Effects of Teacher Enthusiasm Training on Student on-Task Behavior and Achievement

A dissociation between engagement and learning: Enthusiastic instructions fail to reliably improve performance on a memory task

“…Our results support and extend those of Bettencourt et al[21], who also observed evidence of increased student motivation toward task behavior, but no effect on test performance, due to an otherwise robust experimental manipulation of instructor enthusiasm. Patrick et al [34] similarly found that enthusiastic instructions had a contagious effect on students’ self-reported levels of motivation during a learning activity, but there was no effect on a behavioral measure of self-directed learning.…”

“…Rather than accept a dissociation between motivation and achievement, these past researchers attributed their mixed results to methodological nuance. The folk theory that enthusiastic teaching begets student motivation, increasing interest and attention, which then improves learning [31], was too compelling to dispute [21, 51]. However research in cognitive psychology has repeatedly shown that learning performance does not necessarily benefit from increased interest [77, 78] or increased motivation [52, 79].…”

Enhancing Professional Knowledge of Pre-Service Science Teacher Education by Self-Study Research

“…This is an aggregate of all students present in class on this day excitement about teaching the lesson from the instructor before students even walk into the classroom. Even though Bettencourt et al ( 1983 ) identifi ed an increase in on-task behavior, our students self-reported their on-task behavior as being consistent throughout the semester regardless of the instructor's enthusiasm. We believe this now challenges our practical understandings.…”

“…A person who is demonstrating enthusiasm is typically happy and thus they will translate that emotional energy to those around them. This means that the energy level and enthusiasm that a teacher has will motivate students to stay on task (Bettencourt, Gillett, Gall, & Hull, 1983 ). Enthusiasm is an aspect of building a positive learning environment that motivates students to be involved.…”

The Use of Popular Culture in the Teaching of Ethics/Religious Education: A Hong Kong Case

“…Effective teachers understand the needs of their students. If teachers present the topic in a way that is interesting, important, or worthwhile, the students are likely to learn more effectively (Bettencourt et al 1983). They know that different students learn differently; some are visual learners, others are auditory learners, and still others are tactile learners.…”