Frontiers in Educational Research, 2024, 7(12); doi: 10.25236/FER.2024.071204.
Wei Zhang1, Mingyue Qin2
1School of Education, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
2School of Stomatology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Innovation capacity is a core competency for the 21st century. Developing undergraduates’ innovation capacity to nurture top talents is a pressing task for universities. This study draws on Astin’s Input-Environment-Output (I-E-O) model and student involvement theory to create a framework exploring how the university support environment and learning engagement jointly influence undergraduates’ innovation capacity. Data from 543 Chinese undergraduates were analyzed using a hybrid approach combines partial least squares - structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The PLS-SEM findings indicate that university support—through curriculum, extracurricular activities, faculty, and facilities—along with learning engagement, positively affects innovation capacity. While PLS-SEM suggests that institutional support does not significantly impact innovation capacities, fsQCA reveals the potential role of all factors in promoting innovation capacity. The findings provide valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for universities and higher education administrators aiming to enhance undergraduates’ innovation capacity.
Innovation capacity, University support environment, Learning engagement, Undergraduate students
Wei Zhang, Mingyue Qin. University Support Environment, Learning Engagement, and the Cultivation of Undergraduate Students’ Innovation Capacity: Findings from PLS-SEM and fsQCA. Frontiers in Educational Research (2024) Vol. 7, Issue 12: 23-34. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2024.071204.
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