Relationship between learner-centered classes and academic achievement of high school students: Focusing on the longitudinal mediating effect of school happiness

In order to analyze the longitudinal effect of learner-centered classes of general high school students on academic achievement through school happiness, this study conducted a univariate and multivariate latent growth model analysis using data of 1,833 general high school students in the 4th and 6th years of the BELS. First, looking at the development trajectory of each research variable, it was confirmed that the average and rate of change of all variables were statistically significant, and there was a difference between individuals in changes according to grades, and students with high initial values were likely to have a relatively high rate of change. However, as the grade went up, learner-centered classes and school happiness decreased, but there was a difference in academic achievement. Next, as a result of verifying the influence of each path of the multivariate latent growth model, statistically significant influence of all paths was confirmed, but there was a difference in static and negative influence. Finally, as a result of analyzing the longitudinal mediating effect of school happiness in the relationship between learner-centered class and academic achievement, statistically significant partial mediating effect was verified in each path of initial value and rate of change. In particular, the initial value of learner-centered classes was found to have a statistically significant negative effect on the initial value of academic achievement, but statistically significant static mediating paths were analyzed when school happiness was used as a parameter.