A Comparative Analysis of the Motivational Design of Three Seventh-Grade Mathematics Textbooks

Maintaining students’ motivation in mathematics is essential for overcoming learning difficulties. This study examined (i) how motivation sections are distributed across learning domains in three seventh-grade mathematics textbooks and (ii) the diversity of motivational elements they contain. Using a multiple-case study design, three textbooks aligned with the 2009, 2013, and 2018 Turkish middle school mathematics curricula (ADA, 2014; TUTKU, 2015; MoNE, 2019) were analyzed. A conceptual framework identified nine categories of motivational elements, including visuals, exemplifications, connections, open-ended questions, games, humor, historical notes, career information, and biographies. The findings showed notable differences across textbooks: TUTKU (2015) and MoNE (2019) emphasized Numbers and Operations, whereas ADA (2014) focused on Geometry and Measurement. Visuals, connections, and open-ended questions were most common, while games, humor, career information, and biographies were rare. Most motivation sections combined three or four elements, suggesting the need to improve their number, diversity, and quality.