Teaching for course interest

Abstract

Motivations-beliefs for learning and their relationship to instructional experiences are a poorly understood aspect of higher education. Notably, interest is an individual difference that both researchers and educators alike believe should be supported. However, this support is too often relegated to the craft of instruction. To be enhanced broadly, interest must be considered from a scientific perspective. In this study the longitudinal connections between students’ domain/course-level interest, the instruction students’ experienced, students’ exam scores and attendance were assessed. First-year university students in Japan (n = 1000, Female = 271) participated in the study. Students completed surveys at three time points across one semester of study. Students’ initial domain interest presented medium-to-large ßs with instructional experiences, future course interest, exam scores, and positive instructional experiences (autonomy-supportive and structuring). Future course interest presented medium-ß for course attendance. Small relationships were observed between students’ sex and their instructional experiences. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed