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

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.