Motivational climate through the eyes of teachers: a scoping review based on achievement goal theory

Fejes, József Balázs and Mahavong, Anongsack and Shernoff, David J. and Shernoff, Elisa S. (2026) Motivational climate through the eyes of teachers: a scoping review based on achievement goal theory. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION, 29 (1). ISSN 1381-2890

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Abstract

Within the framework of achievement goal theory (AGT), the motivational climate is understood as a subjective meaning-making process, highlighting that students and teachers may perceive this climate differently. Previous research has focused on students’ perspectives, potentially limiting a comprehensive understanding of motivational processes. This scoping review of 44 empirical studies maps the existing literature on motivational climate from teachers’ perspectives, grounded in AGT, and provides an organized overview of study characteristics, methodological approaches, and research topics. Quantitative research was overrepresented; only three studies employing mixed-method designs. Based on the available instruments that focus on the motivational climate from teachers’ perspectives, three main types of scales were identified: those measuring holistic school climate for students, holistic school climate for teachers, and teachers’ instructional practices. Organizing the available instruments suggests a stronger alignment between research objectives and measurement tools in the future; and identifying different combinations of scale types utilized by researchers may offer new opportunities for gaining a more precise understanding of the motivational climate. The categorization of research topics reveals that incorporating teachers’ perspectives into characterizations of the motivational climate can significantly deepen our understanding of motivational processes, underscoring the value of including teachers’ perspectives for diverse research objectives. This study provides implications for future research concerning research design, instrument development, and the exploration of research topics.

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