Teacher-focused approach to foster student engagement — a hierarchical linear model based on Chinese college students’ psychological capital

Pedagogical effectiveness is context-dependent in Chinese universities: engagement rises when structured, teacher-led instruction is paired with targeted opportunities-especially for responsible students-to exercise autonomy. The study suggests that instead of wholesale adoption of Western models, enhancing engagement in China requires a nuanced approach that leverages the strengths of structured, teacher-led instruction while strategically creating opportunities-particularly for responsible students-to thrive in more autonomous learning environments.