Impacting educator motivation: exploring the role of learning strategies in Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

Thesis

This assignment examines the effectiveness of learning strategies in enhancing educator motivation during Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in an Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) setting, focusing on Teaching Assistants (TAs), teachers and leaders. Motivated by observed dissatisfaction and low engagement amongst educators, the research evaluates the impact of three learning strategies: critical thinking, peer learning and elaboration, on TA, teacher and leader motivation.

Using pulse surveys, interviews and statistical analysis, the intervention explored the impact of learning strategies on educator motivation. The findings reveal that while all strategies positively influenced motivation, peer learning had the most consistent impact across all groups. Critical thinking proved most effective for experienced educators, whilst elaboration showed potential but requires further exploration through further research.

Notably, this intervention may have limited generalisability due to its small sample in one urban school setting. However, it offers a contribution to the discourse surrounding CPD, by highlighting how targeted learning strategies can impact educator motivation.

Authors: Griffiths, M

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-0028myxa0
• Type of award: MSc taught course
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: learning strategies; quantitative data; quantitative interviews; surveys; motivation; continuous professional development (cpd); LT2024; LT
• Subjects: Quantitative research; Motivation (Psychology); Surveys; Professional education; Learning strategies; Interviews; Education; Career development