Open Collections

Dammert Freundt Thurne, Martin

University of British Columbia

In the field of education, motivational research explores the processes guiding educational actors’ behaviour. Teachers’ conceptions or ways of understanding students’ motivation for learning has, nonetheless, been overlooked. My research aimed to identify and examine Peruvian teachers’ conceptions of students’ motivation for learning, including how they perceive teachers’ roles when planning supports for students’ learning and development in the classroom. Particularly, the research questions guiding my study were: How do Peruvian teachers conceptualize motivation in students’ learning? How do Peruvian teachers understand teachers’ roles in motivating students? Employing phenomenography, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 Peruvian women teachers working in early childhood, primary, and secondary settings at a large-size all-girls private school in Lima, Peru. Using an inductive and data driven approach, I identified three categories of description which represented teachers’ distinct ways of understanding the phenomenon: as a personal and indirectly observable phenomenon; as a dynamic and malleable phenomenon; and as a socio-contextual process promoting learning. These categories and the relationship between them were described and graphically represented in an outcome space depicting a logical and hierarchical structure. Employing a deductive and theory driven approach, I then relied on contemporary motivational theories to examine the outcome space. Sense of competence and control in students’ motivation; sources and types of students’ motivation; and contexts and environments shaping students’ motivation were proposed as motivational propositions when examining teachers’ conceptions along with the literature. Furthermore, teachers’ accounts suggested that they considered building autonomy-supportive environments, fostering group cohesion and community, and valuing the teacher role and profession as part of teachers’ role in motivating students. Research findings evidenced variation in teachers’ conceptions on a collective level, alignment with motivational science theories, and nuances surrounding popular motivational assumptions. Findings support the importance of diversifying motivational research across contexts and populations, amplifying teachers’ voices, and incorporating interpretive methodologies in motivational research. Results appear to highlight the potential value of teacher training to deepen teachers’ awareness and understanding of motivation, which would likely contribute to students’ motivational experiences. The limitations of this study and considerations for future research are also discussed.

Text

2024-04-29

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/88068

Human Development, Learning, and Culture

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/