Abstract:

It is common to hear teachers, educators, parents, and even students say that many students are not motivated to learn math and that it is essential to motivate them. The question is how to motivate students. Several studies address this issue from different perspectives. We are interested in investigating what future teachers – still university students – understand as motivate students to learn.

In order to contribute to this problem, we have developed a qualitative research study based on a case study. The research question gave rise to the following two subsidiary questions:
- What is "motivate for learning" (seen by future teachers)?
- How do you motivate students to learn (seen by future teachers)?

The participants in the study were eleven 3rd year students of a 1st cycle course in teacher training of a Portuguese public university, in the subject Didactics of Mathematics (3rd year, 2nd semester).

The research design was based on the resolution of a three-part task. In first part, each student answered individually and without the support of the teacher to the questions: "I - What do you understand by motivating students to learn? Is the motivation intrinsic or extrinsic?" Then, in pairs, for about 20 minutes, students did the second part of Task: "II – Search internet for learning more about motivation. Indicate the sites you have selected. Answer questions I again, taking into account what you have learned". This was followed by an oral presentation of the main ideas of each group, with discussion in large group mediated by the teacher. The last part of the task consisted of the individual writing of the fundamental ideas of each student at the final of the task.

The students written answers at the various stages of the task constituted the data that were analysed through content analysis.
The results showed that some students considered motivation related to the student and others to the teacher. Nine out of eleven students made (before internet research about motivation) the association: intrinsic motivation - student; extrinsic motivation - teacher, presenting interesting justifications from the point of view of the concern with the teaching and learning. Regarding the question of how to motivate students, it was unanimous that this is a difficult task (of the teacher) and that there are several factors to be taken into account, for example: the students' age, the social environment and students’ interests and difficulties. It was clear that the suggestions they made reflected some aspects they would like to see in their own classes as students (e.g. using dynamic teaching methods; using strategies that awaken creativity and the willingness to learn, among others). The complete resolution of the task allowed students to reflect on their conceptions, adjust them scientifically and develop their teaching conceptions.

Keywords:

Motivation to learn, teacher training, teaching practices, teaching conceptions.