’ Motivation Practices and Students’ Performance: A Case Study of Public School Teachers in Lalitpur

Abstract

This dissertation has appraised current practices of teachers’ motivation and students’ performance in community schools. The gist of dissertation therefore conceptualized motivation from effective teaching and learning perspectives that fostered students’ performances. Teachers’ motivation practices are thematized under; internal and external motivation process whereas performances of the students are thematized under; physical appearances, class monitoring skills, inter personal communication, judging and experiencing school knowledge, written skill and merit performances. Being a constructivist researcher, I brought theoretical insights from self-efficacy, goal orientation, and need/motivation theories. I applied a single instrumental case study methodology in which information were generated from participant observation, in-depth interviews and focus group discussion. The study found that teachers were applying various motivational strategies to the school that increased students’ performances. Students were becoming sensitive to moral ii value of education; they were questioning on ethical character, subject knowledge and expertise of the teachers and parenting. Written skills and academic performance of the students were in improving trend. Similarly poor income opportunities in rural neighborhood, vulnerable education life of the migrated students in urban areas were the visible problems to the teachers. Qualified teachers having political power were working in urban areas. Overall, there was no reward and punishment system to appraise teachers’ motivational role. Because of minimal income and quarterly salary payment system, teachers were still looking for alternative opportunities. Poor monitoring/evaluation system to measure performance of teachers, and poor community participation at school were some of the major external challenges faced by the teachers. Finally, knowledge generated from this study has greater possibility of implication from teachers, students, local stakeholders and policy makers. The policy maker of the nation can get some ideas on the issue about upgrading the overall quality of the students. Furthermore, future researchers can study on the similar topics with the different prospective and methodologies