The Influence of Self-Determination and School Belongingness on Students’ Engagement in Science Education

AUTHOR(S)

CATHERINE B. GIPOLAN

ABSTRACT

—— Low student engagement in science threatens scientific literacy and innovation. The influence of self-determination and school belongingness on students’ engagement in science education was verified. Through a diagnostic design, data were collected from 299 respondents via stratified random sampling and analyzed using multiple linear regression. Findings showed that students’ self-determination was high, school belongingness was very high, and engagement in science education was high. Predictive variables significantly influenced students’ engagement in science education, explaining 23% of the variance (R² = .23), supporting Self-Determination Theory. Future studies may explore other variables, including the competence component of SelfDetermination Theory (SDT) and qualitative insights, while school leaders and educators foster supportive, student-centered environments to enhance science engagement. Keywords: Influence of self-determination, school belongingness, students’ engagement, science education