Date
5-25-2023
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)
Chair
Wesley Roach
Keywords
academic motivation, amotivation, autonomous motivation, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Moschitta, Regina M., "Recommendations to Improve the Practice of Motivating Students Academically at Brighton Middle School in Tennessee" (2023). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 4494.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/4494
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to provide recommendations to improve the practice of motivating students academically at Brighton Middle School in Tennessee. The problem is that 83% of the teachers at Brighton Middle School cited students’ low academic motivation as a problem in their classes. The rationale for this study was that academically motivated students would benefit from improved grades, higher test scores, and strengthened relationships within the school culture. Furthermore, improving the practice of motivating students academically would benefit teachers, administrators, and the community in the form of higher teacher effectiveness scores, a more positive school climate, and increased school ratings. The central research question was: How can the practice of motivating students academically be improved at Brighton Middle School in Brighton, Tennessee? Data were collected using interviews, surveys, and a focus group to inform this applied research. While the quantitative data collected were analyzed using graphic representations of quantitative test results, qualitative data were analyzed by identifying codes and themes. Five recommendations were made, including greater principal presence in classrooms, more student collaboration, the establishment of positive parent contacts made by teachers, the recruitment of parents to serve on committees, and the scheduling of family academic work sessions.
