Relations between Student Perceptions of Teacher and Parent Expectations, Student Motivation, Learning, and Achievement

Abstract

Research on the impact of expectancy on achievement is mostly conducted from the teachers’ or parents’ perspectives. However, research has also found that students’ cognitive, emotional, and social awareness can significantly alter and direct their behaviour within their learning environments. Despite the importance of student perceptions, in a recent survey by the Ministry of Education, students indicated their perspectives in class to be a crucial yet absent element of effective learning. Focusing on students as part of the solution, the current study assessed the relations between students’ perceptions of parent and teacher expectations and student motivation, learning, and achievement. The study also explored students’ views on learning improvements within class and home contexts. A concurrent mixed methods design was adopted. Likert scale survey ratings from 917 Year 7 and 8 students were analysed. Perceptions of teacher and parent expectations were predictive of student self-efficacy, conceptions of learning, deep and strategic learning approaches, and achievement. Further, perceptions of teacher expectations emerged as the stronger predictor of the dependent variables. Students who perceived parents and teachers as having high expectations scored highly in student motivation and learning compared to students who perceived parents and teachers as having lower expectations. Moreover, high perceptions of teacher expectations emerged as having a buffering effect on low perceptions of parent expectations. Thematic analysis of students’ responses revealed teacher expectations, supportive student-adult relationships, awareness of student perspectives, and quality instructions and feedback as the most prominent influences on student learning. The study urges formation of school-level systems to promote students’ perceptions of learning and teaching within class. Further, the study reinforces fostering parental involvement in the form of high expectations and autonomy-oriented learning involvement at home. Educational implications of the findings are discussed.