Teachers' enthusiasm and humor and its' lagged relationships with students' enjoyment and boredom - A latent trait-state-approach

Following Pekrun's (2006) control-value theory of achievement emotions, we investigated carry-over effects and cross-lagged relationships between student-perceived teacher enthusiasm and humor and students' enjoyment and boredom both within and between university lectures. We used a latent state-trait approach to acknowledge the role of situational factors in this relationship. Data were collected from 559 university students (76% female, mean age 21.6 years) from seven different lecture courses. We assessed students' self-reported emotions and student-perceived teacher enthusiasm and content-related humor over a period of four lectures at three random points during each lecture course. The analyses revealed that all variables were influenced by previous measures within lectures; however, between lectures, only previous enjoyment and humor influenced the subsequent measure. When students experienced boredom, they perceived less teacher enthusiasm and humor. On the other hand, perceived teacher humor positively affected enjoyment within lectures.     

Science motivation questionnaire II: Validation with science majors and nonscience majors

From the perspective of social cognitive theory, the motivation of students to learn science in college courses was examined. The students—367 science majors and 313 nonscience majors—responded to the Science Motivation Questionnaire II, which assessed five motivation components: intrinsic motivation, self‐determination, self‐efficacy, career motivation, and grade motivation. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence of questionnaire construct validity. The motivation components, especially self‐efficacy, were related to the students' college science grade point averages. The science majors scored higher than the nonscience majors on all of the motivation components. Among both science majors and nonscience majors, men had higher self‐efficacy than women, and women had higher self‐determination than men. The findings suggest that the questionnaire is a valid and efficient tool for assessing components of students' motivation to learn science in college courses, and that the components play a role in students' science achievement. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 48: 1159–1176, 2011     

Feeling and showing: A new conceptualization of dispositional teacher enthusiasm and its relation to students' interest

Although teacher enthusiasm is a relevant variable in the teaching context, a clear definition is still lacking. Research on teacher enthusiasm is characterized by ambiguous conceptualizations of enthusiasm as either an affective characteristic of teachers or behaviors of expressiveness. Integrating these two notions, a new conceptualization of dispositional teacher enthusiasm, defined by teachers' positive affect and positive emotional expressivity, was developed. It was hypothesized that dispositional teacher enthusiasm would relate to students' interest, mediated by students' perceived teacher enthusiasm. Based on a correlational study design, secondary teachers (N = 75) from Switzerland reported on their enthusiasm, complemented by student ratings (N = 1523) on perceived enthusiasm and interest. Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that dispositional teacher enthusiasm positively predicted students' interest, which was fully mediated by students' perceived enthusiasm, providing the basis of a valid definition of teacher enthusiasm. Based on this integrative definition, implications for future research are discussed.     

Teacher support and its influence on students' intrinsic value and effort: Dimensional comparison effects across subjects

While positive influences of teacher support on students' motivational development have been widely shown, existing research has not yet considered that students' school experiences are interrelated across classrooms and subjects. The aims of this study were, thus, twofold: (a) To investigate the effects of teacher support on the development of students' intrinsic value and effort; and (b) based on dimensional comparison theory, to examine potential cross-subject contrast effects of teacher support in one subject on students' intrinsic value and effort in another subject. Using a sample of 1155 German students assessed in Grade 5 and 6, multilevel latent change models revealed positive within-subject associations between teacher support and intrinsic value and effort. Furthermore, support for contrast effects was found. Higher levels of teacher support in one subject were related negatively to intrinsic value and effort in another subject, calling for the examination of students' classroom experiences as interrelated across subjects.     

Toward a general model of instructional communication

A general model of instructional communication is advanced and the linkages of four components in the model are tested. Data were drawn from college teachers and college students through a split‐class design which permitted collection of unique data from teachers and two sets of their students. Using by‐class analyses of data it was determined that teacher self‐reported temperament is significantly correlated with students' perceptions of the teachers' communication behaviors and the students' evaluation of teachers' source credibility and task attractiveness. All of these measures were also found to predict learning outcomes and teacher evaluations of another group of students. The results support the general model and provide a foundation for future research in instructional communication.     

Predicting the Grades of Low-Income–Ethnic-Minority Students From Teacher-Student Discrepancies in Reported Motivation

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of discrepancies between teachers' perceptions of students' motivation and students' reports of their motivation on math and English grades and to identify possible gender and ethnic differences. Participants included 215 low-income, ethnic-minority students and their teachers in academically struggling schools. Discrepancy in motivation ratings accounted for a significant amount of variation in final grades. This teacher-student discrepancy effect was larger than both the effect of students' recent standardized test scores and the effect of self-efficacy in both subjects. Girls were found to attract positive teacher bias, but their grades were not differentially affected. Differences in teacher-student discrepancy effects between African American and Latino students were not found.     

Reciprocal effects between intrinsic reading motivation and reading competence? A cross‐lagged panel model for academic track and nonacademic track students

Previous research has demonstrated positive relations between intrinsic reading motivation and reading competence. However, the causal direction of these relations and the moderating role of relevant background variables (e.g., students' achievement level) are not well understood. In the present study, a cross‐lagged panel model was applied to academic track and nonacademic track fifth grade students (N = 396) to test whether intrinsic reading motivation and reading competence are reciprocally related depending on the students' achievement level (indicated by school track affiliation). According to expectations, the cross‐lagged effect of intrinsic reading motivation on reading competence was only significant for academic track students. In the nonacademic track group, neither the effect of intrinsic reading motivation on reading competence nor the reverse effect proved to be significant. Thus, the nature of the relation between intrinsic reading motivation and reading competence seems to depend on students' school track affiliation.     

Teacher behavior as a mediator of the relationship between teacher judgment and students' motivation and emotion

The study examines whether teacher behavior is a mediator of the relationship between teacher judgment and students' motivation and emotion. Two hundred forty-six sixth grade students completed a standardized English test and answered a questionnaire on motivation, emotion, and perception of differential teacher behavior. Thirteen English teachers assessed students' test performance. Students underestimated in test performance showed lower motivation and emotion than students overestimated in test performance. The two student groups perceived differential teacher behavior. Teacher behavior mediated the relationship between performance judgments and students' motivation and emotion. A rethinking of teacher's behavior towards students might counter these undesirable tendencies.     

A Method of Equalizing the Rating of Teachers

Abstract

The effects of students' conceptual levels and teachers' instruction patterns on students' motivation to learn academic course content were investigated. An examination of 63 students enrolled in a course entitled “Motivation and Performance in Organizations” at West Point yielded statistically significant interactions: For low-conceptual-level students, direct teaching methods maximize motivation to learn course content; for high-conceptual-level students, nondirect instruction significantly enhances motivation. These results expand existing educational literature that suggests that proper conceptual level/instruction pattern matches enhance students' motivation in the classroom. Educators may use this knowledge to develop teaching environments that support the specific learning needs of individual students.     

Teachers’ belief that math requires innate ability predicts lower intrinsic motivation among low-achieving students

Many students find math difficult, but those who are intrinsically motivated learn and do well even when they face obstacles. Here, we examine an environmental factor that might affect students' intrinsic motivation in math: namely, teachers' beliefs about success in math. Do teachers perceive elementary school math as a domain that requires an innate ability, and does this belief relate to students' intrinsic motivation in math? Our study explored these questions in a sample of 830 German fourth graders and their 56 teachers. Teachers reported stronger beliefs in the role of innate ability for math than for German language arts. In addition, the more teachers believed that math requires innate ability, the lower was the intrinsic motivation of their low-achieving students. These results suggest that teachers’ beliefs that math success depends on innate ability may be an important obstacle to creating a classroom atmosphere that fosters engagement and learning for all students.     

Examining how parent and teacher enthusiasm influences motivation and achievement in STEM

Abstract

Parents and teachers play an important role in stimulating student motivation. The aim of this study was to examine if both parent and teacher enthusiasm could predict intrinsic motivation toward STEM activities, and if motivation would be associated with improved STEM achievement over one year in a one-year prospective examination of 288 Swedish students in their final year of a Science High School program (143 females and 145 males). Surveys of parent and teacher enthusiasm were collected at baseline, and student intrinsic motivation and GPA in STEM were assessed at baseline and at the end of the year. Baseline GPA and intrinsic motivation as well as follow-up intrinsic motivation were significantly associated with later GPA. Finally, intrinsic motivation mediated the relation between teacher and parent enthusiasm and change in GPA. Findings show the importance of parent and teacher enthusiasm for adolescent’s intrinsic motivation and achievement in STEM.     

Reading motivation,perceptions of reading instruction and reading amount: a comparison of junior and senior secondary students in Hong Kong

This study examined the relations between students' reading motivation, perceptions of reading instruction and reading amount, together with grade differences, in a Chinese educational context. A total of 1,146 students from 19 secondary schools in Hong Kong voluntarily responded to a questionnaire that measured these three sets of variables. The study's findings indicated that students' intrinsic motivation was most strongly related to their reading amount. Students' perceptions of the reading instruction they received in their Chinese language class were significantly related to their reading motivation, but were only indirectly related to their reading amount, being mediated through reading motivation. Consistent with previous studies, significant grade differences were found in all types of reading motivation, students' perceptions of reading instruction and students' reading amount. The findings indicated that junior secondary students had better self‐efficacy, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and social motivation than senior secondary students. The largest grade difference was in students' self‐efficacy. Junior secondary students also perceived the reading instruction in their Chinese language class as more mastery‐oriented and read more frequently than senior secondary students. The implications of these findings for understanding Chinese students' reading motivation and for planning effective reading instruction to enhance their motivation are discussed.     

Do teachers' achievement goals and self-efficacy beliefs matter for students’ learning experiences? Evidence from two studies on perceived teaching quality and emotional experiences

Although teacher motivation is posited to matter for students' learning experiences, this remains largely uninvestigated, particularly in higher education. In two studies, we analyzed the role of higher education teachers' achievement goals and self-efficacy for students' learning experiences. In Study 1 (k = 166 teachers, n = 2,106 students), we assessed teachers' motivations at the semester start, and students' course-specific perceptions of teaching quality (overall rating, learning) and emotions (joy, boredom) at the semester end. Latent multilevel modeling indicated favorable associations for teachers' self-efficacy, but not for their goals. In Study 2 (k = 96 teachers, n = 16,009 students), we assessed the same constructs and measured students' learning experiences weekly regarding 828 specific course sessions. Additionally, we included teachers’ session-specific motivations. Results replicated the effects of self-efficacy on the teacher-level and suggested that performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals primarily matter on the level of specific sessions. This affirms the relevance of teacher motivations and illuminates the importance of their specificity.     

Introductory Cultural Anthropology: A Multimedia Presentation

Abstract

The study investigated the interactive effects of professors' instruction strategies and students' conceptual levels on the motivation to learn of 83 postsecondary students randomly assigned to either direct or nondirect instruction groups. Statistically significant interactions revealed that highly structured teaching methods maximized the motivation of students with low conceptual levels, whereas teaching methods that were low in structure enhanced the motivation of high-conceptual-level students. The findings expand previous research and offer insights into how professors can influence students' motivation to learn academic course content.     

Nonscience majors learning science: A theoretical model of motivation

A theoretical model of nonscience majors' motivation to learn science was tested by surveying 369 students in a large‐enrollment college science course that satisfies a core curriculum requirement. Based on a social‐cognitive framework, motivation to learn science was conceptualized as having both cognitive and affective influences that foster science achievement. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the hypothesized relationships among the variables. The students' motivation, as measured by the Science Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ), had a strong direct influence on their achievement, as measured by their science grade point average. The students' motivation was influenced by their belief in the relevance of science to their careers. This belief was slightly stronger in women than men. Essays by the students and interviews with them provided insight into their motivation. The model suggests that instructors should strategically connect science concepts to the careers of nonscience majors through such means as case studies to increase motivation and achievement. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 1088–1107, 2007     

新高考科目选考制的实施成效分析

为突破传统高考模式下文理区隔造成的负面影响,促进学生完善知识结构,为学生的个性化学习和多元化发展提供可能,新高考改革尝试引入灵活的科目选考制。研究使用改革试点地区的调查数据,系统分析学生的考试科目选择现状,探寻科目选择行为背后的动机,探究科目选择与高考成绩间的关联性。研究发现,科目选考制一方面有效促进了学生开展文理交融的跨学科学习,但另一方面也导致物理科目的选择比例低且逐年缩减。学生考试科目选择行为背后具有多元化的动机,以学科能力和自我发展规划为选科导向的学生,其高考成绩具有相对优势。与之相异,分数策略导向的科目选择反而会造成学生高考成绩下滑。鉴于此,新高考改革在赋予学生选择权的同时,还应建立完善的生涯规划与升学咨询指导体系,提升学生的选择能力与自主意识。     

Affective Learning in Online Multimedia and Lecture Versions of an Introductory Computing Course

This study evaluated students' affective learning in an introductory computing course that was taught in Hong Kong once in a lecture format and twice in a rich interactive multimedia online format to 414 college students in all. A simplified experience sampling method was used to assess affective learning at the midterm and end of each course in terms of intrinsic engagement (positive affect, perceived challenges, perceived skills in course activities), extrinsic engagement (performance expectations, performance goals, performance self‐efficacy), and negative affect in course activities. Controlling for students' computing background and pre‐enrollment academic ability, multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that, compared to lectures, e‐learning modules fostered more intrinsic engagement, comparable extrinsic engagement, and more negative affect. Findings suggest directions for developing online courses that optimise both cognitive learning and affective learning.     

学习动机对大学生创新行为的影响机制——课外活动参与的中介作用

本研究基于3825份问卷调查数据,分析学习动机、课外活动参与以及大学生创新行为之间的关系。结果表明：第一,在不区分高校类型的情况下,内部学习动机对大学生创新行为具有显著正向影响,外部学习动机通过课外活动对创新行为产生影响。第二,在研究型大学中,学生个体内在的科研兴趣对创新行为具有显著正向影响,求利心理没有促进学生的创新行为;在应用型院校中,学生通过参与课外社会性活动将内外部学习动机转化为创新行为,课外社会性活动参与的作用机制明显;在高职院校中,学生需要借助课外活动参与经历展现创新素质。高等教育普及化带来学生心理状态的多样性,不同类型高校资源配置情况致使竞争规则具有极大差异,应正视外部学习动机的潜在正效应,深思“个人-环境匹配”在提高课外活动实效上的作用。     

Relationships between different instructional approaches and students' Classical Chinese reading comprehension and motivation

Previous studies comparing teacher‐centred (TC) and learner‐centred (LC) instruction have presented a mixed picture of the effectiveness of these two instructional approaches. By examining the effectiveness of different types of instruction on students' Classical Chinese (CC) reading comprehension and motivation, this study aims to contribute to instructional research by elucidating the positive and negative aspects of TC and LC instruction when they are applied in the context of teaching CC reading. A total of 454 Secondary 4 students between the ages of 15 and 17 years agreed to participate in this study on a voluntary basis. They completed a CC reading comprehension test and a questionnaire that measured their CC reading motivation and perceived CC reading instruction. Relationships between students' perceived CC reading instruction, reading motivation and reading comprehension were examined by correlation and path analyses. The findings of the correlation analyses indicated that traditional TC instruction positively and significantly correlated with students' CC reading performance and extrinsic motivation. Motivating tasks, one type of LC instruction, positively and significantly correlated with all types of motivation but did not significantly correlate with CC reading performance. In the path analysis, TC instruction exhibited a significant positive effect on reading comprehension, whereas motivating tasks continued to exhibit a significant positive effect on intrinsic motivation after the effect of the examined schools' achievement level was controlled for. The findings highlight the essential role of teachers in instructing students who are weak in particular subjects. Instead of viewing TC and LC instruction as two contradictory approaches, the findings indicate that a combined approach of TC and LC instruction can more effectively facilitate students' learning in a difficult school subject.     

College classroom interaction as a function of teacher- and student-centered instruction

Regional campus college students participated in traditionally or nontraditionally taught sections of undergraduate introductory educational psychology. The nontraditional sections were student centered, involving personal goal setting and monitoring conferences, and informal group discussion tests. The traditional sections were teacher centered, involving a lecture format, formal tests and assignments, and comparative grades. An event sampling behavioral assessment procedure was used to record student and teacher behaviors according to the following verbal interaction response categories: positive, negative, questions, answers, presents, solicits, shares, generates, impedes. The course sections were analyzed and found to be comparable with regard to teachers' positive responses and information presented, as well as content acquisition and final grades. However, students in the nontraditional course section asked significantly more questions, shared more information, and generated more ideas than students in the more traditional teacher-centered course. Replication analyses supported the initial findings regarding learning and attitudinal differences favoring student centered course sections over teacher centered sections.