Classroom Hacks for Motivated Students

208 high school students in 41 science classes over a 6-week period reported on their motivation and engagement in class as well as classroom strategies the teachers adopted.

Researchers found that when teachers adopted autonomy-supportive practices, kids were engaged and motivated. When teachers adopted autonomy-thwarting practices, engagement and motivation dropped.

What were these practices?

Autonomy-supportive practices that boosted autonomous motivation included:

• Providing a rationale for behavioural requests
• Choice provision
• Consideration for students’ preferences and interests
• Question opportunities

Autonomy-thwarting practices included:

• Use of uninteresting activities

Daily controlled motivation (which means regulation is based on anything but intrinsic motivation) came from:

• Controlling messaging
• Suppression of student perspectives
• Use of uninteresting activities