Student Motivation for Exams

This week I’ve been reading the research paper on Motivational messages from teachers before exams: Links to intrinsic motivation, engagement and academic performance. I’ve summarised the key points below and added some of my opinions in the What You Can Do section.

Key points

• Often students do not perform to their potential on assessments due to a lack of effort.
• Student motivation is partly driven by the teacher-student relationship.
• Reassuring messages boost student motivation.
• There is a link between reassuring messages and academic performance.
• A lack of messaging negatively affects outcomes.
• Messages focused on fear did not improve student outcomes.

Read the full article.

What you can do

• Frame assessment tasks as an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge.
• Provide study guides and practice assessments.
• Explicitly teach common misconceptions during revision classes.
• Teach students ‘how’ to study as well as ‘what’ to study.

An idea for consideration

When coaching teachers, I often hear students say, ‘we are just doing revision today’.

Students are often working on different concepts and many are trying to ask questions at the same time. If they aren’t answered quickly, students disengage and behaviour can be a challenge. I encourage colleagues to have very structured revision classes with explicit instruction, checks for understanding and set work. Ideally, the teacher should know the common challenges and misconceptions and teach them.