Degrees and Promoting Factors of Student Engagement at Bangkok Christian College

Abstract

           This research aimed to (1) examine the degrees of student engagement in school operations at Bangkok Christian College in Academic Year 2024, and (2) investigate the promoting factors of student engagement in school operations under study. A multistage quantitative-qualitative methods (Explanatory Design) was used, with a constructed questionnaire on student engagement, followed by a semi-structured interview tool. The participants consisted of 246 Grade 12 students and five school administrators, totaling 251 individuals. The results revealed that the participating students exhibited a high degrees of student engagement, with emotional engagement rated the highest (𝑥̅ = 4.04, SD = 0.694), followed by behavioral (𝑥̅ = 3.71, SD = 0.667), and cognitive engagement (𝑥̅ = 3.67, SD = 0.766), respectively. The promoting factors were categorized into three domains. (i) In the aspect of personnel, teachers played a vital role in providing reasoning to guide student behavior rather than give directive commands. (ii) Positive teacher-student relationships and individual follow-up were key strengths, and peer influence was found to positively affect learning behaviors. (iii) In terms of management, the school provided meaningful and challenging activities that encouraged participation, gave students opportunities to express their opinions, and helped them feel involved in the classroom process. Clear and transparent assessment criteria enabled students to set goals and monitor their academic progress. In addition, learning resources support classroom climate; and well-paced learning activities contributed to students’ concentration and engagement. Although physical learning tools were not explicitly emphasized, their value was embedded in the meaningful activities designed to foster authentic learning experiences. The obtained findings were expected to generate practical implications for secondary school management in similar contexts in support of students’ responsive engagement strategies, positive attitudes, and learning experiences.