Page 122 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 122
Year 8 pupils of three generations in Slovenia and three other European coun-
tries (Hungary, Italy and Norway) and their achievements in mathematics and
science in TIMSS 1995, 2003 and 2007 (Gril and Rožman, 2013). Time trend anal-
yses have revealed that within a period of twelve years, there is an increase in
pupils’perceived self-competencies, which increasingly explains their achieve-
ments in mathematics and science, whereas pupils’ interest in these subjects
is on the decrease, explaining pupils’ achievements to an increasingly low de-
gree (or – as was the case in some of the countries – is no longer correlated
with it). After the year 2000 (in the last two assessments), the correlation be-
tween pupils’ interest and achievement turns into a negative, which means
that higher-performing pupils express less interest in these subjects. The in-
crease in pupils’ perceived self-competencies may be attributed to the chang-
es in curricular objectives, which are, in European countries, oriented toward
the development of pupils’ competencies (on the basis of international educa-
tional political strategies based on the Treaty of Lisbon from 2000). A decrease
in the role that interest plays in explaining the achievements, and its negative
impacts on mathematics and science knowledge, are in contrast with expec-
122 tations and theoretical assumptions. They may be a reflection of the social de-
valuation of knowledge and education or of inappropriately designed lessons
in the new curricula.
In international comparative assessment studies, adolescents low person-
al interest in science and mathematics also shows a low level of significance
and value of knowledge for modern generations of young people in Slovenia
and some other European countries. Similarly, a low value of knowledge and
education has been expressed in Slovenian students’ attitude to knowledge
at a more general level of views and beliefs. These results undoubtedly call for
some consideration of the suitability of school reforms that are supposed to
educate and train youths for independent and creative work in a knowledge
society and at the same time require in-depth analyses of various factors, in-
cluding the learning process at school, which contribute to the generation of
youths’ interest in knowledge.
Fostering Intrinsic Motivation and an Interest
in Learning Outcomes in Lessons
Research into contextual variations in motivation indicate different teaching
methods; schools, peers, families and communities foster different motivation
in pupils (Anderman and Anderman, 2000; Eccles et al., 1998; Turner and May-
er, 2000). Factors behind lessons that foster intrinsic motivation for learning
are associated with the task type, structure of authority and autonomy, reward
systems and means of evaluating and assessing knowledge.
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
tries (Hungary, Italy and Norway) and their achievements in mathematics and
science in TIMSS 1995, 2003 and 2007 (Gril and Rožman, 2013). Time trend anal-
yses have revealed that within a period of twelve years, there is an increase in
pupils’perceived self-competencies, which increasingly explains their achieve-
ments in mathematics and science, whereas pupils’ interest in these subjects
is on the decrease, explaining pupils’ achievements to an increasingly low de-
gree (or – as was the case in some of the countries – is no longer correlated
with it). After the year 2000 (in the last two assessments), the correlation be-
tween pupils’ interest and achievement turns into a negative, which means
that higher-performing pupils express less interest in these subjects. The in-
crease in pupils’ perceived self-competencies may be attributed to the chang-
es in curricular objectives, which are, in European countries, oriented toward
the development of pupils’ competencies (on the basis of international educa-
tional political strategies based on the Treaty of Lisbon from 2000). A decrease
in the role that interest plays in explaining the achievements, and its negative
impacts on mathematics and science knowledge, are in contrast with expec-
122 tations and theoretical assumptions. They may be a reflection of the social de-
valuation of knowledge and education or of inappropriately designed lessons
in the new curricula.
In international comparative assessment studies, adolescents low person-
al interest in science and mathematics also shows a low level of significance
and value of knowledge for modern generations of young people in Slovenia
and some other European countries. Similarly, a low value of knowledge and
education has been expressed in Slovenian students’ attitude to knowledge
at a more general level of views and beliefs. These results undoubtedly call for
some consideration of the suitability of school reforms that are supposed to
educate and train youths for independent and creative work in a knowledge
society and at the same time require in-depth analyses of various factors, in-
cluding the learning process at school, which contribute to the generation of
youths’ interest in knowledge.
Fostering Intrinsic Motivation and an Interest
in Learning Outcomes in Lessons
Research into contextual variations in motivation indicate different teaching
methods; schools, peers, families and communities foster different motivation
in pupils (Anderman and Anderman, 2000; Eccles et al., 1998; Turner and May-
er, 2000). Factors behind lessons that foster intrinsic motivation for learning
are associated with the task type, structure of authority and autonomy, reward
systems and means of evaluating and assessing knowledge.
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
