Work

Perceived quality of teaching and course engagement in entrepreneurship education: the moderating role of teacher interpersonal behaviour among first-year undergraduates at a Chinese university

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This cross-sectional, single-institutional study investigates associations between perceived quality of teaching (PQT) and first-year undergraduates’ student course engagement (SCEn) within entrepreneurship education and examines the statistical moderating role of teacher interpersonal behaviour (IB). Survey data of 456 first-year undergraduates from 16 schools at one provincial university were analysed via Partial Least-Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Results show a substantial positive cross-sectional association between PQT and SCEn ( β = 0.516, p < 0.001). IB also exhibits a positive statistical association with SCEn ( β = 0.403, p < 0.001). Teacher IB significantly moderates the PQT-SCEn association, yet the magnitude of this moderating effect is modest ( β = 0.068, p = 0.038). These correlational findings suggest that student course engagement is correlated with both perceived quality of teaching and teacher interpersonal behaviour. For entrepreneurship-education practice, the findings point to the value of integrating pedagogical improvement with supportive interpersonal teaching practices to foster student course engagement and inform curriculum design and faculty development.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1936338

Author: Dake Lin

Institutions: Wenzhou University, SEGi University

Language: English

Topic: Evaluation of Teaching Practices

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801