MOVE – Interindividual differences in student motivation. Classroom-related factors of profile membership and changes of motivational profiles across secondary school

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Rebecca Lazarides
• Subject Area: General and Domain-Specific Teaching and Learning
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 495796906

The motivation of students is a central precondition for achievement-related behaviors and competence development. However, student motivation consistently declines, in particular in adolescence. Only few studies examine the interindividual differences in the motivational characteristics of learners throughout the course of secondary school across different domains. Furthermore, only little is known about the role that students’ perceptions of teaching in class and their individual characteristics play for interindividual differences in motivational changes.Uses secondary data analyses and based on the theoretical foundation of Expectancy-Value Theory and Dimensional Comparison Theory, the planned research project aims to identify motivational profiles of students in secondary school as well as their interindividually different change trajectories. In Studies 1 and 2, interindividually different motivational changes are examined across the two contrasting domains of mathematics and German language. Data is used from the longitudinal study BIKS-8-14 study. In a third study (Study 3), interindividual differences in motivational change is examined in the domain of reading using data of the LISA-study (Reading motivation and reading literacy in secondary school). Another aim of our research project pertains to the question of teaching-related and individual factors that contribute to changes in motivational profiles membership. We also examine the consequences of profile membership for students’ competences in different domains. The findings of this project will contribute to a better understanding of motivational heterogeneity in different domains. By examining the role of student gender, socio-economic status and perceived teaching characteristics for interindividually different motivational characteristics and their changes across time, the project yields implications for adaptive teaching taking into account interindividually different motivational characteristics of students.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants