The contributions of teachers’ educational interest and relational goals to instructional quality and student interest in mathematics classrooms

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined the relative importance of two key facets of mathematics teachers’ motivation (educational interest, relational goals) for student-reported instructional quality (cognitive activation, social relatedness, relevance support, rule clarity) and student mathematics interest. The sample comprised 50 mathematics teachers and their students (n = 959) from 30 secondary schools. There were three waves of data collection: at the beginning of the ninth grade (Time 1), at the beginning of the tenth grade (Time 2), and in the middle of the tenth grade (Time 3). Teacher motivation was assessed using both self-assessments and student reports, the remaining variables were based only on student reports. Multilevel structural equation analyses revealed for teachers’ Time 1 self-reported educational interest significant class-level effects on Time 2 instructional practices (i.e., cognitive activation and relevance support). The hypothesized effect of teachers’ Time 1 relational goals on Time 2 social relatedness was found to be significant only at the individual student level. In contrast, at the class level, only teachers’ Time 1 self-reported educational interest contributed significantly and indirectly to Time 3 student mathematics interest via Time 2 cognitive activation. In addition, we observed a cross-level indirect effect of Time 1 teachers’ class-level self-reported educational interest on Time 3 student-level mathematics interest mediated by Time 2 student-level relevance support. Overall, the results contribute to research aimed at identifying and comparing the unique effects of teacher motivation facets on instructional practices and student outcomes.