Teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning

In this study we examined the relationship between teacher and student intrinsic motivation in project-based learning. The participants were 126 Hong Kong secondary school teachers and their 631 students who completed evaluation questionnaires after a semester-long project-based learning program. Both teachers and students were asked to indicate their motivation in the program, and students were also asked to report the instructional support they received from their teachers. The results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses showed that teacher intrinsic motivation predicted student intrinsic motivation directly as well as indirectly through the mediation of instructional support. When teachers reported higher intrinsic motivation in the program, their students tended to perceive receiving more support from them and to report higher intrinsic motivation in the learning experience.     

Informal learning: Student achievement and motivation in science through museum-based learning

This study examined changes in student motivation and achievement in science during a visit to a university children’s science museum. The study was based on the pretest–posttest control comparison group design with four treatment groups: control, exhibit, lesson and exhibit/lesson. The sample consisted of 228 sixth-grade students from a Louisiana public school who were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental groups. Pretest, posttest and delayed posttest measures of intrinsic motivation and achievement in science were obtained using the Children’s Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and an achievement test written to measure areas of science incorporated in the museum exhibits. The data were analysed using a one-way ANOVA, dependent t tests and Pearson r. Significant differences were found within groups for (1) the lesson group in motivation and (2) the exhibit group in achievement from pretest to posttest and from posttest to delayed posttest. A significant relationship between level of motivation and science achievement was revealed for the exhibit group on the delayed posttest. There were no other significant findings to support that the treatment led to any long-term effects on motivation or achievement within any of the four experimental groups.     

Perceived autonomy support,intrinsic motivation,and student ratings of instruction

Motivation theory suggests that autonomy supportiveness in instruction often leads to many positive outcomes in the classroom, such as higher levels of intrinsic motivation and engagement. The purpose of this study was to determine whether perceived autonomy support and course-related intrinsic motivation in college classrooms positively predict student ratings of instruction. Data were collected from 47 undergraduate education courses and 914 students. Consistent with expectations, the results indicated that both intrinsic motivation and autonomy support were positively associated with multiple dimensions of student ratings of instruction. Results also showed that intrinsic motivation moderated the association between autonomy support and instructional ratings—the higher intrinsic motivation, the less predictive autonomy support, and the lower intrinsic motivation, the more predictive autonomy support. These results suggest that incorporating classroom activities that engender autonomy support may lead to improved student perceptions of classroom instruction and may also enhance both student motivation and learning.     

The impacts of peer competition-based science gameplay on conceptual knowledge,intrinsic motivation,and learning behavioral patterns

Educational technology research and development - The present study investigates how the different modes of game-design triggers learning outcomes, focusing on peer learning and intergroup...     

A comparative study of student attitude,learning and teaching practices in Pakistan and Britain

Good teaching is open to change and it involves constantly trying to find out what the effects of instruction are on learning, and modifying that instruction in the light of the evidence. Similarly, the ultimate outcome of instructional practice is effective student learning. Therefore, in this perspective, adequately meeting the varying needs of students is a major challenge for the modern education system in every country. As the title indicates, this paper attempts to explore students’ attitudes to studying and learning in order to help encourage greater engagement with quality learning. The study is based on primary data with regard to postgraduate education and learning in respective British and Pakistani education institutions—i.e. Moray House School of Education (Edinburgh University) and the Institute of Education and Research (University of the Punjab, Lahore). In the context of the collaboration of these two institutions, the paper focuses on the ways and means to enhance the system‐wide capacity for research‐based practice.     

The contribution of perceived classroom learning environment and motivation to student engagement in science

This study investigated middle school students’ engagement in science in relation to students’ perceptions of the classroom learning environment (teacher support, student cohesiveness, and equity) and motivation (self-efficacy beliefs and achievement goals). The participants were 315 Turkish sixth and seventh grade students. Four hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted on the dependent variables of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and agentic engagement. The results indicated that engagement components were positively predicted by most of the perceived learning environment variables, while motivational factors had some differential predictive effects on engagement components. The predictor variables explained 26, 28, 33, and 30 % of the variance in the cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and agentic engagement components, respectively.     

The interaction of student characteristics and science teaching on student perception of the learning environment

Conclusion The interactive perspective adopted in this study suggested an alternative approach to the study of the effects of student characteristics upon their perceptions of the classroom. This perspective emphasised the necessity to examine the nature of the interaction between the student (or more exactly the student variable) and his learning environment before testing for the presence of these effects. Six relationships were consequently proposed, and both the analyses and qualitative data supported the presence of five of these in the ongoing activities of the classroom. This paper forms part of a larger study done by the author while a member of the Education Research Unit, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University.     

Improving science teaching practices

A review of research relating to the problem of using research findings to improve classroom practice is presented. There are two aspects to this problem: familiarizing teachers with relevant research and identifying an aspect of teaching that needs to be improved. Research conducted in local settings appears to have most relevance to teachers and is more likely to be accepted by them. Studies indicate that research can have an impact on practice as long as teachers are involved in identification of problems in their class and are provided with a context in which they can learn the strategies to be implemented and understand why they are likely to improve teaching. Teachers need opportunities to practice teaching in peer groups where errors can be made without jeopardizing student learning; receive performance feedback; practice the strategies in their own classes; observe others teach; and discuss teaching with others. Strategy analysis, coaching and peer coaching are techniques which enable most of these criteria to be met and to facilitate science teaching improvement.     

Student behaviors, teacher reinforcement, student ability, and learning

Ninety-eight children were observed for 6-min periods on each of 10 days during 50-min, small-group classes in either mathematics, science, geography, or language usage. Two student behaviors (on-task behavior and accuracy of responding to teacher-directed questions) and three types of teacher reinforcement (verbal reinforcement for on-task behavior and accurate responding and tangible reinforcers) were coded during each observation period. A post-test of achievement, directly related to the content of the lessons, was administered at the end of the 10 days of instruction. The causal effects of student behaviors, teacher reinforcement, and student ability (reading achievement and intelligence) on achievement were evaluated using path analysis. The strongest effects were from student ability measures, with accurate responding by students and teacher reinforcement of accurate responding exhibiting smaller, but significant effects. Findings are discussed to qualify the relationship between overt classroom behaviors and degree of learning and the mediating effects of student ability.     

Student teachers' attitudes toward science and science teaching

Attitudes toward science and science teaching are the subject of a mounting body of research on teachers. A widely used instrument developed by researchers in the United States appears to be relevant to the Australian context and was considered appropriate for measuring attitudes of preservice student teachers attending a College of Advanced Education in Brisbane. The findings suggest that much more effort needs to be concentrated on fostering desirable attitudes toward science and the teaching of science among future primary school teachers.     

激发学习内驱力,提高英语课堂教学效益

本文针对学生英语学习缺乏内驱力的问题,分析了如何激发学生的内驱力,提高英语课堂的教学效果.     

Meta-analysis of faculty's teaching effectiveness: Student evaluation of teaching ratings and student learning are not related

Student evaluation of teaching (SET) ratings are used to evaluate faculty's teaching effectiveness based on a widespread belief that students learn more from highly rated professors. The key evidence cited in support of this belief are meta-analyses of multisection studies showing small-to-moderate correlations between SET ratings and student achievement (e.g., Cohen, 1980, Cohen, 1981; Feldman, 1989). We re-analyzed previously published meta-analyses of the multisection studies and found that their findings were an artifact of small sample sized studies and publication bias. Whereas the small sample sized studies showed large and moderate correlation, the large sample sized studies showed no or only minimal correlation between SET ratings and learning. Our up-to-date meta-analysis of all multisection studies revealed no significant correlations between the SET ratings and learning. These findings suggest that institutions focused on student learning and career success may want to abandon SET ratings as a measure of faculty's teaching effectiveness.     

Connecting teacher and student motivation: Student-perceived teacher need-supportive practices and student need satisfaction

According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), teacher motivation affects student motivation indirectly via teaching practices that support the satisfaction of students’ basic psychological needs, but studies have not shown evidence of this entire sequence. We tested the complete model: teacher motivation (autonomous, controlled, and amotivation) → perceived need-supportive practices (autonomy support, structure, and involvement) → student need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) → student motivation (autonomous, controlled, and amotivation) → student academic achievement. South Korean 5th and 6th graders (N = 697) and their 35 teachers participated in this study. A multi-level structural equation model showed evidence supporting: 1) a positive link between teacher and student autonomous motivation, and, 2) its mediation by student perceived need-supportive practices and student autonomy and competence. We discussed further conceptual and empirical consideration with the results..     

Teacher support,instructional practices,student motivation,and mathematics achievement in high school

The authors examined the relationships among teacher classroom practices, student motivation, and mathematics achievement in high school. The data for this study was drawn from the base-year data of High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Structural equation modeling method was used to estimate the relationships among variables. The results indicate that conceptual teaching positively affected student mathematics achievement, whereas procedural emphasis in mathematics instruction had a negative effect. Teacher support influenced student mathematics achievement indirectly through students' mathematics self-efficacy, and also influenced students' interest in mathematics courses. Finally, students with higher levels of family socioeconomic status and prior achievement were more likely to have teachers who use conceptual teaching strategies. Students with higher prior achievement were also more likely to perceive higher levels of teacher support. The findings have theoretical and practical implications.     

Initial and changing student teacher motivation and commitment to teaching

In an era of teacher shortages, what would motivate individuals to become teachers when the demands on teachers are greater than ever and there are plenty of alternative occupations from which to choose? This paper presents the findings of a study of student teachers' motivations to be primary teachers and their commitment to teaching after their first practicum. Results suggested that student teachers are multi‐motivated to be teachers. The most common reasons for choosing teaching reflected a positive self‐evaluation of their attributes and capabilities to be teachers, to work with children and because of the intellectual stimulation teaching would provide. Motivation and commitment changed to some extent over the first semester of initial teacher education, particularly as a result of the first practicum. Implications for policy, practice and future research are drawn from the results to help attract, retain and educate the next generation of teachers and in some way help offset forecasted teacher shortages.     

Understanding science teaching effectiveness: examining how science-specific and generic instructional practices relate to student achievement in secondary science classrooms

ABSTRACT

In order to create conditions for students’ meaningful and rigorous intellectual engagement in science classrooms, it is critically important to help science teachers learn which strategies and approaches can be used best to develop students’ scientific literacy. Better understanding how science teachers’ instructional practices relate to student achievement can provide teachers with beneficial information about how to best engage their students in meaningful science learning. To address this need, this study examined the instructional practices that 99 secondary biology teachers used in their classrooms and employed regression to determine which instructional practices are predictive of students’ science achievement. Results revealed that the secondary science teachers who had well-managed classroom environments and who provided opportunities for their students to engage in student-directed investigation-related experiences were more likely to have increased student outcomes, as determined by teachers’ value-added measures. These findings suggest that attending to both generic and subject-specific aspects of science teachers’ instructional practice is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms that result in more effective science instruction in secondary classrooms. Implications about the use of these observational measures within teacher evaluation systems are discussed.     

Teacher interests,mastery goals,and self-efficacy as predictors of instructional practices and student motivation

This study addressed the role of elementary school teachers' motivation as predictors of instructional practices and student motivation. The sample comprised 110 teacher–class pairs (1731 students). The results showed that teachers' didactic interest and self-efficacy predicted teacher reports of instructional practices. In contrast, student reports of instruction were significantly associated with teachers' educational interest and mastery goals. Moreover, student motivation was only related with student reports but not teacher reports of instructional practices. In particular, mastery-oriented practices contributed strongly to student motivation. Teacher educational interest predicted mastery-oriented practices and also showed a significant direct relation to student motivation.     

Perceived interplay between flexible learning spaces and teaching,learning and student wellbeing

In recognition of the evolving learning needs of twenty-first century school students, changes to teaching practices and the incorporation of technology are increasingly accompanied by modifications to the built classroom environment. Typically rows of desk and chairs are replaced with a range of furniture that can be configured in various ways to facilitate teaching and learning. This article explores the perceived relationship between these flexible learning spaces and teaching, learning and wellbeing outcomes. The perceptions and experiences of 12 school principals, 35 teachers and 85 students from four primary and four secondary schools in Australia were examined. Flexible learning spaces were reported to facilitate student-centred pedagogy and selfregulation, collaboration, and student autonomy and engagement. Modified spaces were reportedly more enjoyable, comfortable and inclusive and allowed greater interaction. The findings are discussed in light of Beaton’s five key design principles of student-centred learning environments to explore the connection between the physical classroom environment and teaching and learning. Self-Determination Theory is used to interpret how elements of the physical space facilitate the creation of a social environment that encourages greater motivation to learn and increases student wellbeing. The research contributes to an understanding of how flexible learning spaces are used and with what effect, thereby addressing a present gap in the literature.