Abstract
In this article, our focus is on the methodological issues in taking a situative approach to studying the interconnected development of motivation, identity, and learning in multiple social contexts. We illustrate our description with data acquired from a cross-context, longitudinal, ethnographic study of novice teachers’ learning, motivation, and identity development (Horn, Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 10(3), 201–239 2008; Nolen et al., Cognition and Instruction, 29(1), 88–122, 2011; Nolen et al. 2009; Ward et al., International Journal of Educational Research, 50(1), 14–20, 2011). We focus our methodological discussion on structuring longitudinal interviews and the interdependence of interview and observational techniques in understanding motivation in social contexts, including the methodological challenges inherent in ethnographic work. One challenge we consider in depth is accounting for the interview as a social context in which motivation and identity develop as learning occurs and how this challenge is particularly important to address in longitudinal work. We end by raising some additional methodological issues in studying motivation, identity, and learning from a situative perspective.
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Notes
In our work, motivation is defined as the reasons or motives that energize participation in social practices. For novice teachers, we were particularly interested in their motives for appropriating, rejecting, or recontextualizing teaching practices.
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Susan Bobbitt Nolen. College of Education, University of Washington, Seattle, USA, 98195. E-mail: sunolen@uw.edu
Current themes of research:
Engagement. Motivation in social contexts. Situative motivation. Supporting engagement in classroom learning.
Relevant publications:
Nolen, S. B. (2011). The role of educational systems in the link between formative assessment and motivation. Theory Into Practice, 50(4), 319–326.
Nolen, S. B., Ward, C. J., & Horn, I. S. (2011). Motivation, engagement, and identity: Opening a conversation. In D. McInerney, R. Walker & G. A. D. Liem (Eds.), Sociocultural theories of learning and motivation: Looking back, looking forward. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Press.
Nolen, S. B., Horn, I. S., Ward, C. J., & Childers, S. (2011). Novice teacher learning and motivation across contexts: Assessment tools as boundary objects. Cognition & Instruction, 27(1), 88–122.
Horn, I. S., Nolen, S. B., Ward, C. J., & Campbell, S. S. (2008). Developing practices in multiple worlds: The role of identity in learning to teach. Teacher Education Quarterly, 35(3), 61–72.
Nolen, S. B. (2007). Young children’s motivation to read and write: Development in social contexts. Cognition & Instruction, 25(2), 219–270.
Christopher J. Ward. School of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership, College of Education, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Orlando, FL 32816. E-mail: Christopher.ward@ucf.edu
Current themes of research:
Sociocultural approaches to engagement. Motivation and learning. Teacher learning and identity. Ethnographic methods in education.
Relevant publications:
Ward, C. J., Nolen, S, B., & Horn, I. S. (2011). Productive friction: How conflict in student teaching creates opportunities for learning at the boundary. International Journal of Educational Research, 50, 14–20.
Nolen, S. B., Ward, C. J., & Horn, I. S. (2011). Motivation, engagement, and identity: Opening a conversation. In D. M. McInerney, R. A. Walker, & G. A. D. Liem (Eds.), Sociocultural theories of learning and motivation: Looking back, looking forward (pp. 109–135). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
Nolen, S. B., Horn, I. S., Ward, C. J., & Childers, S. (2011). Assessment tools as boundary objects in novice teachers’ learning. Cognition and Instruction, 29, 88–122.
Nolen, S. B., Ward, C. J., Horn, I. S., Childers, S., Campbell, S., & Mahna, K. (2009). Motivation in preservice teachers: The development of utility filters. In M. Wosnitza, S. A. Karabenick, A. Efklides, & P. Nenniger (Eds.), Contemporary motivation research: From global to local perspectives (pp. 265–278). Ashland, OH: Hogrefe & Huber.
Nolen, S. B., & Ward, C. J. (2008). Sociocultural and situative approaches to studying motivation. In M. Maehr, S. Karabenick, & T. Urdan (Eds.), Advances in motivation and achievement: Social psychological perspectives (vol. 15, pp. 425–460). London: Emerald Group.
Ilana Seidel Horn. Department of Teaching and Learning, Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, Box 230 GPC, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville TN 37203 USA. E-mail: ilana.horn@vanderbilt.edu
Current themes of research:
Secondary mathematics education. Equitable teaching. Teacher professional community. In-service learning. Pre-service learning. Discourse and learning.
Relevant publications:
Horn, I.S. (2011). Strength in Numbers: Collaborative Learning in Secondary Mathematics. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (in press).
Nolen, S.B., Horn, I.S., & Ward, C.J. (2011). Assessment tools as boundary objects in novice teachers’ learning. Cognition and Instruction, 29(1), 88–122.
Horn, I.S. (2010). Teaching replays, teaching rehearsals, and re-visions of practice: Learning from colleagues in a mathematics teacher community. Teachers College Record, 112(1), 225–259.
Horn, I.S., & Little, J.W. (2010). Attending to problems of practice: Routines and resources for professional learning in teachers’ workplace interactions. American Educational Research Journal, 47(1), 181–217.
Horn, I.S. (2008). Turnaround students in high school mathematics: Constructing identities of competence through mathematical worlds. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 10(3), 201–239.
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Nolen, S.B., Ward, C.J. & Horn, I.S. Methods for taking a situative approach to studying the development of motivation, identity, and learning in multiple social contexts. Eur J Psychol Educ 27, 267–284 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-011-0086-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-011-0086-1