Learning environments matter: Identifying influences on the motivation to learn science
In the light of the poor academic achievement in science by secondary school students in South Africa, students' motivation for science learning should be enhanced. It is argued that this can only be achieved with insight into which motivational factors to target, with due consideration of the...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Education Association of South Africa
2015-05-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002015000200008&lng=en&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1828178027178098688 |
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| author | Salomé Schulze Mark van Heerden |
| author_facet | Salomé Schulze Mark van Heerden |
| author_sort | Salomé Schulze |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the light of the poor academic achievement in science by secondary school students in South Africa, students' motivation for science learning should be enhanced. It is argued that this can only be achieved with insight into which motivational factors to target, with due consideration of the diversity in schools. The study therefore explored the impact of six motivational factors for science learning in a sample of 380 Grade Nine boys and girls from three racial groups, in both public and independent schools. The students completed the Student Motivation for Science Learning questionnaire. Significant differences were identified between different groups and school types. The study is important for identifying the key role of achievement goals, science learning values and science self-efficacies. The main finding emphasises the significant role played by science teachers in motivating students for science in terms of the learning environments that they create. This has important implications for future research, aimed at a better understanding of these environments. Such insights are needed to promote scientific literacy among the school students, and so contribute to the improvement of science achievement in South Africa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:08:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-45737157b5fa4ab29aaf4dbd089d0357 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:08:11Z |
| publishDate | 2015-05-01 |
| publisher | Education Association of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-45737157b5fa4ab29aaf4dbd089d03572022-12-22T03:46:49ZengEducation Association of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Education2076-34332015-05-0135201910.15700/SAJE.V35N2A1058S0256-01002015000200008Learning environments matter: Identifying influences on the motivation to learn scienceSalomé Schulze0Mark van Heerden1University of South AfricaUniversity of South AfricaIn the light of the poor academic achievement in science by secondary school students in South Africa, students' motivation for science learning should be enhanced. It is argued that this can only be achieved with insight into which motivational factors to target, with due consideration of the diversity in schools. The study therefore explored the impact of six motivational factors for science learning in a sample of 380 Grade Nine boys and girls from three racial groups, in both public and independent schools. The students completed the Student Motivation for Science Learning questionnaire. Significant differences were identified between different groups and school types. The study is important for identifying the key role of achievement goals, science learning values and science self-efficacies. The main finding emphasises the significant role played by science teachers in motivating students for science in terms of the learning environments that they create. This has important implications for future research, aimed at a better understanding of these environments. Such insights are needed to promote scientific literacy among the school students, and so contribute to the improvement of science achievement in South Africa.http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002015000200008&lng=en&tlng=enachievement goalsgender and racial group influences on motivation to learn scienceinfluence of schoollearning environmentmastery goalsmotivation to learn sciencescience learning valuesself-efficacy |
| spellingShingle | Salomé Schulze Mark van Heerden Learning environments matter: Identifying influences on the motivation to learn science South African Journal of Education achievement goals gender and racial group influences on motivation to learn science influence of school learning environment mastery goals motivation to learn science science learning values self-efficacy |
| title | Learning environments matter: Identifying influences on the motivation to learn science |
| title_full | Learning environments matter: Identifying influences on the motivation to learn science |
| title_fullStr | Learning environments matter: Identifying influences on the motivation to learn science |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning environments matter: Identifying influences on the motivation to learn science |
| title_short | Learning environments matter: Identifying influences on the motivation to learn science |
| title_sort | learning environments matter identifying influences on the motivation to learn science |
| topic | achievement goals gender and racial group influences on motivation to learn science influence of school learning environment mastery goals motivation to learn science science learning values self-efficacy |
| url | http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002015000200008&lng=en&tlng=en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT salomeschulze learningenvironmentsmatteridentifyinginfluencesonthemotivationtolearnscience AT markvanheerden learningenvironmentsmatteridentifyinginfluencesonthemotivationtolearnscience |