Classroom Environment and Student Engagement of Bachelor of Elementary Education Students

Abstract

Classroom environment plays a critical role in shaping students' learning experiences and academic engagement. While previous studies have established that classroom conditions influence students' participation and motivation, limited empirical evidence exists regarding this relationship among Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) students in local higher education institutions, particularly within the context of Don Carlos Polytechnic College. Addressing this gap, this study examined the relationship between classroom environment and student engagement among 254 third-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) students using a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design. A validated survey questionnaire was employed to assess the respondents' perceptions of classroom environment and their level of student engagement. The findings revealed that the respondents perceived both the classroom environment and student engagement to be at a high level. Among the dimensions of classroom environment, classroom interaction obtained the highest mean, indicating that effective communication, collaboration, and active teacher–student engagement were strongly manifested. Likewise, behavioral engagement emerged as the highest-rated dimension of student engagement, suggesting that students consistently participated in classroom activities, fulfilled academic responsibilities, and actively engaged in learning tasks. Correlation analysis further revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between classroom environment and student engagement, indicating that supportive, interactive, and well-managed classroom settings are associated with increased student participation, motivation, and academic involvement. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on learning environments by providing empirical evidence from a local higher education context, reinforcing the proposition that a positive classroom environment serves as a significant factor in fostering student engagement. The study further underscores the importance of creating learner-centered and supportive instructional environments that can enhance educational quality and inform future research and institutional policies aimed at improving teaching and learning outcomes.