Driving Factors of Students’ Achievement: A Case Study of A Private University in Zhanjiang, China

Authors

  • Yueming Qin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/shserj.2025.70
CITATION
DOI: 10.14456/shserj.2025.70
Published: 2025-09-29

Keywords:

Teacher Commitment, Emotional Intelligence, Professional Development, Professional Community

Abstract

Purpose: This study explores the factors that affect students’ achievement in private universities in China. This study investigated the impact of four independent variables (teacher commitment, emotional intelligence, professional development, and professional community) on the dependent variable (student achievement). Research Design, Data, and Methodology: The validity and reliability of the survey questionnaire were tested using the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) and Cronbach Alpha (n=30). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the effective survey questionnaire data of 70 teachers from Zhanjiang University of Science and Technology to verify the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Then, a 14-week IDI intervention was conducted on 30 teachers, and paired sample t-tests were conducted on data before and after the IDI to verify the impact of IDI on variables. Results: The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicate that teacher commitment, emotional intelligence, professional development, and professional community have a significant impact on student achievement. The paired sample t-test results indicate that teacher commitment, emotional intelligence, professional development, and professional community have significantly improved after IDI, and student achievement has also significantly improved after IDI. Conclusions: Teacher commitment, emotional intelligence, professional development, and professional community can affect the student’s achievement at Chinese private universities. Student achievement can be enhanced by enhancing teacher commitment, emotional intelligence, professional development, and professional community.

Author Biography

Yueming Qin

Ph.D. Candidate in Educational Administration and Leadership, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Assumption University, Thailand.

References

Alam, A., & Ahmad, M. (2017). The impact of instructional leadership, professional communities, and extra responsibilities for teachers on student achievement. International Journal of Educational Management, 31(3), 383-395.

https://doi.org/10.1108/ijem-09-2015-0126

Alam, A., & Ahmad, M. (2018). The role of teachers' emotional intelligence in enhancing student achievement. Journal of Asia Business Studies, 12(1), 31-43. https://doi.org/10.1108/jabs-08-2015-0134

Aliakbari, M., & Amoli, F. A. (2016). The effects of teacher empowerment on teacher commitment and student achievement. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 7(4), 649.

Altun, M. (2017). The Effects of Teacher Commitment on Student Achievement: A Case Study in Iraq. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(11), 51-54. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v7-i11/3475

Alvarez, R. (2008). The Relationship of Teacher Quality and Student Achievement in Elementary Schools from the New York City. Online Submission, 1(2), 135.

Blank, R. K., De Las Alas, N., & Smith, C. (2007). Analysis of the quality of professional development programs for mathematics and science teachers: Findings from a cross-state study. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers, 25, 1-10.

Chang, I. H. (2011). A study of the relationships between distributed leadership, teacher academic optimism and student achievement in Taiwanese elementary schools. School Leadership & Management, 31(5), 491-515.

Clark, V. L. P., & Ivankova, N. V. (2017). Mixed methods research. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3), 305-306.

Cohen, D. K., & Hill, H. C. (2000). Instructional policy and classroom performance: The mathematics reform in California. Teachers’ college record, 102(2), 294-343.

Cranston, J. (2007). Holding the reins of the professional learning community: Principals' perceptions of the normative imperative to develop schools as professional learning communities. Holding the reins of the professional learning community, 1(2), 1-328.

Day, C., & Sachs, J. (2004). Professionalism, Performativity and Empowerment: Discourses in the Politics, Policies and Purposes of Continuing Professional Development. In C. Day, & J. Sachs (Eds.), International Handbook on the Continuing Professional Development of Teachers (pp. 3-32). Open University Press.

Derri, V., Vasiliadou, O., & Kioumourtzoglou, E. (2015). The effects of a short-term professional development program on physical education teachers’ behavior and students’ engagement in learning. European Journal of Teacher Education, 38(2), 234-262. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2014.947024

Duschl, R. A., Shouse, A. W., & Schweingruber, H. A. (2007). What research says about K-8 science learning and teaching. PRINCIPAL-ARLINGTON-, 87(2), 16.

El Kalai, I., Kirmi, B., & Lhassan, I. A. (2022). Investigating the effect of teacher commitment on student academic: The case of Moroccan high schools in Tangier. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), 10(8), 350-363. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v10i8.1507

Guskey, T. R. (2003). What makes professional development effective?. Phi Delta Kappan, 84(10), 748-750.

https://doi.org/10.1177/003172170308401007

Hair, F. J., Sarstedt, M., Hopkins, L., & Kuppelwieser, V. G. (2014). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) An emerging tool in business research. European business review, 26(2), 106-121.

Hashmi, A., Khalid, M., & Yasmin, S. (2021). Paternalistic Leadership, Teachers' Commitment, and their Job Satisfaction: A Panorama of Secondary Schools. Ilkogretim Online, 20(4), 1722-1732.

King, M. B., & Newmann, F. M. (2000). Will teacher be learning advance school goals? Phi delta kappan, 81(8), 576.

Kushman, J. W. (1992). The organizational dynamics of teacher workplace commitment: A study of urban elementary and middle schools. Educational administration quarterly, 28(1), 5-42. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161x92028001002

Lee, J. C. K., Zhang, Z., & Yin, H. (2011). A multilevel analysis of the impact of a professional learning community, faculty trust in colleagues and collective efficacy on teacher commitment to students. Teaching and teacher education, 27(5), 820-830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2011.01.006

Lomos, C. (2012). Professional communities and student achievement - a meta-analysis. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 22(2), 121-148. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2010.550467

Lomos, C., Hofman, R. H., & Bosker, R. J. (2011). Professional communities and student achievement - a meta-analysis. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 22(2), 121-148.

Louis, K. S. (2006). Changing the culture of schools: Professional community, organizational learning, and trust. Journal of school leadership, 16(5), 477-489. https://doi.org/10.1177/105268460601600502

Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. R. (2004). TARGET ARTICLES:" emotional intelligence: Theory, findings, and Implications". Psychological inquiry, 15(3), 197-215. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1503_02

Meyer, J. P., & Allen, N. J. (1991). A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment. Human resource management review, 1(1), 61-89.

Moller, S., Mickelson, R. A., Stearns, E., Banerjee, N., & Bottia, M. C. (2013). Collective pedagogical teacher culture and mathematics achievement: Differences by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Sociology of Education, 86(2), 174-194. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040712472911

Mushayikwa, E., & Lubben, F. (2009). Self-directed professional development-Hope for teachers working in deprived environments? Teaching and teacher education, 25(3), 375-382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2008.12.003

Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric Theory. McGraw-Hill.

Petrides, K. V., & Furnham, A. (2001). Trait emotional intelligence: Psychometric investigation with reference to established trait taxonomies. European journal of personality, 15(6), 425-448. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.416

Roth, K. J., Wilson, C. D., Taylor, J. A., Stuhlsatz, M. A., & Hvidsten, C. (2019). Comparing the effects of analysis-of-practice and content-based professional development on teacher and student outcomes in science. American Educational Research Journal, 56(4), 1217-1253. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831218814759

Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, cognition, and personality, 9(3), 185-211. https://doi.org/10.2190/dugg-p24e-52wk-6cdg

Somech, A., & Bogler, R. (2002). Antecedents and consequences of teacher organizational and professional commitment. Educational administration quarterly, 38(4), 555-577. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316102237672

Taherdoost, H. (2016). Validity and Reliability of the Research Instrument; How to Test the Validation of a Questionnaire/Survey in a Research. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3205040

Van Rooy, D. L., & Viswesvaran, C. (2004). Emotional intelligence: A meta-analytic investigation of predictive validity and nomological net. Journal of vocational Behavior, 65(1), 71-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0001-8791(03)00076-9

Vescio, V., Ross, D., & Adams, A. (2008). A review of research on the impact of professional learning communities on teaching practice and student learning. Teaching and teacher education, 24(1), 80-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.01.004

Vonk, H. (1991). Some trends in the development of curricula for the professional preparation of primary and secondary school teachers in Europe: A comparative study. British Journal of Educational Studies, 39(2), 117-137.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.1991.9973879

Wang, L. (2022). Exploring the relationship among teacher emotional intelligence, work engagement, teacher self-efficacy, and student academic achievement: A moderated mediation model. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 810559.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.810559

Welmilla, I. (2020). Students’ perspective on the emotional intelligence of teachers on student engagement. International Business Research, 13(4), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v13n4p30

Wong, C. S., & Law, K. S. (2002). The effects of leader and follower emotional intelligence on performance and attitude: An exploratory study. The leadership quarterly, 13(3), 243-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1048-9843(02)00099-1

Downloads

Published

2025-09-29

How to Cite

Qin, Y. (2025). Driving Factors of Students’ Achievement: A Case Study of A Private University in Zhanjiang, China. Scholar: Human Sciences, 17(3), 81-90. https://doi.org/10.14456/shserj.2025.70