Effect of the Professor's Ethical Philosophy and Perception of Class Quality on Critical Thinking and Sense of Belonging to the University, with the Mediating Role of Academic Goal Orientation among Students at Al-Iraqia University in Baghdad.

Abstract

This research aims to examine the relationship between the professor's ethical philosophy, perception of class quality, critical thinking, and sense of belonging to the university, with the mediating role of academic goal orientation among students at Al-Iraqia University in Baghdad. The study population consisted of all students at Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad. Based on Cochran's sampling formula and considering the large size of the population, a sample of 384 students was selected through cluster random sampling. Data were collected using the following questionnaires: Kojala's (2009) Ethical Philosophy, Seraaj's (2002) Teaching Quality, Bried, Betty, and Watt's (2004) Sense of Belonging to the University, Elliott and McGregor et al.'s (2001) Academic Goal Orientation, and Ricketts' (2003) Critical Thinking. The reliability of the questionnaires was 0.78, 0.80, 0.82, 0.88, and 0.78, respectively. The results indicated that the professor's ethical philosophy had no significant relationship with students' critical thinking (r = 0.009). However, the professor's ethical philosophy was significantly related to students' sense of belonging to the university (r = 0.238). There was a significant relationship between the perception of class quality and critical thinking (r = 0.192) and between the perception of class quality and students' sense of belonging to the university (r = 0.536). Furthermore, academic goal orientation had a significant relationship with critical thinking (r = 0.649) and a sense of belonging (r = 0.221) among students. The professor's ethical philosophy showed a significant relationship with students' sense of belonging through the mediating role of academic goal orientation (r = 0.039). Perception of class quality also had a significant relationship with students' sense of belonging through the mediating role of academic goal orientation (r = 0.075). The results showed a significant relationship between the professor's ethical philosophy and critical thinking with the mediating role of academic goal orientation (r = 0.115). Additionally, perception of class quality had a significant relationship with critical thinking with the mediating role of academic goal orientation (r = 0.221).