ArticleBMC psychology2025
Teacher competence and students' motivation for learning in Chinese higher education: mediating roles of psychological flourishing and student engagement, and the moderating role of AI integration.
Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
This study explores how teacher competence influences university students’ English learning motivation in China, through the mediating roles of students’ psychological flourishing and engagement, and whether integrating AI in teaching moderates these effects. Guided by self-determination theory (SDT), we hypothesized that competent teachers foster an environment that enhances students’ well-being and active involvement, which in turn sustains higher motivation. Survey data were collected from N = 467 undergraduates studying English in Chinese higher education, and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results confirmed that teacher competence positively predicts students’ flourishing in English learning (a state of optimal well-being in the learning context) and student engagement (active participation in learning) (both p < 0.001). In turn, both flourishing and engagement show significant positive effects on students’ English learning motivation (p < 0.001). The mediation analysis revealed that these psychological and behavioral factors significantly carry the influence of teacher competence to motivation. Moreover, AI integration in teaching (e.g. using AI tutoring/chatbot support) moderated the pathway from teacher competence to student outcomes: at higher levels of AI use, the positive effects on engagement and motivation were amplified (interaction p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate an integrated framework where effective teaching and supportive technology jointly promote student motivation, extending SDT to a technology-enhanced context. The study underscores the importance of teacher training for competence, pedagogical strategies focused on student engagement and well-being, and culturally responsive AI-enhanced learning tools. Such a comprehensive approach can sustain and enrich students’ motivation for English learning in Chinese higher education.
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