Teacher activities and student participation in university classrooms: a cross-sectional study in the technological era

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.