The Influence of Teachers' Instructional Practices on Student Motivation in Different Assessment Contexts

Current federal educational policy mandates annual standardized achievement testing for students beginning in third grade. Standardized tests are considerably different from regular classroom assessments in format, usage, and meaning. Therefore, teachers are likely to approach the preparation for standardized testing differently than that for regular classroom assessments, with possible implications for students’ motivation in those two contexts. This mixed methods study provides evidence of how five third-grade teachers’ instructional practices differ between classroom assessment and standardized testing preparation contexts. Results from classroom observations and teacher interviews indicate that teachers engage in more mastery goal supportive teaching strategies in the classroom assessment context and more performance goal supportive teaching strategies in the standardized testing context. They also speak differently about the value of the two types of tests and about their expectations for students’ success. The differences are reflective of teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions of external pressure related to the different types of assessments. Student survey results provided little evidence to support the hypothesis that they would perceive the classroom motivational climate as being different in the two contexts, however, severe limitations to the survey design are discussed that may have contributed to the lack of significant findings.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

EDU Policy and Leadership

Grantor dc:publisher

The Ohio State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Kowalski, Monica J.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Anderman, Lynley

• Educational Psychology
• motivation
• assessment
• high-stakes testing
• standardized testing

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1365436014

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:osu1365436014