Factors Influencing Educational Motivation: a study of attitudes, expectations and behaviour of children in Sunderland, Kentucky and St Petersburg

Worldwide concern about educational achievement, fuelled by comparative studies, has resulted in much debate about appropriate pedagogic practices. This article argues, however, that in considering how to raise educational attainment, key attitudinal and other sociocultural factors have been insufficiently considered. To support this position, it reports the findings from a large‐scale international investigation of the attitudes, perceptions and orientation towards academic activity of children (aged 14‐15 years). Findings indicate that English and American children share a relatively high degree of satisfaction with their current level of academic performance and work rate, place greater emphasis upon effort rather than ability attributions for success, although, somewhat paradoxically, appear to have less real commitment to educational endeavour. Findings from the study are discussed in the light of the children's differing socio‐economic and sociocultural contexts and current educational reform initiatives.