Lisa Gilbert

EDR 610
Research Proposal
October 2017
 The purpose of this study is to determine what psychological factors or qualities self-

motivated students possess that contribute to their determination to succeed. I will sample

middle school students in grades 6, 7, and 8. I will develop a questionnaire for both students,

their parents and their teachers. The questionnaire along with observations, student test data,

and interviews will be used to look for patterns. The knowledge I gain from this research will

benefit my future students. If I can change a student’s mindset about mathematics and their

ability to succeed, it will build their confidence and they will reach their goals. Perhaps if I can

help students develop their motivation in math, it could transfer to other subject areas as well.

My goal as an educator has always been to help students develop a positive attitude about math.

Researching this topic will strengthen my ability to do so.

Students, parents and teachers will be chosen from a middle school where observations,

interviews can be done. This same group will be given a questionnaire to also look for patterns

that may arise. The questionnaire will include these questions for students, parents and teachers:

For Students: Do you feel you are successful in mathematics?

Why do you want to be successful in mathematics?

Do your parents or teachers provide rewards other than the grade given in mathematics?

Do you work on your math assignments without being prompted by your parents?

Are you motivated to do well in math? If so, what motivates you to do well in your math class?

Do you think parental involvement is important to your success in mathematics? Explain.

Do you think teacher involvement in important to your success in mathematics? Explain.

For Parents: Does your student have additional support for their math assignments, such as

parental help, sibling help, or a tutor?

Does your student’s math learning need to be monitored by you?

Do you feel your student has a positive attitude toward mathematics?

Why do you want your student to be successful in mathematics?

Do you reward your student for good grades in mathematics? If so what type of rewards do you

provide?

Do you think your student would still be motivated to work toward math goals if no reward was

provided?

Do you think parental involvement is important to a student’s success in mathematics? Explain.

Do you think teacher involvement in important to a student’s success in mathematics? Explain.

For Teachers: Does this student seem self-motivated in mathematics?

What characteristics do you think successful students have?

Have you seen success in changing a student’s motivation?

Do you think parental involvement is important to a student’s success in mathematics? Explain.

Do you think teacher involvement in important to a student’s success in mathematics? Explain.

 Key Aspects of Research Studies with Key Words: Student Motivation in Mathematics

Name Author Sample Methods Findings

Changes in High-School Chouinard, R. and Roy, 1,130 participants from Attitudinal scales to A regular decline of
Students’ Competence N. 18 secondary schools, measure competence motivation in
Beliefs, Utility Value grades 7 and 9. beliefs, utility value and mathematics during
and Achievement Goals achievement goals in high school, between
in Mathematics mathematics. grades 9 and 11.
Parental Involvement in Fan, W., Williams, C.M., 12, 721 students with Survey items assessing Parental aspiration for
Predicting School and Wolters, C.A. parent reports from five areas of parental their children’s
Motivation: Similar four ethnic groups. involvement, parental education and parental
and Differential Effects educational aspirations, advising was a strong
Across Ethnic Groups parental advising, and positive predictor,
parental participation and parental
in school functions, participation was a
parent-school contact strong factor for
for problems and Caucasian and African
benign school issues. American students.
Intrinsic Motivation Garon-Carrier, G., 1,478 Canadian school Achievement tests in Higher achievement in
and Achievement in Boivin, M., Guay, F., age children followed mathematics were mathematics led to
Mathematics in Kovas, Y., Dionne, G., from grades 1 to 4. administered at school higher intrinsic
Elementary School: A Lemelin, J., Vitaro, F. or at home by a motivation.
Longitudinal and Tremblay, R. E. research assistant, and
Investigation of Their a questionnaire
Association
Motivation in Hannula, M.S. 68 students in this A qualitative study, Sees motivation as a
Mathematics: Goals teacher’s class over a collecting data through way to direct behavior
Reflected in Emotions three-year period. interviews with through the
students and parents, mechanisms that
and observations. control emotion.
Adolescents’ Lazarides, R., Ruback, C. 475 adolescents from Surveys given by Students who perceive
Perceptions of and Ittel, A. 31 classrooms in 12 research assistants. that their parents value
Socializers’ Beliefs, secondary schools in mathematics, place a
Career-Related Berlin, Germany. higher value on the
Conversations, and subject, which in turn is
Motivation in related to the students’
Mathematics plans to pursue a
mathematics related
career.
A Multi-Method Linder, S.M., Smart, 288 second through Phase one was a survey Opportunities for self-
Investigation of J.B., and Cribbs, J. fifth grade students in examining levels of direction, and peer
Mathematics 16 classes at a Title One motivation, and phase collaboration are
Motivation for school. two interview of important as is positive
Elementary Aged students with high perceived teacher
Students motivation identified in interpersonal
phase one. interactions.
Role of Mathematics Stevens, T., Olivarez, A. 417 students enrolled Cattell Culture Fair Student beliefs and
Self-Efficacy and J., Lan, W. Y., and in high school algebra Intelligence Test, a self- motivation play an
Motivation in Tallent-Runnels, M. K. in a public high school efficacy instrument to important role on
Mathematics in west Texas. assess level of mathematics
Performance Across confidence, and achievement.
Ethnicity Harter’s Scale of
Intrinsic Versus
Extrinsic Orientation in
the Classroom.
 A common observation from research studies looking at student motivation in

mathematics is the importance of the student’s perception of teacher relationships and parental

involvement, and their own beliefs about their abilities in mathematics. The combination of a

student’s self-efficacy and a teacher that develops these qualities, can result in achievement in

mathematics. (Stevens et. al., 2004) Additionally, when students find value in a content area and

seek mastery of the concepts rather than just performance on a test they tend to be motivated.

(Linder et. al., p. 401, 2015) One researcher suggested the focus should be on the mathematical

process rather than the products. (Hannula, 2006) The focus on standardized testing, instead of

the process, could be the cause of decline of motivation as students move through high school.

(Chouinard & Roy, 2008) There has shown to be a correlation between the achievement in

mathematics and the intrinsic motivation of students. This is evidence perhaps that when a

student feels successful they are motivated to continue to work toward understanding additional

mathematical concepts. (Garon-Carrier et. al., 2016) Parents also play a key role in how a

student values mathematics, thus influencing their motivation to be successful. Parents should

be involved in encouraging their children to value mathematics and expose them to careers with

a mathematics component. (Lazarides et. al., 2017) As a math teacher, I have heard parents time

and time again say, I was never any good at math, so don’t expect my student to be any good.

Parents that treat math competency as something that is genetic may set their student up to fail

simply because they do not believe it is possible for them to develop an understanding of

mathematical concepts.

A study that pinpoints the characteristics of motivated mathematics students could be

valuable to educators. Helping students overcome the belief that they are unable to be successful

in math is part of the teacher’s job. However, it should be viewed as a team effort between the
student, parent and teacher. A teacher has considerable influence on a student’s attitude about

mathematics as do parents. I would like to look further into the ways, I as a teacher and parent,

can assist in helping students find the motivation to work hard and grow.

I would like to use a mixed approach and collect data in the form of questionnaires, for

students, parents and teachers, along with interviews and observations. I will take the data and

develop categories and look for themes or patterns, and then organize the data in tables or

graphs. Grades, test scores and work samples will also be collected to compare the student’s

achievement to their motivation. Helping students build their persistence and develop self-

motivation will be valuable. Gathering data from students, parents and teachers will also give a

more complete picture of factors students have that help them find success in mathematics.
 References

Chouinard, R., & Roy, N. (2008). Changes in High-School Students' Competence Beliefs, Utility

Value and Achievement Goals in Mathematics. British Journal Of Educational

Psychology, 78(1), 31-50.

Fan, W., Williams, C. M., & Wolters, C. A. (2012). Parental Involvement in Predicting School

Motivation: Similar and Differential Effects across Ethnic Groups. Journal Of

Educational Research, 105(1), 21-35.

Garon-Carrier, G., Boivin, M., Guay, F., Kovas, Y., Dionne, G., Lemelin, J., & ... Tremblay, R.

E. (2016). Intrinsic Motivation and Achievement in Mathematics in Elementary School:

A Longitudinal Investigation of Their Association. Child Development, 87(1), 165-175.

Hannula, M. S. (2006). Motivation in Mathematics: Goals Reflected in Emotions. Educational

Studies In Mathematics, 63(2), 165-178.

Johnson, R.B., and Christensen, L., (2014). Educational Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and

Mixed approaches. 5th Edition. Sage Publications, Inc.

Lazarides, R., Rubach, C., & Ittel, A. (2017). Adolescents' Perceptions of Socializers' Beliefs,

Career-Related Conversations, and Motivation in Mathematics. Developmental

Psychology, 53(3), 525-539.

Linder, S. M., Smart, J. B., & Cribbs, J. (2015). A Multi-Method Investigation of Mathematics

Motivation for Elementary Age Students. School Science And Mathematics, 115(8), 392-

403.

Stevens, T., Olivarez, A. J., Lan, W. Y., & Tallent-Runnels, M. K. (2004). Role of Mathematics

Self-Efficacy and Motivation in Mathematics Performance across Ethnicity. Journal Of

Educational Research, 97(4), 208.