Fostering Pupils’ Deep Learning and Motivation in the Norwegian Context: A Study of Pupils’ Perceptions of Mathematics Instruction and the Link to Their Learning Outcomes

Abstract Recent international research has highlighted deep learning as an essential prerequisite for pupils to meet the global challenges of the future. This focus has drawn attention to Norwegian challenges, indicating that instruction leaves little room for pupils to engage intensively in tasks over time and to foster deep-learning processes. Thus, a new curriculum was implemented in the Norwegian educational system in the autumn of 2020 to emphasize deep learning throughout all content areas. This study investigates how teachers provide learning conditions fostering learning and motivation processes to support pupils’ learning during mathematics lessons. After their mathematics lesson, 144 pupils from 9 classes (grades 7–9) in seven schools in Norway completed a questionnaire. It consisted of items measuring their perception of the relevance of the content taught, the quality of the instruction given, the teacher’s interest and enthusiasm, and the extent to which the instruction fulfilled their psychological needs for social relation, autonomy, and feeling competent. On average, the pupils reported that they applied surface-level learning strategies rather than deep-level strategies in their mathematics lessons. They also lacked intrinsic motivation. To a large degree, pupils reported that they hardly recognised the content’s relevance. The results support the focus on deep learning in the 2020 curriculum reform in Norway. Additionally, they reveal conditions worth investigating when aiming to foster pupils’ deep learning and motivation.