Teachers’ Motivational Orientations in Grading (TMOG) Questionnaire: An Introduction and Factorial Validation

Grading is a central professional task for teachers and critical for students’ academic trajectories. Therefore, teachers’ grading competence is crucial. Based on teacher competence models and central motivational theories from educational, work, and social psychology, we emphasize the importance of motivational orientations in grading. We introduce the Teachers’ Motivational Orientations in Grading (TMOG) Questionnaire, a self-report instrument assessing nine motivational orientations: self-concept, self-efficacy, importance, enjoyment, utility, attitude, relevance, autonomy, and strain. Data from 368 teachers in Germany and Austria, across primary and secondary schools, were used to validate the instrument. All scales demonstrated good psychometric properties and at least partial scalar measurement invariance across countries and school types. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a nine-factor model. The TMOG offers a foundation for studying teachers’ motivational orientations in grading and a tool for professional reflection and development.