In this forum, we will discuss the current state of student motivation and engagement in our schools. By reviewing the research, we’ll aim to answer critical questions such as what exactly motivates students and which factors drive it. We will examine the misconceptions surrounding motivation and discuss effective approaches to capturing students’ attention. Additionally, we will focus on the role of teachers in fostering student motivation and offer strategies to help students feel motivated to excel academically.
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Agenda
2:00pm ET
Welcome and Introduction
We’ll review key takeaways from recent reporting on student motivation and engagement.
Daniela Franco Brown is an Assistant Managing Editor for race, opportunity and equity.
2:10pm ET
Interactive Session: Levels of Student Motivation
How motivated do students feel right now to do their best in school? We’ll test your knowledge of student motivation and explore the findings of surveys of teenagers and educators conducted by the EdWeek Research Center on student motivation and engagement.
Holly Kurtz is the director of the EdWeek Research Center.
2:20pm ET
Industry Perspective: Inspire Academic Engagement and Motivation with Student Voice Data
Sponsor content provided by Panorama Education
Academic engagement in the classroom is tied to instruction and teaching practices. Yet aside from classroom observations and reviewing lesson plans, school and district leaders have few opportunities to gauge teacher instruction and pedagogy, especially in a way that incorporates students’ perspectives. Join this session to learn how to be a data-driven practitioner who inspire motivation through quality instruction and best teaching practices.
Academic engagement in the classroom is tied to instruction and teaching practices. Yet aside from classroom observations and reviewing lesson plans, school and district leaders have few opportunities to gauge teacher instruction and pedagogy, especially in a way that incorporates students’ perspectives. Join this session to learn how to be a data-driven practitioner who inspire motivation through quality instruction and best teaching practices.
Takeru “TK” Nagayoshi is the 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, Professional Learning Director for Community Events at Panorama Education, and a former high school AP English and research teacher in New Bedford, Mass.
2:30pm ET
Panel Discussion: The Science of Motivation
Understanding motivation isn't complete without considering how students' cognitive, emotional, and social growth stages connect with their sense of motivation. Amidst common misconceptions around motivation, this session will explore the intricate workings beneath the surface, deciphering the dynamics of motivation, the latest research findings, and how they connect with student development to answer questions of top importance to educators.
Arianna Prothero covers technology, student well-being, and the intersection of the two for Education Week.
Carlton Fong
Associate Professor,
College of Education at Texas State University
Carlton Fong is an associate professor in the College of Education at Texas State University. He studies psychosociocultural factors and contexts related to students’ learning and motivation. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles, primarily using research synthesis and secondary data analysis to identify the most salient strategies students and instructors can use to construct motivationally-supportive learning environments. He was recently awarded the 2023 APA Division 15 Richard E. Snow Award for Early Contributions and an APS Rising Star Award in 2021. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
Jennifer Fredricks
Professor of Psychology,
Union College
Jennifer Fredricks is a professor of psychology at Union College where she teaches courses in Developmental Psychology, Educational Psychology, and Adolescent Development. She has published over 60 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters on motivation and engagement in school and out of school contexts. She is author of Eight Myths of Student Engagement: Creating Classrooms of Deep Learning (Corwin Press) and co-editor of Handbook of Student Engagement Interventions: Working with Disengaged Students (Elsevier). She served as the William T. Grant Distinguished Fellow and Students at the Center Distinguished Fellow, and has received funding from the National Science Foundation, American Educational Research Association, Spencer Foundation, and Institute for Educational Studies to support this work.
Emily Q. Rosenzweig
Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology,
University of Georgia
Emily Q. Rosenzweig is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Georgia. She studies how individuals are motivated to learn, both in terms of how motivational beliefs shape students’ learning trajectories and in terms of how to design interventions that support students’ motivation to learn. Her work focuses in particular on challenging developmental transition points for students (e.g., the last year of high school) and the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Her work has received funding from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. She received a Ph.D. in Human Development (specialization in Educational Psychology) from the University of Maryland in 2017 and a B.A. in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.
3:15pm ET
Industry Perspective: Evidence-based Strategies to Boost Student Engagement
Sponsor content provided by Istation
Break down this hot topic with us to understand what matters and what works when it comes to engaging students. Find out what the research says and take our easy-to-implement strategies back to your schools and classrooms. Discover how to build evidence-based strategies into the learning experience for your students.
Break down this hot topic with us to understand what matters and what works when it comes to engaging students. Find out what the research says and take our easy-to-implement strategies back to your schools and classrooms. Discover how to build evidence-based strategies into the learning experience for your students.
Brooke Mabry
Director of Learning and Product Design,
Istation
Mabry is a national board-certified teacher with over 20 years of experience in education. She leads Istation’s learning design team to innovate in digital curriculum and gamification.
3:25pm ET
Panel Discussion: How to Keep Students Engaged in Their Learning
The research is clear: When students are motivated to learn and engaged in class, they are more likely to excel academically. But survey results suggest that students have become less motivated since the pandemic, and teachers say that creating the conditions for students’ intrinsic motivation has been a real challenge. In this discussion, educators will share their tried and tested strategies for building a classroom culture in which all students are encouraged to participate in class and take ownership of their learning.
Madeline Will is an assistant managing editor for Education Week, leading coverage of school leadership and general education trends.
Alejandro Diasgranados
Elementary Teacher,
Whitlock Elementary School, Washington, D.C
Alejandro Diasgranados is an elementary educator at Whitlock Elementary School in Washington, D.C., renowned for his unwavering commitment to enhancing students’ social and emotional well-being through innovative resource access. Notable achievements include securing a school laundry grant from the Washington Commanders, organizing a successful coat drive with the Washington Capitals, and collaborating with Drew Barrymore to provide 265 laptops for students and staff at his school in response to digital divide challenges during COVID-19.
Diasgranados has been recognized as the 2021 D.C. Teacher of the Year and the National University Teacher of the Year. He is also pursuing a doctorate in education from National University, further exemplifying his dedication to educational advancement.
Diasgranados has been recognized as the 2021 D.C. Teacher of the Year and the National University Teacher of the Year. He is also pursuing a doctorate in education from National University, further exemplifying his dedication to educational advancement.
Ann Stiltner
Special Education Teacher
Ann Stiltner is a high school special education teacher in Hamden, Conn. She writes the blog from Room A212. Follow her on Twitter @fromrooma212.
3:55pm ET
Interactive Session: Boosting Student Motivation
What, if anything, can teachers do to help students feel more motivated to do their best at school? Out of more than 20 options given to a nationally representative sample of students, one particular answer was the most selected, with 35 percent saying that is what would motivate them the most to do well in school. Find out what it was and share your ideas on what teachers can do to help students feel more motivated.
Holly Kurtz is the director of the EdWeek Research Center.
4:05pm ET
Closing Thoughts
Hear the big takeaways from the Forum.
Daniela Franco Brown is an Assistant Managing Editor for race, opportunity and equity.
