The relationship between secondary school teacher perception of student motivation and the effects of teacher professional development on student motivation

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between high school teachers' perceptions of student motivation and the teachers' perceptions of their own professional development and preparation, efficacy in motivating students, and their actions to motivate students within their classrooms. Constructs of the research pertaining to the study included student motivation, teacher efficacy, and teacher professional development and preparation. In this study, the researcher administered the Teacher Perception of Motivation Scale (TPMS), developed by the researcher, to 200 high school teachers in a Midwestern state. The TPMS investigate four specific subscales of teacher's perceptions of student motivation, these subscales included: teacher perception of a student's role and other influences in student motivation, teacher perceptions of their own actions in their classrooms that motivate students, teacher perceptions of their professional development and preparation toward motivating students, and teacher perceptions of their own efficacy in motivating students. In addition, additional questions were investigated that measured high school teacher's perception of the magnitude of the challenge of student motivation in their classrooms and their desire and need for additional professional development relating to student motivation. A quantitative research design was used. The findings of the study suggest that there is a correlation between teacher's perceptions of student motivation and their perceptions of their actions within their classrooms and their professional development and preparation. In addition, the findings uncover a high level of concern among high school teachers who identify student motivation as a serious challenge that they face in their classes daily. This study also indicated that high school teachers have a strong desire for additional professional development that will help them deal with the challenge of student motivation. This study also identified several differences in correlation as investigated by gender of high school teachers and by subject areas taught by high school teachers.