Congratulations to Frances Havard who on Thursday, March 27, 2025, successfully defended her dissertation. The title of Fran’s dissertation is "A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS: THE ROLE OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT MOTIVATES LEARNERS."
This qualitative, interpretive inquiry examined how knowledge of executive function (EF) shaped teachers’ perceptions of student motivation. Fourteen middle school educators across the United States participated in semi-structured interviews. The study was grounded in two theoretical frameworks: (a) Ryan and Deci’s (2009) self-determination theory (SDT), which emphasizes cultivating internal drive through autonomy, competence, and relational networking, and (b) Barkley’s (2012) extended phenotype of EF, which conceptualizes EF as an observable tiered developmental process. By integrating these theories, the study examined how EF based practices could enhance student motivation by fostering a greater sense of autonomy, competence, and meaningful relational connections.
Building on this foundation, this research examined the intersection of motivation and EF theory to assess its impact on pedagogy. Through semi-structured participant interviews, key themes emerged, highlighting how knowledge of EF shaped middle school teachers’ perceptions of student motivation. This knowledge not only influenced their instructional design but also enhanced their ability to create structured, supportive learning environments that fostered student autonomy, competence, and relationships. These findings reinforced the critical role of EF in shaping effective teaching practices and demonstrated its potential as a tool for improving student motivation and learning.
Findings from this study offer practical implications for instructional leaders and educators who are grappling with increasing challenges of fragmented learning experiences that impact student motivation. An executive function - centered framework provides a critical lens for addressing these challenges by fostering student engagement and building a self-regulation toolkit.
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR(S):
Dr. Victoria B. Fantozzi
Dr. Susan V. Iverson
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBER(S):
Dr. Courtney Kelly
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