factors: ‘effectiveness of lecturers’ skills and competencies’, ‘lecturers’ feedback and attitudes in class’, ‘physical appearance and educational setting’, ‘lecturers’ aptitude in developing a relationship with students’, ‘teaching atmosphere’, ‘type of cooperative learning in class’, ‘effectiveness of break and group assignments’ and ‘quality of lectures’. The correlation analysis has also shown that there is a positive relationship between student engagement and teaching quality.Practical implications: This paper provides valuable knowledge on the effectiveness of student engagement strategies, which can assist both private and public tertiary institutions in enhancing teaching quality that will be favoured by students, academic practitioners and industry practitioners.
Originality/value: Although teaching quality and student engagement have been important research topics for several decades, hardly any research has focused on the contribution of student engagement in the tertiary education landscape in the context of emerging countries. This research is still pioneering work on student engagement and its contribution to teaching quality in the context of Mauritius, which is still a developing nation.
Keywords: Student Engagement, Teaching Quality, Students, Higher Education Landscape, Mauritius
Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Pudaruth, S., and Wan, S., (2013) Exploring the contribution of student engagement for enhancing teaching quality in the tertiary education landscape of Mauritius, Int. J. Sudan Research Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 167-186
