Pupils’ perceptions of teaching behaviour: Evaluation of an instrument and importance for academic motivation in Indonesian secondary education

•We examine the quality of pupil measure on teaching behaviour.•Pupil measure on teaching behaviour meets the strict assumptions of Rasch model.•Teaching behaviour significantly predicts pupils’ controlled and autonomous motivation.•Effects of teaching behaviours on autonomous motivation are stronger.

The present study investigates the psychometric quality of a measure tapping pupils’ perceptions of teachers’ teaching behaviour in the Indonesian context. It also examines the relationship between pupils’ perceptions of teaching behaviour and their perceived academic motivation. Surveys from a total of 4000 pupils of 200 teachers/classes were analysed using classical test analyses and Rasch modelling. Results reveal that the Indonesian version of the instrument is reliable and valid for measuring teaching behaviour in the Indonesian context. Teachers’ teaching behaviour is a significant predictor of pupils’ controlled and autonomous motivation. The effect of teaching behaviour is stronger for pupils’ autonomous motivation than for controlled motivation. Implications of findings for research and educational practices were discussed.