Page 124 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 124
ness to participate in learning activities, all of which lead to higher learning
outcomes (Furrer and Skinner, 2003). Students who perceive that they are ac-
cepted and valued by their teachers report a higher level of emotional partici-
pation in learning activities, i.e. they experience more joy and a relaxed atmos-
phere in the classroom (ibid.). Teachers’ high expectations about the quality of
knowledge and learning outcomes is also important for students’intrinsic mo-
tivation (Ryan and Grolnick, 1986).
Peer norms in regard to academic achievement and classroom climate are
also significantly correlated with learning motivation and students’ learning
outcomes. The social context may impact achieving goals, if personal goals
are in agreement with other people’s goals. Learning outcomes can lead to
social acceptance if these outcomes are valued within the peer group. Stud-
ies show a consistent positive correlation between prosocial behaviour in the
classroom (for instance help, sharing and co-operation, as well as avoidance of
disruptive or antisocial behaviour) and acceptance and approval among peers;
prosocial behaviour is simultaneously also strongly positively correlated with
intellectual achievement, including test scores and performance in knowl-
124 edge and intelligence tests (Wentzel, 2007). Co-operative classroom behaviour
and absence of disruptive behaviour also create a favourable learning climate,
which fosters efficient teaching and learning of the learning content. Such so-
cial behaviour can directly contribute to learning and mastering tasks as well
as learning achievement, and also to social approval (by peers and teachers)
and students’ acceptance. Perception of peers’ expectations about certain
types of behaviour may play a central role in students’ self-determination of
why specific behaviour is important. Students who perceive their peers’ high
expectations about learning and classroom participation also report that they
learn for intrinsic reasons or because it is important to do so (and not to avoid
disapproval or get themselves into trouble should they not learn) (ibid.). Peers
thus have the possibility to have the most direct impact on whether participa-
tion in tasks is important, fun or interesting. Peers who are role models in terms
of the feeling of importance or fun in connection with participation in a task,
can thus steer others towards developing similar views on the task in question.
However, it is friends who have the most powerful impact with regard to this;
friendship is characterised by strong emotional ties, which increases the likeli-
hood of friends copying one another’s behaviour.
Depending on its form (as encouragement to participation or feedback
about achievement/command of something), the practice of evaluation and
reward can foster intrinsic motivation (Deci et al., 2001). The focus of feedback
given to students should be on individual progress in knowledge and the
strategies used rather than on social-comparative or value-based judgements.
Assessing knowledge based on a comparison with others always results in a
situation where some students are unsuccessful and perform less successful-
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
outcomes (Furrer and Skinner, 2003). Students who perceive that they are ac-
cepted and valued by their teachers report a higher level of emotional partici-
pation in learning activities, i.e. they experience more joy and a relaxed atmos-
phere in the classroom (ibid.). Teachers’ high expectations about the quality of
knowledge and learning outcomes is also important for students’intrinsic mo-
tivation (Ryan and Grolnick, 1986).
Peer norms in regard to academic achievement and classroom climate are
also significantly correlated with learning motivation and students’ learning
outcomes. The social context may impact achieving goals, if personal goals
are in agreement with other people’s goals. Learning outcomes can lead to
social acceptance if these outcomes are valued within the peer group. Stud-
ies show a consistent positive correlation between prosocial behaviour in the
classroom (for instance help, sharing and co-operation, as well as avoidance of
disruptive or antisocial behaviour) and acceptance and approval among peers;
prosocial behaviour is simultaneously also strongly positively correlated with
intellectual achievement, including test scores and performance in knowl-
124 edge and intelligence tests (Wentzel, 2007). Co-operative classroom behaviour
and absence of disruptive behaviour also create a favourable learning climate,
which fosters efficient teaching and learning of the learning content. Such so-
cial behaviour can directly contribute to learning and mastering tasks as well
as learning achievement, and also to social approval (by peers and teachers)
and students’ acceptance. Perception of peers’ expectations about certain
types of behaviour may play a central role in students’ self-determination of
why specific behaviour is important. Students who perceive their peers’ high
expectations about learning and classroom participation also report that they
learn for intrinsic reasons or because it is important to do so (and not to avoid
disapproval or get themselves into trouble should they not learn) (ibid.). Peers
thus have the possibility to have the most direct impact on whether participa-
tion in tasks is important, fun or interesting. Peers who are role models in terms
of the feeling of importance or fun in connection with participation in a task,
can thus steer others towards developing similar views on the task in question.
However, it is friends who have the most powerful impact with regard to this;
friendship is characterised by strong emotional ties, which increases the likeli-
hood of friends copying one another’s behaviour.
Depending on its form (as encouragement to participation or feedback
about achievement/command of something), the practice of evaluation and
reward can foster intrinsic motivation (Deci et al., 2001). The focus of feedback
given to students should be on individual progress in knowledge and the
strategies used rather than on social-comparative or value-based judgements.
Assessing knowledge based on a comparison with others always results in a
situation where some students are unsuccessful and perform less successful-
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
