Teachers' Conceptions of Student Engagement and Motivation: A View From the Field

• In Event: 52.085 - Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: 52.085-2 - Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session 2

Abstract

While small-scale interventions often show promise, research suggests that teacher beliefs mediate the successful implementation of educational reforms at scale. Systematic coding of interview transcripts of 123 middle-school math teachers revealed that student engagement is more salient to teachers practice that student motivation. Furthermore, engagement is seen as more amenable to curriculum and instruction than motivation, which is more influenced by a number of factors outside school. Furthermore, engagement is described as being recognizable and readily observable, with teachers describing that principals hold them accountable for student engagement during classroom observations. The accuracy, strengths, and weaknesses of these views are discussed, particularly as they apply to future efforts to implement interventions for engagement and motivation at scale.

Author

• Brooks A. Rosenquist, Vanderbilt University