Should we and can we motivate university students? ? The analysis of the interpretation of the role and the teaching methods of university teachers

Reducing student drop-out rates is a challenge faced in Hungarian higher education. Our research and development project is intended to contribute to this effort: we analyse the notions and experiences of teachers concerning the possibility of motivating students, as well as their own role models as teachers and their teaching methods. We also explore students? motivation, their experiences and expectations related to classes at the university.It was studied whether the motivation of students appears in the teachers? understanding of their own role. Do they accept or reject the motivation of students as a task? Is there a difference in the teaching methods applied between those who consider a part of their role as teachers to motivate students and those who reject this? We were also curious how the opinions of teachers and students were similar or different concerning the motivating effect of various teaching methods.We collected data from teachers and students at six Hungarian institutes of higher education. The teachers? questionnaire was completed by 210 respondents, and semi-structured, in-depth interviews were also conducted with 41 of them. The students? questionnaire was completed by 1,130 respondents. In the analysis of the data, we used both quantitative and qualitative methods.Based on the results, half of the teachers faced with difficulties in connection with motivating students. In the interpretation of the role models of the majority of them, the intention of motivating students appeared positively. By contrast, in the opinion of 68%, academic success depends on the students alone.There was agreement in that the respondents considered the use of digital tools, interactivity, practicality as having the most motivating effect. In the frequency of encountering various methods, however, there was a difference in the assessment given by students and teachers. The interviews shed light on the fact that, despite the best intentions, the actual achievement of motivation of students in the classrooms is often missing. The reason may be the lack of pedagogical and methodological knowledge and consciousness.