Investigating Factors Affecting Student Course Engagement at University: The Case of Third Year Undergraduate EFL Students at the Department of English, University of Algiers 2
Investigating Factors Affecting Student Course Engagement at University: The Case of Third Year Undergraduate EFL Students at the Department of English, University of Algiers 2

Summary/Abstract: Issues relating to student engagement with their studies have become high on the agendas of higher education institutions both locally and globally. This paper reports on a research aiming to investigate the factors that determine student engagement in the different degree courses within a sample of 50 third year undergraduate EFL students in the Department of English, University of Algiers 2 during the first semester of the academic year 2024/2025. Data for the study were collected using a mixed questionnaire and follow-up interviews. The findings have shown that course credit, interest in course content, attendance policy, career pressure, campus environment, use of technological tools, classroom tasks, perceived usefulness of the course, assessment mode, students’ rapport with the teacher, along with classroom interaction and intrinsic motivation are factors that influence student engagement. Although these factors were found to affect student engagement to greater or lesser extent, the teacher’s instructional style was found to be the most determining factor. Based on the findings of this study, some suggestions are made to students, teachers, and policymakers in order to help students engage more deeply with their courses. It is recommended that future research examines the impact of such factors as intrinsic motivation, as well as interaction on student course engagement at university in more detail in order to advance related scholarship and practice in this area.

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