Abstract
This study investigated how interactive teaching, constructive feedback, technology use, and teacher-student relationships influence student participation in Bangladeshi universities. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design, data were collected from 417 students across public and private universities through structured questionnaires. Analyses using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, ANOVA, and regression models tested ten hypotheses. Results showed significant positive associations between interactive teaching and participation (ρ = 0.386, p < .001), and between teacher feedback and motivation (ρ = 0.415, p < .001). Technology use was positively associated with both interactive teaching and student participation, indicating a mediating relationship. The findings suggest that technology use is more strongly associated with participation when combined with interactive pedagogy and emotional support. However, not all hypotheses were supported; particularly the moderation effect of technology use (H₅), and demographic differences by gender and academic discipline (H₈, H₉), which were not statistically significant. Despite limitations such as self-reported data and a single-country focus, the study contributes to understanding how pedagogy, technology, and relational factors jointly foster engagement. It offers practical insights for educators and policymakers to design more interactive, inclusive, and motivating learning environments.
Data availability
The data used and analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors extend their sincere gratitude to all participants for their honest feedback and cooperation. Special appreciation is given to the Skill Morph Research Lab., Skill Morph, Dhaka, Bangladesh, for their technical support and administrative facilitation throughout the study. We would also like to acknowledge the assistance of generative AI, specifically ChatGPT 5.2, in supporting the writing process of this manuscript. The AI was utilized to enhance the language, improve clarity, and assist with the overall refinement of the text.
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- Farhana Yasmin: Conceptualization, Research Design, Data Collection Supervision, Formal Analysis, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, and Overall Project Administration.- Sabina Akter: Data Curation, Literature Review, Instrument Development, Data Curation, Methodology, and Writing – Review & Editing.- Md. Touhiduzzaman: Methodology, Data Curation, Statistical Analysis, Visualization, and Validation of Findings.- Md. Waresul Zannat Razu: Data Interpretation, Methodology Refinement, and Critical Review of the Manuscript.- Md. Alamgir Hossain: Data Curation, Theoretical Framework Development, Expert Guidance, Formal Analysis and Final Manuscript Revision for Intellectual Content.
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All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committees, as well as with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its subsequent amendments. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Skill Morph Ethics Committee, Dhaka, Bangladesh (Approval Reference: SkillMorph/ES/2025/02(06)). All methods were carried out in accordance with the relevant institutional guidelines and regulations. Prior to participation, informed consent was obtained from all participants, ensuring that their involvement was voluntary and based on a clear understanding of the study’s purpose and procedures.
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Yasmin, F., Akter, S., Touhiduzzaman, M. et al. Teacher activities and student participation in university classrooms: a cross-sectional study in the technological era. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36080-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36080-6
