Training teachers to support students’ motivation and reduce school dropout: an investigation into motivational teaching strategies

Abstract

The phenomenon of school dropout has been examined from various perspectives, revealing the complexity of interactions among both contextual and individual variables. Among the latter, student motivation is recognized as one of the “malleable” factors on which schools and educators can intervene to reduce dropout. The present study, employing the motivational framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2017), has two primary objectives. Firstly, it describes recent pedagogical strategies identified as motivational by SDT authors; secondly, it examines which of these pedagogical actions are more strongly associated with students’ motivation, through a longitudinal study involving a sample of high school students. Results highlight the importance of understanding teachers’ actions and their impact on students’ motivation, crucial for implementing effective educational interventions aimed at enhancing students’ academic success.