Keith Postlethwaite

Motivation in science

Objectives

• To discuss some ideas related to the task element in motivation

• To understand some recent research on motivation in, and attitudes to, science

• To understand what a science teacher can do to enhance motivation for learning science

• To consider pupils’ views

Keith Postlethwaite

Motivation

• Performance = ability * motivation

• Is it just about rewards?

Extrinsic / Intrinsic

• Motivation = task element + personal element

• Motivation may not be easy to change

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The task element

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STARTERS are important because:• they influence early levels of engagement and motivation;

• they help to inject a sense of pace and challenge;

• they are an alternative to commencing with a whole-class question-and-answer routine;

• they create an expectation that pupils will think and participate in the lesson.

Starters

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Task element

• Find eye catching experiments

• And videos

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Task element

• Keep newspaper files and science websites

• http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/science/geology.html

• http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/science/mineralogy.html

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHnh6SWq1fE

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The personal element

Maslow’s Theory of Motivation

Love & Belonging Affiliation, affection

Self esteem

Self actualisation

Safety

Physiological

Competence, recognition

Food, drinkwarmth

Physical, psychological

Reaching for goals

PLUS cognitive needs to acquire, systematise & analyse knowledge in and attempt to understand the world

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Other useful notions

• Goal value• Expectation of success

M=(Goal value) x (Expectation)

• Attribution – ability, luck, effort, task difficulty

• Needs / Drive reduction / Curiosity

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Dynamic model of motivation

BEFORE ACTION ACTION AFTER ACTIONReasons for action Needs + values Decisions to act Sustained effort Achieve previously set goal [ATTRIBUTION]

Sense of agency Cognitions + beliefs feedback

rewards

goals

Seddon 2004

After Williams and Burden 1997 and Dweck 2000

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Flow

•You always know what you are doing and why

•You receive immediate feedback, first external (from others) then internal (self assessment)

•Challenges and skills must be in dynamic balance

•Concentration is essential; distractions are to be avoided.

•Control must be made possible by taking responsibility for learning.

•Pleasure in learning occurs and learning is seen not an instrument but as an end in itself.•Flow can result in the loss of a sense of time

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Zusho et al 2003 Skill & Will: the role of motivation and cognition in

the learning of college chemistry IJSE 25(9)

• It is not enough to consider cold conceptual change.

• We have, also, to attend to motivation and affect.

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Self efficacy over time

High achievers

Mid achievers

Low achievers

T1 T2 T3

Model 1 Model 2 Model 3Prior ach

SAT maths .32 .22 .21

Motivation

Self efficacy .44 .40

Task value .14 .22

Mastery goals -.13 -.06

Performance goals -.06 -.06

Cognitive strategies

Rehearsal .13

Organization -.12

Elaboration -.09

Metacognition -.06

R2 .10 .29 .31

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Zusho

• What can we do to develop self efficacy– Communicate the role of effort and strategies– Model specific strategies as the teacher– Encourage students to explore their own

strategies

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Mastery Learning

Assess prior learning

Define topic - 10 lessons?

Teach whole class

CoreObjectives

met?

Define core objectives

Yes

Enrichment Remediation

Summative assessment

No

50%

50%

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Zusho

• Task value– Relevance and utility of chemistry to everyday

life

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Osborne et al Attitudes to Science IJSE 25(9)

• Gender?

• Class?

• Curriculum?

• Perceived difficulty

• Culture

• Classroom factors

Keith Postlethwaite

Classroom Factors• Clear goals• Communicate these goals to pupils• Preview and review lesson content• Link work to students’ experiences• Facilitate some pupil input to goals and agendas• Promote expectations of success• Establish a supportive social context• Allow for different cognitive styles • Modify pace etc to pupils• Summarise to promote effort-based attributions

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Pupils’ views – Design of Study

• Conduct individual and group interviews with a sample of students aged 11-18, to provide initial insights into students’ thinking about effective teaching and learning

• Assemble key ideas from this set of interviews into a questionnaire which was then completed by all students in one Year 11 year group

Keith Postlethwaite

Interview questions

• What makes you want to learn?

• What, in the world around you, makes it difficult for you to learn?

• What, within yourself, makes it difficult for you to learn?

• What kinds of things do teachers do that help you to want to learn?

• What kinds of activities help you to learn best?

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Overview of interviews

• ….there was substantial agreement ‘across all the years (7-13) and, as far as it is possible to judge, abilities’.

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• ‘make the lesson fun’• M = a task element + personal element

• Students were helped when there was a match between the work and their own abilities

• They wanted teachers to see them as individuals and to know where they had got to in their learning

• Many students said that it was important that the teacher knew their work well.

• M = Expectation of success*Value of goal

• importance of praise and encouragement • Maslow’s need for esteem

Detailed interview findings

• Most students noted the importance of regular marking of work

• Optimal experience theory (Csikszentmihalyi) – importance of feedback

• Most students stressed the demotivating effect of ‘tatty classrooms’.

• Possibly related to Maslow’s aesthetic needs

• Many students were critical of those of their peers who disrupted lessons.

• Several students were also clear about the broader influence that a traumatic home situation could have

• Students wanted to feel able to ask questions and make mistakes without fear of the consequences

• Related to Maslow’s need for psychological safety

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Seeking limited generalisation

Questionnaire for all Yr 11 pupils

Table 3 Rotated Factor Structure of Student Replies about Student Behaviours

FACTORS

Variable F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7

V1 I make sure I have enough sleep .67

V2 I make sure I have enough to eat .72

V3 I make sure I’m appropriately dressed .66

V4 I make sure I arrive on time .61

V5 I make sure I have the necessary equipment .66

V6 I will do as asked .58 .51

V7 I use my homework diary to plan for deadlines .73

V8 I use my homework diary to spread work .62

V9 I recognise my successes .71

V10 I recognise my mistakes .71

V11 I see that learning is for my benefit

V12 When my work is good I ask teachers what was good .71

V13 When my work is bad I ask teachers what was bad .72

V14 I see that getting stuck is OK

V15 To keep trying with difficult work ics OK .64

V16 I see that increased effort improves learning .56

V17 I ask about revision methods .54

V18 I try hard at things I don’t like .63

V19 I accept responsibility for good atmosphere in class

V20 I am sensitive to others .60

V21 I listen to others .70

V22 I ask teachers when something is difficult .53

V23 I am polite to teachers .70

V24 I told my teachers what I enjoyed .67

V25 I attend lessons regularly .67

V26 I share worries with my teachers .52

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Factors• Factor 1: I conform to the work and social

norms of the classroom

• Factor 2: I am analytical about my learning

• Factor 3: I communicate with my teachers about my learning

• Factor 4: I prepare myself for learning

• Factor 5: I organise my work

• Factor 6: I accept that I can influence my learning

• Factor 7: I make sure I have enough to eat