Page 117 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 117
ir own knowledge in the most positive way. Of all four groups, these stu- 117
dents evaluate knowledge from the fields of different sciences as the most im-
portant for everyday life.
The unmotivated attitude to knowledge was more commonly expressed
by boys, whereas other types of attitude were expressed by both girls and
boys equally. In all three types of upper secondary educational programmes,
all four types of attitude to knowledge were expressed, however neither equal-
ly nor frequently. Among general upper secondary school students the more
common type of attitude to knowledge expressed is a non-formal attitude to
knowledge rather than that among students of the other two educational pro-
grammes. The motivated attitude to knowledge is more common among stu-
dents of professional-technical schools and vocational schools than general
upper secondary school students. The other two types of attitude, i.e. the un-
motivated and the pragmatic, are equally common among the students of all
three upper secondary school programmes. The least frequently expressed
attitude to knowledge was the unmotivated attitude, regardless of the edu-
cational programme. The most commonly expressed attitude to knowledge
among students of all three programmes (approximately one third) was the
pragmatic attitude to knowledge.
The pragmatic attitude to knowledge is exhibited by nearly one third of
students, only a quarter of students reject the pragmatic orientation (non-for-
malists), while others (44%) remain undecided in relation to it (motivated and
unmotivated). In the attitude to knowledge, pragmatism was evident in the
significance of formal and useful aspects of education (e.g. favourable incli-
nation towards vocational education and attainment of high levels of educa-
tion), in extrinsic motivation (learning to gain status is important) and in val-
uation of the usefulness of technical and scientific knowledge (more so than
the knowledge about man and society). Results indicate pragmatic orienta-
tion is expressed at the expense of the quality of knowledge. Students who
believe in the importance of pragmatic knowledge are less intrinsically mo-
tivated towards learning and achieving general educational goals (i.e. a wide
knowledge from all fields) and are unwilling to participate in lifelong learning.
Results also indicate that knowledge in itself holds no value for them, as they
do not take a stand on it. It may be concluded that pragmatic orientation leads
to a devaluation of knowledge and education. A change in the conception of
knowledge in the knowledge society, wherein knowledge is substituted with
competencies, is most clearly reflected within this orientation.
A positive value is attached to knowledge by slightly more than one half
of students (52%), in the groups of motivated students and non-formalists. The
group of pragmatists remains undecided with regard to its value, while unmo-
tivated students assign it a negative value. For almost one half of students the
conclusion can be drawn that they do not value knowledge - quality knowl-
attitude to knowledge and adolescent´s learning achievement
dents evaluate knowledge from the fields of different sciences as the most im-
portant for everyday life.
The unmotivated attitude to knowledge was more commonly expressed
by boys, whereas other types of attitude were expressed by both girls and
boys equally. In all three types of upper secondary educational programmes,
all four types of attitude to knowledge were expressed, however neither equal-
ly nor frequently. Among general upper secondary school students the more
common type of attitude to knowledge expressed is a non-formal attitude to
knowledge rather than that among students of the other two educational pro-
grammes. The motivated attitude to knowledge is more common among stu-
dents of professional-technical schools and vocational schools than general
upper secondary school students. The other two types of attitude, i.e. the un-
motivated and the pragmatic, are equally common among the students of all
three upper secondary school programmes. The least frequently expressed
attitude to knowledge was the unmotivated attitude, regardless of the edu-
cational programme. The most commonly expressed attitude to knowledge
among students of all three programmes (approximately one third) was the
pragmatic attitude to knowledge.
The pragmatic attitude to knowledge is exhibited by nearly one third of
students, only a quarter of students reject the pragmatic orientation (non-for-
malists), while others (44%) remain undecided in relation to it (motivated and
unmotivated). In the attitude to knowledge, pragmatism was evident in the
significance of formal and useful aspects of education (e.g. favourable incli-
nation towards vocational education and attainment of high levels of educa-
tion), in extrinsic motivation (learning to gain status is important) and in val-
uation of the usefulness of technical and scientific knowledge (more so than
the knowledge about man and society). Results indicate pragmatic orienta-
tion is expressed at the expense of the quality of knowledge. Students who
believe in the importance of pragmatic knowledge are less intrinsically mo-
tivated towards learning and achieving general educational goals (i.e. a wide
knowledge from all fields) and are unwilling to participate in lifelong learning.
Results also indicate that knowledge in itself holds no value for them, as they
do not take a stand on it. It may be concluded that pragmatic orientation leads
to a devaluation of knowledge and education. A change in the conception of
knowledge in the knowledge society, wherein knowledge is substituted with
competencies, is most clearly reflected within this orientation.
A positive value is attached to knowledge by slightly more than one half
of students (52%), in the groups of motivated students and non-formalists. The
group of pragmatists remains undecided with regard to its value, while unmo-
tivated students assign it a negative value. For almost one half of students the
conclusion can be drawn that they do not value knowledge - quality knowl-
attitude to knowledge and adolescent´s learning achievement
