Unraveling the Psychological and Behavioral Dynamics of Classroom Improvement: Insights from TALIS Shanghai Data

Weitong Liu¹Xinwei Chang²Yuxuan Yan¹Hui Zhang^1*

• ¹Shandong University, Jinan, China
• ²University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

Understanding the factors that contribute to variations in student learning outcomes is essential for improving the effectiveness of classroom teaching. While prior studies have examined various instructional elements using survey-based data, limited research has explored the psychological and behavioral mechanisms through which teaching practices influence learning within real classroom contexts. Drawing on data from the 2018 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) in Shanghai, China, this study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine how classroom management and teacher emotional support impact student achievement through classroom interaction, cognitive engagement, and subject-specific self-efficacy. The results reveal a dual effect of classroom management: while it improves the quality of interactions, it simultaneously reduces the frequency of interaction, thereby weakening students’ efficacy and achievement. In contrast, emotional support from teachers enhances both the frequency and quality of classroom interactions, ultimately promoting cognitive engagement and academic performance. Moreover, interaction quantity and quality exert comparable influences on outcomes, with cognitive engagement and subject-specific efficacy functioning as key mediators. These findings shed light on the psychological and behavioral dynamics underlying classroom improvement, highlight the value of emotionally supportive and interaction-balanced teaching practices, and provide empirical support for both social-cognitive and constructivist theories of learning.