Promoting Students' Interest and Motivation Towards Science Learning : the Role of Personal Needs and Motivation Orientations

• Published in: Research in science education (Australasian Science Education Research Association) Vol. 43; no. 6; pp. 2517 - 2539
• Main Authors: Loukomies, Anni, Pnevmatikos, Dimitris, Lavonen, Jari, Spyrtou, Anna, Byman, Reijo, Kariotoglou, Petros, Juuti, Kalle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.12.2013; Springer
• Subjects: Academic Motivation Questionnaire; Design based research; Education; Educational Theories; Evaluation of Science Inquiry Activities Questionnaire; Finland; Foreign Countries; Greece; Learning Modules; Lower secondary years; Psychological Needs; Questionnaires; Science Education; Science Instruction; Science Interests; Secondary education; Secondary School Science; Secondary School Students; Self determination; Statistical Analysis; Student attitudes; Student Interests; Student Motivation; Student Needs; Greece; Finland; Psychological needs; Motivation orientation; Science education; Industry site visit; Self-Determination Theory
• ISSN: 0157-244X; 1573-1898
• DOI: 10.1007/s11165-013-9370-1

This study designed a teaching sequence for science education that enabled lower secondary school students to enhance their motivation towards science. Further, it looked to examine the way the designed teaching sequence affected students with different motivational profiles. Industry site visits, with embodied theory-based motivational features were included as part of the designed teaching sequence. The sequence was implemented in Finland and Greece with 54 participants, 27 from each country. Quantitative data was collected using the Evaluation of Science Inquiry Activities Questionnaire, based on the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory but did not map the expected outcomes. Interviews, however, showed that students with different motivational profiles found aspects within the module that met their psychological needs as explained by Self-Determination Theory. The results offer a perspective to adolescents' psychological needs along with some insights into how students mediate the way they value an activity in the context of science education. [Author abstract, ed]