Pedagogical innovation, student engagement, and academic performance in tertiary institutions: Evidence from problem-based learning, digital tools, and collaborative assessment in African universities.

Background: Tertiary institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa face mounting pressure to produce graduates equipped with critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative capacities aligned with twenty-first-century labour market demands. Traditional pedagogies have been criticised for passive knowledge transmission and inadequate preparation for applied professional practice. Pedagogical innovations offer promising but unevenly adopted pathways to improving student outcomes.

Aim: This study examined how problem-based learning, digital tool integration, and collaborative assessment influence student engagement and academic performance in selected African universities, with institutional support as a moderating variable.

Methodology: A survey-based cross-sectional design using data from 1,140 undergraduate students and 284 academic staff across eight universities in Nigeria, Botswana, and Ghana. Structural equation modelling and hierarchical regression were employed to test hypotheses.

Findings: Problem-based learning showed the strongest engagement effects (β=0.387). Student engagement partially mediated the innovation-performance relationship. Institutional support significantly moderated digital tool integration effects on both engagement and performance.

Contributions: The study disaggregates pedagogical innovation into components and documents differential engagement and performance effects, positioning institutional support as a critical boundary condition in African university contexts.