The Relationship Between Interest and Instructional Strategy

• In Event: Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Motivational Processes Related to Goals, Emotions, Interest, and Self-Regulation

Abstract

This qualitative study explores whether the type of instructional strategy (small group vs. whole class discussion) influences triggering of situational interest of preservice science teachers (N = 44) about theoretical and practice-oriented pedagogical topics. Triggering of interest was identified by participation rate, degree of comfort during interactions, and quality of arguments. Results show that whole class discussions of theoretical topics shifted towards practical teaching issues, while small groups sustained the theoretical nature of a topic. Both interaction patterns imply triggering of situational interest. But the small groups’ interaction patterns indicate the collective construction of a “triple problem-solving space”, in which content, social/relational, and interest were balanced from the start; the whole class discussions needed first to renegotiate the content.

Authors

• Martina Nieswandt, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Elizabeth McEneaney, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Renee A. Affolter, University of Massachusetts - Amherst