A PLACE TO BEGIN (AGAIN) IN RESEARCH ON STUDENT MOTIVATION - TEACHERSBELIEFS

We report a questionnaire study of teachers' beliefs about the effecti veness of different strategies for fostering student motivation. The q uestionnaire covered a range of strategies, including those recommende d by researchers, those rejected, and one on which recommendations hav e been in conflict. In general, teachers appeared to know what many re searchers might ''tell'' them about student motivation. In the case wh ere researchers have been divided, we judged the teachers to have adop ted the better-founded position. We found modest correlations between strategy ratings and teachers' own motivational orientation as learner s, a possible influence on beliefs about student motivation. The natur e of research-based and common knowledge is discussed. Motivation rese archers might begin by investigating teachers' knowledge rather than e nd their projects by telling teachers what they have found.