Page 114 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 114
al., 2012). The aim of the study was to find out whether any social changes re-
lated to the priorities of the value of knowledge (applied knowledge over ba-
sic knowledge, competencies and procedural knowledge over complex, con-
tent-based knowledge, and aims of vocational education and lifelong learning
over general aims of education, i.e. acquisition of knowledge and understand-
ing) were reflected in students’ evaluation of knowledge and education. Re-
search into the attitude to knowledge was based on the Social Representa-
tions Theory; students’ beliefs and views on knowledge and education were
studied, as were motives for learning, knowledge-related behaviour, as well
as perceptions of applicability of knowledge and orientation of instructions.
All of the measured constructs mentioned above served as a basis for con-
clusions about students’ attitude to knowledge, wherein the significance and
value students attach to knowledge/education are reflected. Study results re-
vealed four types of attitude to knowledge,2 which differ in terms of students’
motivation for education and pragmatic orientation toward education. The
differences between the four groups of students in motivation for education
were expressed as a combination of views on motives for learning, complex
114 knowledge and aims of lifelong, vocational and general education. The dif-
ferences between groups in terms of pragmatic orientation were shown in a
combination of views on pragmatic knowledge and attainment of high levels
of education.
The first type of attitude to knowledge differs from the other three in lack
of motivation for education and moderate pragmatic orientation. Students in
this group (N = 71 or 15.6%) hold no clearly defined views (or the views may
be neutral) on motives for learning to gain knowledge (intrinsic motivation),
on complex knowledge, lifelong learning and general aims of education; they
find motives for learning to gain status (extrinsic motivation) to be unimpor-
tant and the aims of vocational education of little importance. Their view on
pragmatic knowledge is neutral (but nevertheless evaluated as the most im-
portant among the four groups) and they think attainment of a high level of
education is not important. This type of attitude to knowledge is characterised
mainly by undecided, to moderately negative views, on learning, knowledge
and education, with the exception of vocational education, which is evaluat-
tionate representation of all Slovenian students in all three types of secondary educational pro-
grammes by gender. Based on this the author infers that the obtained results are representative of
the upper secondary student population of Slovenia.
2 According to the responses received on the scales of views on knowledge (complex knowledge,
pragmatic knowledge), views on the aims of education (general, vocational, lifelong learning
and higher education) and motives for learning (learning for gaining knowledge and learning for
gaining a status) students were classified into four groups based on a cluster analysis. Each of the
groups of students was characterised by a different type of attitude to knowledge. The differences
between the four types of attitude to knowledge were established by means of a discriminant anal-
ysis, which has shown that they differ in two dimensions, i.e. motivation for education and prag-
matic orientation towards education.
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
lated to the priorities of the value of knowledge (applied knowledge over ba-
sic knowledge, competencies and procedural knowledge over complex, con-
tent-based knowledge, and aims of vocational education and lifelong learning
over general aims of education, i.e. acquisition of knowledge and understand-
ing) were reflected in students’ evaluation of knowledge and education. Re-
search into the attitude to knowledge was based on the Social Representa-
tions Theory; students’ beliefs and views on knowledge and education were
studied, as were motives for learning, knowledge-related behaviour, as well
as perceptions of applicability of knowledge and orientation of instructions.
All of the measured constructs mentioned above served as a basis for con-
clusions about students’ attitude to knowledge, wherein the significance and
value students attach to knowledge/education are reflected. Study results re-
vealed four types of attitude to knowledge,2 which differ in terms of students’
motivation for education and pragmatic orientation toward education. The
differences between the four groups of students in motivation for education
were expressed as a combination of views on motives for learning, complex
114 knowledge and aims of lifelong, vocational and general education. The dif-
ferences between groups in terms of pragmatic orientation were shown in a
combination of views on pragmatic knowledge and attainment of high levels
of education.
The first type of attitude to knowledge differs from the other three in lack
of motivation for education and moderate pragmatic orientation. Students in
this group (N = 71 or 15.6%) hold no clearly defined views (or the views may
be neutral) on motives for learning to gain knowledge (intrinsic motivation),
on complex knowledge, lifelong learning and general aims of education; they
find motives for learning to gain status (extrinsic motivation) to be unimpor-
tant and the aims of vocational education of little importance. Their view on
pragmatic knowledge is neutral (but nevertheless evaluated as the most im-
portant among the four groups) and they think attainment of a high level of
education is not important. This type of attitude to knowledge is characterised
mainly by undecided, to moderately negative views, on learning, knowledge
and education, with the exception of vocational education, which is evaluat-
tionate representation of all Slovenian students in all three types of secondary educational pro-
grammes by gender. Based on this the author infers that the obtained results are representative of
the upper secondary student population of Slovenia.
2 According to the responses received on the scales of views on knowledge (complex knowledge,
pragmatic knowledge), views on the aims of education (general, vocational, lifelong learning
and higher education) and motives for learning (learning for gaining knowledge and learning for
gaining a status) students were classified into four groups based on a cluster analysis. Each of the
groups of students was characterised by a different type of attitude to knowledge. The differences
between the four types of attitude to knowledge were established by means of a discriminant anal-
ysis, which has shown that they differ in two dimensions, i.e. motivation for education and prag-
matic orientation towards education.
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
