How Do Teacher Preparation and Instructional Practices Relate to Students' Attitudes Toward Learning and Achievement?

• In Event: Using NAEP Data to Investigate Affective Factors in Middle School Students' Academic Achievement

Abstract

Research suggests that students' attitudes toward learning are closely linked to achievement (Koballa & Crawley, 1985; Rybczynski & Schussler, 2013) and continues to show that positive student learning attitudes correspond with higher academic achievement (Freedman, 1997; Nwagbo, 2006). For example, students who have positive attitudes toward academic learning tend to demonstrate a deeper conceptual understanding of the subject matter and perform better on standardized tests (Freedman, 1997; Rybczynski & Schussler, 2013). However, research also suggests that teacher preparation and instructional practices play an influential role in students' attitudes toward learning (Blazar & Kraft, 2017; Simpson & Oliver, 1990).

High-quality teachers are expected not only to increase student achievement, but also to provide an academically supportive environment that fosters students' cognitive and socioemotional development, promotes critical thinking, and conveys authentic learning content (Cohen, 2011; Dweck, Walton, & Cohen, 2011; Farrington et al., 2012; Lampert, 2001). For example, Pianta and Hamre (2009) describe in their conceptualization of high quality teaching that a set of emotional supports and organizational techniques are equally crucial to learners as teachers' instructional methods. They hypothesize that, by providing "emotional support and a predictable, consistent, and safe environment" (p. 113), teachers can help shape students' attitudes for learning, foster motivation for learning, and increase the willingness to take on challenging tasks.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how teacher preparation and instructional practices relate to students' attitudes toward learning and achievement. The present study uses the 2019 NAEP grade 8 assessment data with the associated teacher and student contextual questionnaires to investigate these relationships. Items from teacher questionnaires related to teacher preparation (i.e., degree earned in the subject taught), certifications (i.e., certified by National Board of Professional Teaching Standards), experiences (i.e., years teaching the subject), and instructional practices are included in the analyses. Items from the student questionnaires related to students' attitudes toward learning (i.e., enjoy doing mathematics/reading, interested in learning mathematics/reading) are also included in the analyses. The present paper also analyzes demographic variables (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity) at the student and teacher levels to explore possible group differences. Correlational analyses are conducted to examine the strength and magnitude of the relationships between teacher variables and student performance on NAEP assessments. Regression models on student performance are included. Discussion on how teacher preparation and instructional practices relate to students' attitudes toward learning and achievement is provided.

Findings from this study provide insights into the influential roles that teacher preparation and instructional practices play in students' attitudes toward learning. It also provides a deeper understanding of how teacher preparation and different instructional practices related to students' attitudes toward learning and achievement. There is still a lack of understanding of how different teacher preparation and instructional practices may relate to students' attitudes toward learning. Gaining this type of insight will help Institutes of Higher Education modify their programs better to fit the needs of pre-service and in-service educators, ultimately increasing student achievement.

Authors

• Juliann Dupuis, Notre Dame of Maryland University

• Judy H. Tang, Westat

• Ning Rui, Amazon