The Impact of Research Motivation on Educational Research Literacy Among Chinese Preservice Teachers

Educational research helps teachers stay engaged in their professional practice. The preparatory stage offers a key opportunity to build educational research literacy. However, few studies have explored how research motivation influences educational research literacy during the training period. This study surveyed 1059 Chinese preservice teachers to examine the impact of research motivation on educational research literacy, including research mindset, knowledge, and skills, and the mediating role of research engagement. Results showed that while preservice teachers had strong research mindset, they lacked adequate research knowledge and skills. Both research motivation and engagement positively influenced all three components. Furthermore, individual and organizational engagement partially mediated the relationship. These findings suggest that fostering intrinsic motivation and promoting consistent engagement during teacher preparation can significantly enhance educational research literacy, particularly in developing research knowledge and skills.