The Mediating Roles of Teacher Behaviors and Classroom Management in the Relationship Between Teacher Professional Development and Student Engagement: An Empirical Study of Primary Schools in Nanchang, China

Abstract

Teacher professional development (TPD) is widely regarded as a cornerstone of educational improvement, yet the mechanisms through which it translates into enhanced student outcomes remain underexplored, especially in non‐Western contexts. This study investigates the mediating roles of teacher behaviors (TB) and classroom management practices (CM) in the relationship between TPD and teacher‐perceived student engagement (SE) in Chinese elementary schools. Drawing on Self‐Determination Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, we analyzed survey data from 300 elementary school teachers in Nanchang, China, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results indicate that TPD significantly and positively predicts TB (β = 0.58, p < 0.001), CM (β = 0.54, p < 0.001), and SE (β = 0.22, p < 0.01). More importantly, both TB (indirect effect = 0.18, 95% CI [0.10, 0.26]) and CM (indirect effect = 0.21, 95% CI [0.12, 0.30]) serve as significant partial mediators, accounting for 32.1% and 37.5% of the total effect, respectively. The model explains 68.2% of the variance in SE. These findings reconceptualize TPD not as an outcome of teaching practice but as a critical antecedent that enhances teaching quality and, subsequently, student engagement. The study offers theoretical and practical insights for teacher development in rapidly urbanizing educational contexts, with particular implications for large‐class settings in China.