Nailing Jello to a Tree: A Systematic Review of the Literature on Longstanding Individual Interest

• In Event: Curious About Curiosity? Unpacking Curiosity and Interest in Various Learning Settings

Abstract

Educational researchers have increasingly included interest as a type of motivation with which to explain students’ choice of what to do, commitment to an activity, and willingness to expend effort and time and return to the task. To our knowledge, this extensive body of research has not been reviewed. Our goal was to provide a systematic review focused particularly on individual interest, interest that is self-sustaining, long-term, and personal. Using multiple databases and hand-searched journals from 2000-2023, we narrowed sources to a total of 114 reports that had individual interest as a central variable. We report on measurement issues, on predictors and outcomes of interest, and on developmental and interventional studies of individual interest.

Authors

• Kyle M. Williams, Austin ISD

• Diane L. Schallert, University of Texas at Austin

• Ella Miesner, Austin ISD