5th and 8th grade pupils’ and teachers’ perceptions of the relationships between teaching methods, classroom ethos, and positive affective attitudes towards learning mathematics in Japan

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Teachers perceived that the factors contributing to pupils’ enjoyment and motivation, and
those contributing to pupils’ sense of security and sense of progress were different.
Encouraging pupils’ involvement in mathematics classes and promoting pupils’ interest
in mathematics classes were perceived to promote pupils’ enjoyment and motivation.
Meeting pupils’ individual needs in mathematics classes and promoting pupils’
understanding of the curriculum was perceived to promote pupils’ sense of security and
sense of progress, although 8^th grade teachers mentioned that promoting pupils’
understanding of the curriculum promoted enjoyment as well. The teachers’
dichotomised views of the factors contributing to pupils’ affective attitudes seemed to
affect their dichotomised views of the teaching methods. Teachers perceived that
recently developed teaching methods contributed to enjoyment and motivation, while
traditional teaching methods contributed to sense of security and progress. On the other
hand, cohesion was found among 8^th graders’ perceptions across the factors
contributing to four aspects of their affective attitudes. 8^th graders perceived that
promoting their understanding of the curriculum promoted all four aspects of their
affective attitudes.

The Japanese teachers’ views challenge findings from the literature (Harter, 1978, 1981;
Deci. 1971, 1982, 1992) that pupils’ enjoyment, sense of security and sense of progress
are related because perceived competence and internal perceptions of control
(autonomy) determine pupils’ affective attitudes. They also challenge Eccles et al’s
(1983) expectancy-task value theory that outcome expectancy and task value will
promote pupils’ motivation to learn mathematics. From the data it seems that teachers
believe that pupils’ expectancy in mathematics learning contributes to their sense of
security and sense of progress, while task value such as interest in learning contributes
to enjoyment and motivation. These differences in findings may be due to cultural
differences between the USA and Japan. This seems to support Bandura’s (1997)
theory whereby a sense of personal efficacy is more important than autonomy to
maintain motivation for Japanese 8^th graders. 8^th graders also shared the view with their
teachers that having an interest in learning contributed to their enjoyment and
motivation.

8^th graders believed that involvement in mathematics classes meant adopting a self-
reliant learning style where pupils relied on their own effort. This self-reliant learning

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