Matt Edwards is a doctoral student in Transcultural German Studies at the University of Arizona. Before starting his doctoral work in August 2023, he studied at the University of Kentucky, where he completed his double degree in Psychology and German and his Masters in German Studies. His interest in pedagogy and student motivation are reflected in his passion for the German language and culture, and his connection to teaching German and English.
In 2019 and before starting his Masters, Matthew completed a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Hamburg, Germany where he taught English to students at Gymnasium Eppendorf. While working on his Masters, Matthew had the opportunity to further his education in 2021-2022 at Universität Heidelberg.
His doctoral work explores the implications of student motivation during the learning process with an emphasis on engaging with Dörnyei’s theory of motivation. He additionally focuses on how culture in a world language classroom can be best utilized for student success, while also enhancing curriculum development.