Exploring the impact of teacher motivation and classroom practices on student learning in India

有大量证据表明，学习者的动机对他们的学习有相当大的影响(Lamb，即将出版)，但较少有文献记载教师的动机所起的作用。现有的研究表明，有动机的教师更有可能利用激发和激励学生的教学实践(同上)，但迄今为止，揭示教师动机和学生学习之间关系的机制的研究有限。在发展中国家尤其如此，部分原因是缺乏在许多情况下将教师和学生的特点与学生学习联系起来的现有数据。这项研究将通过调查印度中学教师的动机和效能感水平如何解释学生学习进度的差异来为这一领域做出贡献。在印度和其他发展中国家，这是一个令人相当感兴趣的政策领域，研究表明，教师的积极性低得令人担忧(Bennell&Akyeampong，2007)。由于世界上大多数儿童现在都能接受某种形式的基础教育，发展中国家的教育研究和政策已经从只注重机会转向注重质量。然而，在包括印度在内的一些国家，有证据表明近年来学习水平在下降，尽管入学人数增加，班级规模减少，教师更多(Rolleston&James，2015)。了解教师的影响力对于解决这一“学习危机”至关重要(教科文组织，2013年；安德森，2004年)。学校效能研究表明，“当研究随时间推移的进步时，教师效应远远超过学校效应”(Reynolds et al，2011：6)，多项研究提供的证据表明，教师效能的差异是导致学生学习差异的最大因素(Muijis&Reynolds，2000；Goe et al，2008)。这项研究将通过探索教师动机影响教师教学方式的机制，以及反过来如何影响学生的学习进度，来促进和扩展这一现有的工作。本研究将通过以下三个问题来解决这一问题：一、如何恰当、准确地测量教师动机、效能感和课堂实践的潜在特质？印度中学的教师动机和效能感水平如何影响学生的学习结果？三、教师的课堂实践在多大程度上调节了教师动机和学生学习之间的关系？这项研究将通过对Young Lives学校效能数据集中的次要数据进行量化分析，其中包括10,000名学生、550名教师和205所学校的分层结构的成就和背景数据。解决RQ的方法包括：i：创建动机指数，用于后续分析，使用因素分析和/或教师心理社会数据的项目反应理论(Reise et al，2000；Embretson&Reise，2000)。II：将使用不同的多水平模型(MLM)来理解教师的增值、有效性和动机之间的交互作用(Goldstein，2011)。使用传销技术检验教师层面效应的研究仍然相对较少，特别是在印度这样的发展中国家，这增加了研究的原创性(Thomas等人，2015)。iii：将创建教师课堂实践的多维指数，然后使用结构方程模型(SEM)或替代方法来模拟教师动机和学生学习之间的路径(Skrondal&Rabe-Hesketh，2004)，并试图了解课堂实践如何在两者之间起到调节作用。

There is substantial evidence that the motivation of learners has a considerable impact on their learning (Lamb, forthcoming) but what is less clearly documented is the role which the motivation of teachers has to play. Existing research suggests that motivated teachers are more likely to make use of teaching practices which inspire and motivate students (ibid), yet there have been limited studies to date which have shed light upon the mechanisms of the relationship between teacher motivation and student learning. This is particularly true in developing countries, in part due to a lack of available data linking teacher and student characteristics to student learning in many contexts. This study will contribute to this field by investigating how the motivation and efficacy levels of secondary school teachers in India can explain variation in student learning progress. This is an area of considerable policy interest in India and other developing countries, where research suggests that levels of teacher motivation are worryingly low (Bennell & Akyeampong, 2007).Since the majority of children around the world now access some kind of basic education, research and policy on education in developing countries has moved from a focus on access alone towards one on quality. Yet in some countries, including India, there is evidence for declining learning levels over recent years, despite increased enrolment, declining class size and greater teacher availability (Rolleston & James, 2015). Understanding the influence of teachers is of central importance in addressing this 'learning crisis' (UNESCO 2013; Anderson 2004). School effectiveness research suggests that "teacher effects greatly exceed school effects when progress over time is studied" (Reynolds et al, 2011:6), with multiple studies providing evidence that variation in teacher effectiveness is the single biggest factor contributing to differences in student learning (Muijis & Reynolds, 2000; Goe et al, 2008). This research will contribute to and extend this existing body of work by exploring the mechanisms through which teacher motivation influences how teachers teach, and, in turn, how this affects student learning progress. It will do this through the following three questions: i. How can the latent traits of teacher motivation, efficacy and classroom practice be appropriately and accurately measured?ii. How do levels of teacher motivation and efficacy impact on student learning outcomes in Indian secondary schools? iii. To what extent do teachers' classroom practices mediate the relationship between teacher motivation and student learning? This study will be undertaken through quantitative analysis of secondary data from Young Lives' school effectiveness dataset, which includes hierarchically structured attainment and background data on 10,000 students, 550 teachers and 205 schools. Methods to address the RQs include:i: Creation of a motivation index to be used in subsequent analyses, using factor analysis and/or Item Response Theory (IRT) modelling of teacher psychosocial data (Reise et al, 2000; Embretson & Reise, 2000). ii: Various multilevel models (MLM) would be used to understand the interactions between teacher 'value-added', effectiveness and motivation (Goldstein, 2011). Research examining teacher-level effects using MLM techniques is still relatively rare, especially in developing country contexts such as India, which adds to the study's originality (Thomas et al, 2015).iii: A multidimensional index of teacher classroom practice will be created, and structural equation modelling (SEM) or alternative methods then used to model the pathway between teacher motivation and student learning (Skrondal & Rabe-Hesketh, 2004) and seek to understand how classroom practice can mediate between them.