Digital Technologies in a Design and Technology Lesson and Their Influence on a Learner's Situationally Perceived Value of a Task When Engaged in Inquiry-Based Learning

The motivation to engage in a task is directly related to its perceived value according to Deci & Ryan (1985). Increasing motivation can lead to a higher enhanced learning achievement for the student. The question is if using digital technologies in inquiry-based learning lessons influences the learners' situationally perceived value of the task and if a higher perceived value leads to a more successful learning outcome. 207 Pupils were questioned with the standardised IMI (Intrinsic Motivational Inventory) after carrying out an experiment in design and technology. The architectural science-based task was to build a bridge out of a couple of sheets of paper. Half of the class used digital technologies for their research and half of them functioned as the control group using traditional media. There was a significant difference between the two groups: the treatment group felt the task to be more valuable than the control group (t[subscript 188.920] = 2.504, p = 0.13). There was a correlation between a higher learning outcome and a higher perceived value of the task, which was considered to be small (r = 0.14, p = 0.45).