The impact of multidimensional engagement on professional learning outcomes for secondary school teachers

This study examined the relationship between secondary school teachers' multidimensional engagement (cognitive, emotional, and social) and their professional learning outcomes following a nationwide summer capacity-building program in Ethiopia. A quantitative correlational design was employed with 77 natural science teachers who completed a validated engagement survey and a post-training knowledge test. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlations, simple linear regressions, and multiple regression in SPSS, with rigorous testing of regression assumptions including White's test for heteroscedasticity and multicollinearity diagnostics. Simple regression analyses revealed that all three engagement dimensions were significantly associated with learning outcomes individually, with emotional engagement showing the strongest association (14.4% variance explained, p < .001), followed by cognitive (9.1%, p = .008) and social engagement (6.6%, p = .024). However, when all three dimensions were entered simultaneously in multiple regression, only emotional engagement remained independently associated with learning outcomes ( β = 0.288, p = .033), while cognitive ( β = 0.141, p = .276) and social engagement ( β = 0.044, p = .738) were not independently associated. The combined model explained 16.3% of the variance in learning outcomes ( R 2 = 0.163, F (3,73) =4.734, p = .004), with 57.7% of explained variance shared among dimensions. Diagnostic tests confirmed all regression assumptions were satisfied (White's test: χ 2 (64) =62.07, p = .545; VIF range = 1.433–1.527). These findings suggest that emotional engagement serves a foundational role in professional learning, with cognitive and social engagement associated with outcomes primarily through shared variance with emotional engagement. Professional development programs should prioritize fostering emotional engagement—including interest, enjoyment, and value perception—to enhance teacher learning outcomes. • Emotional engagement uniquely predicted teachers' professional learning outcomes among Ethiopian secondary teachers in the Global South. • Cognitive and social engagement were non-significant in multivariate analysis. • Substantial overlap (57.7%) indicated shared predictive power among engagement dimensions. • Combined model : R 2 =.163, F (3,73)=4.734, p =.004. • Assumptions satisfied : White's test ( p =.545), VIF<1.53.