The relationships between student engagement and learning outcome in the undergraduate sports science program in Ethiopia

Abstract

PurposeWhereas the influence of engagement on learning outcomes has been extensively investigated, this has not been studied for undergraduate students of sports science major field. The objective of this study was to measure the extent of student engagement and learning outcomes and further examine their relationships in the context of a sports science program in the Ethiopian public higher education system.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a cross-sectional survey design collecting quantitative data from a random sample (n=83) of volunteered undergraduate sports science students from four public universities in Ethiopia. The student engagement theories were used as guiding frameworks.FindingsFindings reveal above-average levels of engagement and learning outcome scores and low to moderate relations between the scores of engagement and outcomes measured. Both independently and interdependently, the student engagement factors reveal statistically significant relationships with all the measured outcomes, adjusted R2 ranging between 17 and 50 percent (p < 0.001).Research limitations/implicationsBecause of disciplinary focus on sports science and small sample size, generalization is limited in scope.Practical implicationsHigher education teachers and administrators who work with undergraduates of sports science major should take into consideration the contexts and the relevance of student engagement for greater learning outcomes, especially student-teacher relationships. Hence, mandating instructional interventions to promote engagement through authentic faculty development and increasing academic rigor should be serious concerns.Originality/valueUndergraduate students of sports science major field have received little attention in the higher education research literature, and discipline-based education research is a growing field of inquiry. This study addresses this gap.