Training new teachers on the social psychology of motivation

Scientific evidence has demonstrated the critical role educators play in shaping students’ psychological experience of school, which in turn affects students’ academic motivation, engagement, and outcomes. Given the potential of teacher preparation programs to influence generations of educators, the Mindset Scholars Network set out to examine how insights from the social psychology of motivation are being incorporated into their curricula.

Broadly, the aim of this project was to understand how the scientific community and organizations that bridge research and practice might be able to support teacher preparation stakeholders in utilizing this research, and to gather questions and insights from these stakeholders that could inform future research.

The report, Training new teachers to understand motivation in the classroom: How teacher preparation programs are educating teachers on the pedagogical implications of the social psychology of motivation, summarizes findings from a series of interviews and focus groups on this topic.

Researchers conducted interviews with faculty and administrators at schools of education, residency and teacher induction programs, and intermediaries that support these entities. The report describes how the social psychology of motivation is currently being integrated into programs and identifies challenges and opportunities for more widespread integration.

The report raises questions for the field about how to best prepare educators to create psychologically safe, meaningful, and inclusive learning environments for all students.

If you’d like to read more about how educators can create environments that support motivation and engagement, take a look at the following related publications:

• Understanding the impact of “psychologically wise” classroom practices on student achievement, a summary of research by Geoffrey Cohen, Tanner LeBaron Wallace, and colleagues
• Walking in their students’ shoes: Encouraging an empathic mindset about student behavior transforms teachers’ discipline practices, a summary of research by Jason Okonofua, David Paunesku, and Gregory Walton
• Leveraging mindset science to design educational environments that nurture people’s natural drive to learn, a research synthesis by Lisa Quay
• Students need to know your only bias is for them to succeed, a summary of research by David Yeager, Geoffrey Cohen, and colleagues
• Praise that makes learners more resilient, a research synthesis by Allison Master
• On mindsets and practices for re-integrating “belonging” into mathematics instruction, a TeachingWorks working paper by Jamaal S. Matthews

You may also enjoy these posts from Education Week’s Classroom Q&A with Larry Ferlazzo co-authored by members of the Mindset Scholars Network:

• The value of peer teaching by Amber Chandler, Cheryl Mizerny, Andrew Miller, Karen Goeller, Michael D. Toth, Megan Bang, Laura M. Brady, Stephanie Fryberg, and Mary Murphy
• Helping students get into history by Diana Laufenberg, Sarah Cooper, Christopher Hulleman, Suzie Boss, and Erin Brandvold
• Using questions that position students as meaning makers by Sean Kelly, Sidney D’Mello, Shelly Lynn Counsell, Jennifer Davis Bowman, Rachael Williams, and Jeffrey D. Wilhelm
• Instructional strategies teachers might be missing by Jo Boaler, Katie Brown, Rachael George, Laura Greenstein, Dan Rothstein, David Jacob, and Greg Brown
• Policymakers need to spend more time listening to educators by Jennie Magiera, Sanée Bell, Amanda Koonlaba, Matthew Kraft, and Douglas Reeves
• Underutilized teaching ideas by Ron Berger, Debbie Zacarian, Gregory Walton, Christopher Panna, Kathy Dyer, Barb Pitchford, Paul Bloomberg, and Malke Rosenfield
• Ways to help student-athletes achieve academic and athletic success by Miray Seward, Stephanie Wormington, Christopher Hulleman, Rob Weil, Rita Platt, Douglas Reeves, and Carol Salva
• Applying a growth mindset in the classroom by David Yeager, Debbie Zacarian, Peter DeWitt, and Barbara Blackburn
• Leveraging field trips to deepen learning by Ron Berger, Camille Farrington, Gail Desler, Abby Schneiderjohn, and Mike Janatovich 
• To extend the school day or not? by Matthew Kraft, Barry Saide, Christine Brandt, Daniel R. Venables, and Matt Renwick