Observational measures of teaching are scarce in the motivation literature, but are needed for furthering theoretical knowledge and recommendations for how teachers can support motivation. To inform the development of effective observational tools, particularly for STEM settings, and based on a synthesis of current practices for observing motivational teaching, video lecture recordings from three undergraduate chemistry classes were observed for evidence of instructors’ supports for students’ motivation, including autonomy support, relevance support, and enthusiasm. Four different coding procedures selected from prior research were compared using interrater reliability estimates and descriptive comparisons of observer scores with student perceptions obtained from surveys. Results indicated that even with minimal coder training, observational measures of relevance support (i.e., connections to real life, support for meaningfulness, relevance statements) and enthusiasm achieved acceptable reliability in capturing motivational teaching that also appeared to align with student perceptions. For other observational measures, results indicated a need for further development including clearer operational definitions, limiting the number of processes observers are expected to simultaneously observe, and perhaps more extensive training for coders. To increase replicability and validity, we call for and contribute to greater transparency in reporting the development and implementation of observational methods for capturing contextual supports for students’ optimal psychological functioning in school.

关于教学的观察措施在动机文献中很少见，但需要进一步加深理论知识并为教师如何支持动机提供建议。为了为有效的观察工具的开发提供信息，特别是针对 STEM 设置，并基于观察激励性教学的当前实践的综合，观察了三个本科生化学课程的视频讲座录音，以获取教师支持学生动机（包括自主性）的证据支持、相关性支持和热情。使用参与者间可靠性估计以及观察者分数与从调查中获得的学生看法的描述性比较，对从先前研究中选择的四种不同的编码程序进行了比较。结果表明，即使进行了最少的编码员培训，相关性支持的观察测量（即与现实生活的联系、对意义的支持、相关性陈述）和热情在捕捉动机性教学方面也达到了可接受的可靠性，这似乎也与学生的看法一致。对于其他观察措施，结果表明需要进一步发展，包括更清晰的操作定义、限制观察员预计同时观察的进程数量，或许还需要对编码员进行更广泛的培训。为了提高可复制性和有效性，我们呼吁并致力于提高报告观察方法的开发和实施的透明度，以获取学生在学校最佳心理功能的背景支持。