Situated Sugarcoating: How Policy Contexts Moderate Teachers' Strategies for Motivating Student Behavior.

Area of Science:

• Education
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Industry-Based Certifications (IBCs) are increasingly emphasized in college and career readiness policies.
• Understanding student and educator perceptions of CTE and IBCs is crucial amidst policy shifts.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate student and educator beliefs about the value of CTE and IBCs.
• Examine how students' motivation for CTE/IBCs is shaped.
• Analyze educators' interpretations of IBC value and their influence on students.
• Explore the impact of the broader sociopolitical context on these dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using interviews and focus groups.
• Involved 68 students and 58 educators/administrators across 7 Texas high schools.
• Guided by the situated expectancy-value theory.

Main Results:

• Students highly value CTE coursework for intrinsic, attainment, and utility reasons, viewing IBCs as beneficial, especially for utility.
• Educators recognize CTE value but are often skeptical of IBCs, viewing them as exceptions rather than the norm.
• Educators reported "sugarcoating" IBC value to meet accountability and college/career readiness goals, highlighting differing student- versus educator-level utility.

Conclusions:

• IBCs hold distinct values for students (job prospects) and educators (accountability, funding).
• Educator "sugarcoating" may link policy to student motivation for tasks educators deem less valuable.
• The situated expectancy-value theory provides a framework for understanding these stakeholder differences.