While the individual roles of general cognitive ability and motivation in predicting academic achievement are well established, how they interact with one another and the extent of their combined effect on students' learning outcomes leave much to be explained. The present study investigates the relationships among general cognitive ability,…

According to expectancy-value models, two important motivational constructs are task value and self-efficacy expectations. As students work intensively on mathematical problems in the classroom, teachers need the competence to judge whether students value solving the problem and how confident they are that they will succeed. However, not much is…

Purpose: Grounded in Control-Value Theory, this study aimed to investigate the relationships between emotional antecedents (control-value beliefs) and emotions with students' perceived self-esteem and physical activity intention. In addition, the potential differences in antecedents, emotions, and outcomes by gender were explored. Method:…

African American males have consistently scored lower than their peers on national reading assessments for the last 50 years (Ladd, 2017). These readers are among many students who find their reading motivation wanes as they matriculate through school. Reading attitudes of middle schoolers are also generally negative. This qualitative case study…

The more students read, the better they read, and students are more inclined to read when they are motivated to read. Students' interests and their confidence as readers contribute to their motivation. Confidence is impacted by how students view themselves as readers, an identity which can be influenced by the environment surrounding them. The…

The secondary school transition is considered a critical life event by practitioners and researchers alike, and the challenges presented by the pupils during this transition continues to be high-profile in educational, social and political contexts. This study focused on Year 7 pupils aged 11 to 12 years old in their first year of secondary…

Underrepresentation of female students and specific racial/ethnic groups persists in STEM despite decades of intervention. Evidence suggests a need to encourage interest in STEM fields at the middle-school level. Adolescent career aspirations are influenced by exposure to role models and mindsets, such as a sense of perceived personal capacity.…

Insufficient research attention has been focused on the development of academic "under"-achievement and motivational beliefs. A longitudinal, person-centered approach was used to identify latent subgroups of growth in the joint development of teacher-reported underachievement and four motivational beliefs (self-concept, task importance,…

Background: As the significance of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to increase, there is a need for effective scaffolding and support for novice learners. Educators have encountered challenges in effectively scaffolding novice learners AI concepts, and providing appropriate motivational support. Research evidence has shown the potential of…

Middle school students experience decreased academic motivation and declining achievement without proper classroom strategies and academic support. This single case study explores the parallels between child and adult education theories to identify a practical approach to adolescent learning and teaching by identifying effective educational…

The current research sought to examine the impact of a week-long mathematics camp on motivation and self-efficacy beliefs of participating middle school students. Middle school students participated in a one-week mathematics camp on a college campus, where they worked on authentic mathematics activities that were applied to real world concepts.…

A rural middle school in the geographic area between the Midwest to Southern U.S. sought help to motivate their Latino student population to aspire for higher academic goals. The researchers collaborated with the middle school to use solution-focused counseling techniques (Murphy, 2015) in a group format to bolster the self-esteem and ethnic…

Literacy is an important result of language teaching. Language skills are like the pieces of a whole. The accurate acquisition of these skills, which are needed to be used effectively by individuals both in their social and educational life, is equally valuable. Writing is a skill that is acquired and developed mostly during the learning process…

During the early stages of secondary education students' motivation and performance levels decline. This study employed a case study approach to evaluate a learning environment called GUTS; Differentiated Challenging of Talent in School. GUTS was specifically designed to raise performance and motivation through a combination of (a) talent lessons…

This article describes how a class of year 9 (age 13-14) students engaged in a research-informed and negotiated action science project to address socio-scientific issues. The project was informed by the 'STEPWISE' curriculum framework. Evidence suggests that students benefited from collaborative problem-solving, developing confidence, motivation…