Student Engagement in the Context of Post-Covid: A Case of Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The impact of covid-19 has called for an urgent need to further understand the
relationship between students' motivated behavior and their engagement. This
study aimed to investigate the links between adaptive cognition and adaptive
behavior and the engagement of college and university students during and after
the covid-19 pandemic. The recent study was framed within several relevant
theories, namely the self-determination theory, the need achievement theory, and
the job demand-resource theoretical model. Structural equation modeling with
JASP software version 0.14.1 was employed as a robust method to investigate
complex relationships in the proposed research model. Data were collected
through an online survey using a structured questionnaire. Respondents comprised
263 students registered at two higher education institutions in Viet Nam. Analysis
results yielded the positive and significant influence of adaptive cognition ( =
0.224) and adaptive behavior ( = 0.489) on student engagement. Furthermore,
anxiety predicted student engagement in our theoretical model, and the
relationship was positive ( = 0.132). We also found a strongly influential
relationship between adaptive cognition and adaptive behavior ( = 0.783). These
findings proposed a critical implication: to promote student engagement in the
context of post-covid, management bodies and leaders in higher education
institutions should adopt a comprehensive approach in which the provision of
psychological conditions is an integral part.