The effects of teachers' instructional styles on students' interest in learning school subjects and academic achievement: Differences according to students' gender and prior interest

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effects of teachers' instructional styles on students' interest in learning school subjects and academic achievement. Focusing on two subjects, English and mathematics, we explored whether teacher-centered instruction and student-centered instruction had distinctive effects depending on students' gender and levels of prior interest. Data from 1887 high school students from 27 schools in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, were analyzed. The results revealed that student-centered instruction positively affected the students' interest in learning English. The interaction effects between instructional styles and prior interest in learning English varied across gender. Also, student-centered instruction positively affected math interest only among female students. Teacher-centered instruction had a positive effect on female students' English achievement, while student-centered instruction had no effect on students' academic achievement. We concluded that it is crucial to consider the gender and prior level of interest of students when individualizing instruction to improve academic interest and achievement.