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Motivational patterns observed in Sixth‐Grade science classrooms
Author(s) -
Lee Okhee,
Brophy Jere
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of research in science teaching
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.067
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1098-2736
pISSN - 0022-4308
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2736(199603)33:3<303::aid-tea4>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - psychology , task (project management) , mathematics education , science education , science learning , motivation to learn , intrinsic motivation , value (mathematics) , subject matter , conceptual change , goal theory , pedagogy , social psychology , curriculum , management , machine learning , computer science , economics
Drawing on theories of student motivation to learn and conceptual change learning in science, this article describes five patterns of student motivation observed in sixth‐grade science classrooms: (a) intrinsically motivated to learn science; (b) motivated to learn science; (c) intrinsically motivated but inconsistent; (d) unmotivated and task avoidant; and (e) negatively motivated and task resistant. These motivational patterns were related in theoretically predictable ways with the learning strategies and other behaviors that the students exhibited in the classrooms. The study highlights the value of distinguishing motivation to learn from intrinsic motivation, and of distinguishing general motivational traits from situation‐specific motivational states. The study also highlights the importance of considering subject‐matter content in classroom motivation. Implications for motivation research and classroom practices are discussed. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.