Investigating Perceived Student Engagement and Mathematics Achievement in Contextualized Lessons in TVET Schools: Moderating Effects, Motivation and Interest

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This paper assessed the moderating effects of motivation and interest in the relationship between perceived engagement in contextualized instructions and mathematics achievement among Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students. The study was a descriptive survey conducted in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana’s Ashanti Region. Participants were TVET students from Kumasi Technical Institute (KTI) and the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI). Data was collected using Likert scale style structured questionnaires. Three hundred and sixty-seven (367) students were selected from a total of four thousand five hundred (4500) Electrical Engineering Technology, Fashion Design Technology, and other programmes using simple random sampling. Data was analysed using the Structural Equation Model (SEM) in AMOS (version 23). Demographic factors such as respondents’ gender, age and academic level were found to have a positive and significant influence on mathematics achievement. Perceived engagement had a significant and positive impact on mathematics achievement. Motivation significantly and positively moderated the effects of perceived engagement on mathematics achievement. Interest significantly and positively moderated the effects of perceived engagement on mathematics achievement. The study recommended that teachers should plan mathematics lessons in the context of students’ career courses. Also, mathematics teaching and learning should take place in a supportive and captivating environment that heightens students’ enthusiasm, and mathematics teaching and learning should be planned with the interests of learners and not dictated.