From engagement to motivation: A diary study on how teaching experience shape student learning dynamics

Teacher engagement plays a crucial role in shaping student motivation at both individual and group levels. This study employed a Hierarchical Linear Modeling approach to analyze the dynamic relationship between teacher engagement and student motivation, considering the contributions of teaching experience and average teacher engagement at the group level. Data were collected from 112 students and seven teachers over four sessions, resulting in a total of 448 observations at Level 1 (session level) using questionnaires to measure teacher engagement and student motivation. Data analysis used hierarchical linear modeling with Mplus 7.0. The analysis revealed that teacher engagement significantly increased student motivation at the within level. At the between-person level, teacher engagement was found to play a meaningful role in enhancing student motivation. Additionally, teaching experience also contributed positively, indicating that more experienced teachers were generally more effective in fostering student motivation, while teaching experience demonstrated a significant contribution with p = .035. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between teaching experience and teacher engagement at the group level. To build upon these results, future research is encouraged to adopt a long-term longitudinal design to understand stable patterns. Furthermore, more holistic measurement instruments, such as direct classroom observations and qualitative data, are recommended.