The Impact of an Informatics-Developmental Teaching Approach in the Subject Nature and Society on Students’ Motivation

In this study, we examined the extent to which implementing an informatics-developmental teaching approach with e-learning in the Nature and Society course influences student motivation. The motivation level of ten-year-old students was assessed before and after implementing this instructional approach, comparing an experimental group (innovative instruction) to a control group (traditional approach). The research was conducted using a parallel-groups experimental design on a sample of 189 fourth-grade primary school students. In the experimental group, the subject was taught following an informatics-developmental model using digital technologies (tablets, multimedia content, gamification elements), while the control group was taught using a traditional approach. Student motivation was measured with an adapted Likert scale before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, independent and paired-samples t-tests. Before the experiment, no significant difference in motivation was found between the two groups. At the final measurement, the experimental group had a statistically significantly higher level of motivation than the control group. The findings confirm that innovative, digitally supported instruction can enhance students’ learning motivation compared to traditional methods. The contemporary approach fostered greater student engagement and interest, which was reflected in a rise in their motivation. It is recommended to more broadly implement digitally enriched instructional strategies in primary schools to stimulate student motivation. It is also necessary to provide continuous professional development for teachers for effective integration of ICT in instruction. Future research should consider the long-term effects of such innovations and their impact on various educational outcomes.