ABSTRACT
The field of motivation research within educational psychology has been especially generative over the last several decades, in particular by producing theories, constructs, and tests thereof. However, this research productivity has not resulted in comparable benefits for educational practice (Berliner, 2006; Kaplan, Katz, & Flum, 2012). Our current methods have been unbalanced in favor of observational, correlational, and laboratory studies that often have implications for practice but do not end up changing practice. In other words, we have “brought psychology to education” by developing theories and constructs without regard for solving the practical problems of educators. Although helpful in advancing theory, this test-theory-first, solve-problemssecond approach has served to exacerbate gaps between research and practice. Fortunately, there is an alternative.
