Examining the Mediating Role of Academic Engagement in the Relationship Between the Perception of Educational Justice and Academic Competence Among Middle School Students in Learning History in the City of Babel

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the mediating role of academic engagement in the relationship between the perception of educational justice and academic competence among middle school students in learning history in the city of Babol. The research method was descriptive-correlational using structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of all middle school students learning history, totaling 2,800 students. Based on the Krejcie-Morgan sampling table (1970), a sample of 338 students from middle schools in Babol was selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Academic Engagement Questionnaire by Gunious and Kouzo (2015), the Academic Competence Evaluation by DiPerna and Elliott (1999), and the Educational Justice Questionnaire by Behrovan et al. (2013). The reliability coefficients for the questionnaires were 0.87, 0.80, 0.78, and 0.90, respectively. The results indicated that the perception of educational justice had an impact on academic engagement (β = 0.185). Additionally, the perception of educational justice influenced academic competence (β = 0.374). Furthermore, academic engagement affected academic competence (β = 0.522). The findings revealed a significant relationship between the perception of educational justice and academic competence through the mediating role of academic engagement (r = 0.270). It is suggested that teachers can enhance academic engagement by employing creative and interactive learning methods, such as historical simulations, multimedia resources, or role-playing activities.