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• Observational measures of teaching are scarce in motivation research. • Direct observations of teaching are important to complement student surveys. • Replication and comparison of existing observation methods yielded mixed results. • With minimal training, relevance and enthusiasm were reliably observed. • Implications include specific recommendations for improving observation methods. Observational measures of teaching are scarce in the motivation literature, but are needed for furthering theoretical knowledge and recommendations for how teachers can support motivation. To inform the development of effective observational tools, particularly for STEM settings, and based on a synthesis of current practices for observing motivational teaching, video lecture recordings from three undergraduate chemistry classes were observed for evidence of instructors' supports for students' motivation, including autonomy support, relevance support, and enthusiasm. Four different coding procedures selected from prior research were compared using interrater reliability estimates and descriptive comparisons of observer scores with student perceptions obtained from surveys. Results indicated that even with minimal coder training, observational measures of relevance support (i.e., connections to real life, support for meaningfulness, relevance statements) and enthusiasm achieved acceptable reliability in capturing motivational teaching that also appeared to align with student perceptions. For other observational measures, results indicated a need for further development including clearer operational definitions, limiting the number of processes observers are expected to simultaneously observe, and perhaps more extensive training for coders. To increase replicability and validity, we call for and contribute to greater transparency in reporting the development and implementation of observational methods for capturing contextual supports for students' optimal psychological functioning in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The role of epistemic emotions was explored in conceptual change. • Participants were randomly assigned to a refutation or expository text condition. • Text type moderated relations between value, emotions, and learning strategies. Abstract We explored the role that epistemic emotions play in conceptual change, specifically whether task value served as an antecedent to these emotions and whether type of text (refutation or expository) moderated relations between task value, epistemic emotions, and learning strategies. One hundred twenty university undergraduates completed a measure of misconceptions about genetically modified foods and were randomly assigned to study an expository or refutation text. After studying, participants reported their levels of surprise, curiosity, and confusion during learning, the extent to which they used self-reported critical thinking and elaboration strategies, and again completed the misconceptions measure. Individuals studying the refutation text experienced more surprise and changed more misconceptions to correct conceptions compared to participants studying the expository text. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that text type moderated the mediated relations between task value and surprise, curiosity, self-reported critical thinking and elaboration. Task value was positively related to surprise in the refutation condition but negatively related to surprise in the expository condition. Additionally, curiosity positively predicted self-reported critical thinking and elaboration strategies in the refutation condition but not in the expository condition. Results demonstrate that epistemic emotions play a significant role in conceptual change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Relations between mathematics achievement and motivation were examined (N = 4306). • All measured aspects of motivation were related to previous achievement. • Only perceived competence predicted subsequent achievement positively. • Perceived competence partially mediated between previous and subsequent achievement. • These relations were largely similar for students of diverse achievement levels. Abstract Due to the diverse achievement experiences of students with diverse achievement levels in heterogeneous primary school classrooms, the relations between motivation and achievement may develop differentially depending upon achievement level. This study investigated the relations between several core aspects of motivation for mathematics – self-efficacy, self-concept, task value, and mathematics anxiety – and achievement with particular attention for potential differences between students of diverse achievement levels. Participants (N = 4306 students of grade 2–6) completed a standardised mathematics achievement test at T1 and T3 and a mathematics motivation questionnaire at T2. T1 achievement positively predicted perceived competence (self-efficacy and self-concept combined) and task value and negatively predicted mathematics anxiety. Only perceived competence had a significant effect on T3 achievement after controlling for T1 achievement and working memory, and partially mediated the relation between previous and subsequent achievement. This pattern of effects was largely similar across the full range of achievement levels, although the effect of previous achievement on perceived competence was stronger within the subsample of average-achieving students. These findings highlight the unique contribution of perceived competence in predicting subsequent achievement across students of diverse achievement levels in primary school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of learning, cost has mostly been discussed under the expectancy-value framework and defined as the perceived negative consequences of task engagement. The issue of cost has recently attracted growing interest among scholars, because it may provide insights regarding how to predict students’ avoidance motivation and behavior. In the present study, we investigated the potential benefits of an expectancy-value-cost approach for predicting outcomes related to adolescent students’ academic motivation and achievement in math. Using two data sets ( N  = 637 and N  = 211) of middle and high school students, we found that cost could successfully explain additional variance in multiple different variables related to academic motivation and achievement, beyond what could be predicted by expectancy and value. In particular, cost emerged as an important factor in predicting adolescent students’ adoption of avoidance goals, negative classroom affect, maladaptive academic outcomes, and exam scores. Findings of the present study extend the scope of expectancy-value theory by highlighting the importance of using expectancy, task value, and cost together to predict students’ academic motivation and educational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study reports on the efficacy of a multi-faceted motivationally designed undergraduate enrichment summer program for supporting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) persistence. Structural equation modeling was used to compare summer program participants ( n  = 186), who participated in the program between their first and second years in college, to a propensity score matched comparison sample ( n  = 401). Participation in the summer program positively predicted science motivation (self-efficacy, task value), assessed eight months after the end of the program (second year in college). The summer enrichment program was also beneficial for science persistence variables, as evidenced by significant direct and indirect effects of the program on science course completion during students’ third year of college and students’ intentions to pursue a science research career assessed during the third year of college. In general, the program was equally beneficial for all participants, but ancillary analyses indicated added benefits with respect to task value for students with relatively lower prior science achievement during the first year of college and with respect to subsequent science course taking for males. Implications for developing effective interventions to reduce the flow of individuals out of STEM fields and for translating motivational theory into practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated how students’ expectancies and values can be predicted by their achievements in multiple domains. Our major aim was to extend previous findings on dimensional comparison processes for expectancies to task values while systematically comparing multiple value facets defined in expectancy-value theory. We assessed the expectancies, values, and achievements of N  = 857 students in Grades 5–12 from two German academic track schools in five academic domains. The results for students’ expectancies largely supported the predictions that were derived from dimensional comparison theory: We found strong evidence for negative cross-domain paths between achievements and expectancies in “far” domains such as math and languages, indicating contrast effects. There were also some positive cross-domain paths between achievements and expectancies in “near” domains such as math and physics, indicating assimilation effects. We also found similar patterns of cross-domain paths for students’ values. However, the results varied substantially across the nine value facets under investigation. We found the strongest evidence for dimensional comparison processes for the value facets most closely related to expectancy (e.g., intrinsic value and cost facets), whereas we found only a little evidence for dimensional comparison processes for the facets of utility value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students’ value beliefs tend to decrease across secondary school (Wigfield et al., 2015). However, previous studies did not differentiate between all the dimensions of task values defined by expectancy-value theory (Eccles et al., 1983). Therefore, this study evaluated an instrument for assessing multiple value dimensions across grade level and academic subjects and tested for differences between grade levels in these subjects. A total of 830 students from Grades 5 to 12 completed a questionnaire assessing their value beliefs in German, English, math, biology, and physics with 37 items each. The factor structure was shown to be invariant across academic subjects, grade levels, and gender. Generally, students in higher grades showed lower means on positive value facets and higher means on cost facets. However, the results varied substantially by facet and subject. Furthermore, stereotypical gender differences in value beliefs were found, and some of these differences increased with students’ grade level. The findings indicate that examining multiple dimensions and subjects is crucial for developing a complete understanding of the development of students’ value beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• During sixth graders' learning in a computer-based learning environment, metacognitive strategy behavior increased from the first day to the second day but remained stable from the second to the fourth day. • The increase in metacognitive strategy behavior varied across students. • Task value and prior domain knowledge partially explained the variation of the increase in metacognitive strategy behavior. • Task value and prior domain knowledge positively predicted metacognitive strategy behavior. • Self-efficacy had no effect on metacognitive strategy behavior. There is a growing interest in viewing self-regulated learning as events unfolding over time, especially when students perform learning tasks in computer-based environments. Metacognitive activities are critical events in self-regulated learning. This study investigated the evolution of metacognitive strategy use in an open-ended computer-based learning environment, Betty's Brain. The data were from 93 sixth graders who used Betty's Brain to learn about climate change for four days. We extracted indicators of metacognitive strategy use from action logs. A knowledge test and self-report questionnaire were administrated before students started using Betty's Brain to assess prior domain knowledge and motivation, respectively. Results showed that metacognitive strategy use increased from the first to the second day and remained stable from the second to the fourth day of the study. The evolution of these behaviors varied across students. Task value and prior domain knowledge partially explained the individual differences in this evolution. Task value and prior domain knowledge also predicted the use of metacognitive strategies. Self-efficacy did not influence metacognitive strategy use. These results suggest the need for further investigation into the role of motivation and prior domain knowledge in the temporal evolution of metacognitive events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Adopting a combination of expectancy-value and achievement goal theories, this study examined the role of self-efficacy, task value, and achievement goals in students’ learning strategies, task disengagement, peer relationship, and English achievement outcome. A sample of 1475 Year-9 students participated in the study. A structural equation model showed that while task value predicted only mastery goals, self-efficacy predicted each of the three types of achievement goal. Mastery and performance-approach goals were both positive predictors of deep learning and peer relationship. Mastery goals were also negatively associated with task disengagement and positively associated with surface learning. In contrast, performance-avoidance goals were a positive predictor of surface learning and task disengagement but a negative predictor of peer relationship. On the whole, these findings suggest that, like mastery goals, performance-approach goals can generate adaptive outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]