Abstract

Persistent underachievement in secondary school mathematics in Nigeria has drawn attention to data-informed teaching practices and to student engagement as possible levers for improvement, yet evidence on how these factors predict achievement in Nigerian classrooms remains limited. This study examined the extent to which learning analytics and classroom engagement predict mathematics achievement among senior secondary school students. A descriptive survey of the correlational type was conducted with 100 senior secondary school students selected from public secondary schools through multistage sampling. Data were collected using the Learning Analytics, Classroom Engagement and Mathematics Achievement Questionnaire (LACEMAQ; Cronbach’s α = .84 for learning analytics, .87 for classroom engagement and .86 overall), while mathematics achievement scores were obtained from school assessment records. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression at the .05 level of significance. Students reported high exposure to learning analytics practices (grand mean = 3.45 on a 4-point scale) and high classroom engagement (grand mean = 3.43). Learning analytics did not significantly predict mathematics achievement (β = .086, t = 0.850, p = .398; R² = .007; F(1, 98) = 0.722). Classroom engagement significantly predicted mathematics achievement (β = .268, t = 2.750, p = .007; R² = .072; F(1, 98) = 7.561), accounting for 7.2% of the variance. Classroom engagement, but not the current form of learning analytics practice, is a significant predictor of mathematics achievement. Schools should prioritise learner-centred strategies that raise active participation, while investing in the infrastructure and teacher data literacy needed for learning analytics to move beyond record-keeping to actionable, personalised intervention.

Keywords: learning analytics, classroom engagement, mathematics achievement, secondary education, data-informed teaching, Nigeria,

Cite this article: