Using Motivation Assessment as a Teaching Tool for Large Undergraduate Courses: Reflections From the Teaching Team.

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Higher Education Pedagogy

Background:

• Student motivation is crucial for academic achievement and engagement.
• Large introductory courses face challenges like anxiety and high student-to-teacher ratios, impacting motivation.
• Existing research lacks practical guidance for motivating students in these challenging environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the lack of practical strategies for motivating students in large-format introductory courses.
• To explore the use of motivation assessments as a tool for informing teaching practices.
• To investigate the feasibility and utility of motivation assessments in higher education settings.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Expectancy-Value-Cost model of motivation for theoretical background.
• Discussed the implementation and application of motivation assessments in teaching.
• Incorporated instructor reflections on using assessments to improve pedagogy.

Main Results:

• Motivation assessments are practical and beneficial in large introductory courses.
• Understanding student motivation levels can inform and improve teaching strategies.
• Instructor insights highlight the value of assessments for pedagogical enhancement.

Conclusions:

• Motivation assessments are a viable teaching tool for large introductory courses.
• Integrating motivation assessment data can lead to more effective pedagogy and improved student outcomes.
• Further exploration of assessment use can enhance student motivation and academic success.