Exploring the Role of Teacher Challenge and Support on Students’ Academic Engagement in Physics Classrooms

• In Event: Motivation in the Classroom: The Role of Teachers and Contextual Factors

Abstract

Using data collected through classroom videotaping, the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), and student surveys, this study explored the associations between teacher-provided challenge in specific learning situations, students’ global perceptions of teacher support, and students’ momentary academic engagement in high school physics classrooms. Results of 2-level Hierarchical Linear Models indicate that students’ global perceptions of teacher support and researchers’ assessments of teacher-provided challenge positively predicted students’ momentary reports of engagement in physics learning activities. Moderate levels of challenge emerged as optimal for student engagement, and teacher support was found to moderate the relationship between teacher-provided challenge and student engagement. Results are discussed in terms of implications for theory and instructional practice.

Authors

• Anna D. Strati, Northern Illinois University

• Jennifer A. Schmidt, Northern Illinois University