Improving Teaching Quality in IT-Enhanced Learning: The Role of Student Engagement in Chinese Higher Education

The rapid evolution of digital technologies has drastically changed the process of teaching and learning at universities all over the world. Chinese universities have adopted IT-enhanced teaching methods that help improve their effectiveness and reach. Yet, maintaining high levels of teaching quality within IT-enhanced learning is an emerging problem faced by higher education establishments. The present study seeks to identify the factors influencing the quality of IT-enhanced teaching in Henan University of Technology in terms of teacher competency, student engagement, and resource allocation. The present paper employs a mixed-method approach in which the quantitative component is predominant. The surveys were administered to 180 students of the university in order to collect quantitative data, whereas semi-structured interviews were conducted with five teachers as well. The quantitative data analysis involved descriptive statistics, correlation, reliability, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS; the qualitative data was analyzed using an inductive approach. The results suggest that both teacher competency, student engagement, and resource allocation have significant impacts on teaching effectiveness. Of the three variables, student engagement was found to be the most influential factor. In addition, based on the results from the qualitative portion of this research study, student engagement, instructional interaction, and institutional support are important factors in achieving effective digital learning. This research provides valuable contributions to the literature on educational technology, as it gives an example from China in which the impact of student engagement on teaching effectiveness is emphasized. This paper can help universities find ways to improve teaching effectiveness via better engagement, increased teacher competency, and more efficient resource use within their institutions. The findings of this study also contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which emphasizes inclusive and quality education through effective digital learning practices in higher education.