Integrating Kurikulum Merdeka in Language Education and Psychological Dimensions among University Students in Sumatra, Indonesia: A Mixed Methods Study
Keywords:
student well-being, innovative pedagogy, learning environment, academic engagement, Finnish higher educationAbstract
This study investigates the relationships among learning environment quality, innovative pedagogical practices, student well-being, academic engagement, and educational outcomes in Finnish higher education institutions. Employing a quantitative survey design with structural equation modeling, data were collected from 487 undergraduate and postgraduate students across five Finnish universities. The findings demonstrate that physically and psychologically supportive learning environments significantly predict both student well-being and academic engagement, which jointly mediate the relationship between pedagogical innovation and educational outcomes including academic achievement and graduation intention. Phenomenon-based learning, collaborative knowledge construction, and formative feedback practices emerged as the most impactful innovative pedagogical approaches for student well-being and engagement. The study contributes empirical evidence to the growing body of research on well-being-centered higher education and offers implications for policy and practice aimed at sustaining Finland's internationally recognized educational excellence at the university level.
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