The Quality of Teacher-Student Interaction and University Students’ Self-Efficacy

Xiaoyan Niu

doi:10.62051/ijgem.v10n5.12

Authors

Xiaoyan Niu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62051/ijgem.v10n5.12

Keywords:

Quality of teacher-student interaction, Self-efficacy, University students, Social cognitive theory, Classroom teaching

Abstract

As a core variable influencing university students’ learning engagement, academic achievement and mental health, the development of self-efficacy is closely linked to the quality of teacher-student interaction in the classroom. Drawing on social cognitive theory, this paper systematically analyses the connotations and dimensions of the quality of teacher-student interaction, and explores four core pathways through which it influences university students’ self-efficacy: verbal persuasion, vicarious experience, direct experience of success, and emotional arousal. Building on this, the paper further distinguishes the differential effects of four interaction types—supportive, challenging, egalitarian, and feedback-oriented interactions—on self-efficacy, and proposes teaching strategies to enhance the quality of interaction in order to strengthen students’ self-efficacy. Research indicates that high-quality teacher-student interaction not only directly enhances students’ self-efficacy but also produces lasting effects through mechanisms such as establishing a safe psychological learning environment, providing precise demonstrations of learning strategies, and promoting positive shifts in students’ attributional styles. This paper provides a theoretical basis for promoting students’ psychological development through the optimisation of teacher-student interaction in higher education practice.

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