Student Engagement and Teachers' Pedagogy: Predictors of Students' Academic Performance in Physical Education

Student engagement and teachers' pedagogy are crucial predictors of academic performance in Physical Education (PE), essential for enhancing educational strategies and improving student outcomes. This study investigated the factors influencing PE academic performance among first-year college students at Liceo de Cagayan University, aiming to explore the causal predictive between student engagement, teachers’ pedagogy, and academic performance. Using a quantitative approach with causal-predictive research designs, data were collected through survey questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, and multiple linear regression. Results showed high levels of student engagement, with emotional engagement (M=4.53, S=0.55), being the highest followed by cognitive (M=4.44, SD= 0.57) and behavioral engagement (M=4.42, SD=0.60). Teachers’ pedagogical practices, particularly student-centered, through technology integration scored slightly lower. Students demonstrated excellent academic performance, with the highest mean scores linked to solid engagement and effective teaching practices. Significant correlations were found among behavioral (P=.007), emotional (P=.049), cognitive engagement (P=.020), student-centered approaches (P=.002), technology integration(P=.008), and pedagogical practices (P=.002), with academic performance. However, the data indicated a slight positive relationship, suggesting no single variable or combination of variables significantly predicted academic performance in PE. In conclusion, the study highlighted high student engagement and effective pedagogical practices as vital contributors to excellent academic performance. Despite significant correlations, the small effect size suggests that other unexplored factors may also influence academic success. Future research may explore additional variables and employ diverse methods for deeper insights.