The effects of career learning experiences on high school students’ engagement in learning: an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study

Introduction Under China’s new National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) reform, high school students have gained greater subject choice autonomy. However, longneglected systematic career education leads to difficulties in making informed decisions, which may negatively affect learning engagement. Limited empirical research has examined the mechanism linking career learning experience to learning engagement among Chinese high school students. Drawing on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this study investigates the predictive effect of career learning experience on learning engagement and its underlying mechanisms. Methods A sequential explanatory mixedmethods design was adopted. Quantitatively, a convenience sample of 513 Chinese high school students completed the Career Exploration and Decision Learning Experience Scale (CEDLES) and the Utrecht Work Engagement ScaleStudent (UWESS). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 (descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, stepwise regression analysis). Qualitatively, semistructured interviews were conducted with nine students and their parents, followed by thematic analysis to explain the quantitative findings. Results Quantitative results showed that: (1) career learning experience and its dimensions (verbal persuasion, vicarious learning, positive/negative physiological and affective states, personal mastery experience) were significantly positively correlated with learning engagement and its dimensions (vigor, dedication, absorption); (2) career learning experience positively predicted learning engagement, explaining 75.9% of the variance, and its five dimensions jointly explained 76.6% of the variance. Qualitative findings revealed that enhanced selfefficacy and clarified outcome expectations were key mechanisms through which career learning experience promotes learning engagement. Discussion This study extends SCCT to the context of China’s new NCEE and provides empirical evidence for career education interventions. The qualitative mechanism explains how career learning experience fosters learning engagement via selfefficacy and outcome expectations. It is recommended that schools implement experiential career learning activities to improve students’ subject selection competence and sustained learning engagement.