High school teachers often struggle to engage students who have little or no motivation to learn. We argue that improving students' perceptions of affective relationships with teachers may have the potential to positively influence their motivation, and vice versa. This study looks at reciprocal associations between students' perceptions of the…

Building on prior research documenting associations between youth purpose and academic, psychological and physical well-being, this study examined the contributions of workplace learning (WPL) to youth purpose and internal motivation among 281 youth of diverse racial and ethnic identities and economic status enrolled in two high school networks…

This article addresses the issues faced by the young Aboriginal students in urban and rural settings, which hinder their achievement in mathematics and science. An effort is made to reveal the techniques and programs that address the under-representation of young Aboriginal students in these subjects at secondary and post-secondary levels.…

This study examines how one teacher supported low-achieving students' self-regulated learning (SRL) in the context of a secondary mathematics class. The teacher's scaffolding provided students with multiple opportunities to use feedback and adapt learning and study strategies. Data compared pre- and post-measures of metacognitive skills,…

The present study employed population-level educational records from 4 public school student cohorts (n = 112,916; Grades 7-12) in British Columbia (Canada) to examine relationships between music education (any participation, type of participation, music achievement, and engagement level) and mathematics and science achievement in Grade 10 as well…

Students' mental health has been an increased concern since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, academic outcomes have received very little attention. In this study, changes in students' achievement motivation are investigated using an expectancy-value framework. Participants (n = 90) were high school students (grades 9 and 10) who…

Background: The effect of basic needs and motivational climate has been widely examined in recent years in the field of achievement motivation. Nevertheless, recent studies indicate the need to consider students' (with or without special needs) social goals (e.g. affiliation, recognition, status and responsibility goals) in order to achieve a…

This paper addresses the student support systems available in Chinese schools, with reference to those available in Canadian schools, in order to understand the most effective foundations for academic success and student motivation. The focus of educational support within Chinese and Ontario schools is rooted around times of high-stress exams,…

In 1998 Marzano proposed a taxonomy of learning that integrated three domains or systems: the self system, which involves student motivation; the metacognitive system, involving goal setting and planning; and the cognitive system, required to complete the task at hand. Although extant for 20 years, a paucity of studies have utilized this taxonomy,…

This 2-year prospective study aimed to examine the predictive role of students' achievement goals (mastery-approach and performance-avoidance) on socioemotional adjustment in high school by assessing the potential mediating contribution of academic motivations. A total of 407 high school students (46% boys) were surveyed each year in Secondary 2…

This article explores student motivation to learn French as a second language (FSL) in school. Ontario Grade 9 students (N = 63) were surveyed on their intention to (dis)continue studying French in the Core French (CF) program in Grade 10 when FSL becomes optional. Survey participants shared their reasoning, and a subset (n = 7) took part in a…

The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of ESL secondary teachers and their perceptions towards the use, effects, and integration of iLit ELL, a technology-based language program designed for English language learners, as well as the perceived effects the program had on students' motivation…

The aim of this study was to examine how mathematics tracking in high school (i.e., the practice of grouping students into basic or advanced sequences of courses) shapes students' perceived competence and their perception of the usefulness of their math courses. We hypothesized that the socioeducational environment of the math classroom (i.e.,…

The literature suggests that owing to profound difficulties with high school geography curricula, teachers play a vital role in stimulating student interest and in providing a platform for continuation in the study of geography at university. Yet, with little empirical evidence offered in support, it is unclear why students select geography at…

This study examined the influence of a 4-month intervention on students' motivation in Grade 10 physical education and enrollment in elective physical education. Health Promoting Secondary School Physical Education (HPSS PE) was designed to improve students' psychological need satisfaction in physical education, based on self-determination theory.…