Investigating elementary students’ motivation towards science learning: a cross age study

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2008

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Güvercin, Özge

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This study investigated the effects of grade level and gender on elementary school students’ motivation towards science learning. This study was carried out during 2007-2008 fall semester at 12 public elementary schools in Yenimahalle districts of Ankara. A total of 2231 students (1121 boys, 1093 girls, 17 did not report their gender) participated in the study. In terms of grade level, 1164 were enrolled in 6th grade level and 1055 in 8th grade (12 did not report their grade level). Data were collected through Students’ Motivation Towards Science Learning Questionnaire (SMTSL). Two-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted in order to identify the effects of grade level and gender on six dimensions of motivation (i.e. self efficacy, active learning strategies, learning environment stimulation, science learning value, achievement goal and performance goal) towards science learning. Two-way MANOVA results showed that grade level and gender had a significant effect on the collective dependent variables. Follow-up univariate analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between 6th and 8th grade students’ motivation towards science learning regarding mean scores on each motivational variable. In addition, mean scores on each motivational variable, except leaning environment stimulation, were significantly different for boys and girls, in favors of girls. Result demonstrated that students’ motivation towards science learning declined as the grade level increased and girls had a higher motivation towards science learning than boys.

Subject Keywords

Education., Elementary or Public School Education.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/2/12609910/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/18097

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis

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Citation Formats

Ö. Güvercin, “Investigating elementary students’ motivation towards science learning: a cross age study,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2008.