The Impacts of Teacher Rapport and Pedagogy on College Students' Engagement, Motivation, and Mathematics Achievement

• In Event: Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Discourse and Social Interactions in Mathematics Lessons

Abstract

This 2 x 2 quasi-experimental study examined the effects of pedagogical method (i.e., direct instruction vs. 5E inquiry) and teacher rapport (i.e., absence or presence) on undergraduate student (N = 103) motivation, engagement, and achievement in mathematics. Conditions were randomly assigned to one of four different College Algebra classes with a one-time occurrence and taught by a trained expert teacher. Findings indicated that teacher rapport – regardless of pedagogical method – had the strongest effects on students’ motivation, engagement, and achievement. Although no differing pedagogical effects were discovered, the findings provide evidence for the necessity of rapport-building efforts -- an aspect of education that is often overlooked in the undergraduate STEM classroom. Implications and limitations of the study will be discussed.

Authors

• Hannah Keith, Western Kentucky University

• Lisa C. Duffin, Western Kentucky University

• Jennifer Dawn Cribbs, Western Kentucky University