„Ich fand die Unterrichtsstunde interessant - du etwa nicht?“: Heterogenität im situationalen Interesse und Zusammenhänge mit Klassen- und Unterrichtsmerkmalen

Dealing with heterogeneity in the classroom is a crucial demand that is placed on teachers. Besides stable interindividual differences in the student body, there are also differences that arise at a situational level especially with regard to motivational-affective variables. The aim of the study is to examine class- and lesson-specific correlates (class composition in terms of individual interest, instructional quality and adaptive instructions) of students’ situational interest and additionally to focus on the extent of heterogeneity between students in a class. The study used a questionnaire- and diary-design and collected data from 41 classes (879 students) in 307 mathematic lessons. Results from hierarchical regression analyses showed that variance in mean-level situational interest from a class was explained by lesson-specific instructional quality and adaptive instruction whereas class composition variables (class-specific individual interest) showed no significant relations. Lessons with a smaller heterogeneity in students’ situational interest were associated with higher reports on teacher enthusiasm and adaptive instructions.