Page 125 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 125
than their peers; and the experience of failure leads to perceptions of one’s 125
lower competencies and also to a decrease in interest for the learning content
(Dweck, 2002).
In summary, developing a positive value of knowledge, interest and in-
trinsic motivation takes place as part of interpersonal interactions in the class-
room. Teachers are supposed to enable students’ active participation in les-
sons and their autonomous control over learning (Urdan and Turner, 2007).
They need to choose topics and activities that make sense and make it possi-
ble for students to discover the importance and practical value of the learning
content. Tasks should be moderately difficult, so that students can make pro-
gress in their knowledge. Teachers need to provide suitable feedback about
students’ learning progress and the strategies they have used. They must be
very clear in expressing their expectations, pointing out that anyone can learn
from what they are taught, and should stress the connection between suc-
cess and the effort students put in. It is also important for teachers to co-create
an inclusive classroom climate, oriented towards participation, support and
acceptance, as well as the mutual trust of all students within a class; this will
make it possible for students to feel respected, accepted and safe in assuming
responsibility for learning.
Conclusion and Practical Implications
The results of the study on the significance and value of knowledge and ed-
ucation for students reveal a predominantly negative attitude to knowledge
and education irrespective of student achievement or education pathway. The
author believes educational endeavours should therefore be focused on im-
proving the positive value of knowledge and education in all students, not on-
ly those underachieving. To do so it would be necessary to awaken and de-
velop an interest in knowledge in various fields, foster intrinsic motivation for
learning and steer the educational process towards achieving and reward-
ing in-depth, coherent fundamental knowledge (only in potential connec-
tion with useful aspects). Giving priority to practical and procedural knowl-
edge over fundamental knowledge may lead to pragmatism, which does not
develop any suitable students competencies defined among the educational
aims. On account of this, there is not only a decrease in the significance of con-
tent-based knowledge, which strengthens the negative value of knowledge
and is reflected in negative views on knowledge and an inappropriate attitude
of youths to education, but it can also be expected that such lessons will lead
to lower levels of command of knowledge or lack of knowledge, judging from
the underachievement of students who have in this study expressed a prag-
matic attitude to knowledge.
attitude to knowledge and adolescent´s learning achievement
lower competencies and also to a decrease in interest for the learning content
(Dweck, 2002).
In summary, developing a positive value of knowledge, interest and in-
trinsic motivation takes place as part of interpersonal interactions in the class-
room. Teachers are supposed to enable students’ active participation in les-
sons and their autonomous control over learning (Urdan and Turner, 2007).
They need to choose topics and activities that make sense and make it possi-
ble for students to discover the importance and practical value of the learning
content. Tasks should be moderately difficult, so that students can make pro-
gress in their knowledge. Teachers need to provide suitable feedback about
students’ learning progress and the strategies they have used. They must be
very clear in expressing their expectations, pointing out that anyone can learn
from what they are taught, and should stress the connection between suc-
cess and the effort students put in. It is also important for teachers to co-create
an inclusive classroom climate, oriented towards participation, support and
acceptance, as well as the mutual trust of all students within a class; this will
make it possible for students to feel respected, accepted and safe in assuming
responsibility for learning.
Conclusion and Practical Implications
The results of the study on the significance and value of knowledge and ed-
ucation for students reveal a predominantly negative attitude to knowledge
and education irrespective of student achievement or education pathway. The
author believes educational endeavours should therefore be focused on im-
proving the positive value of knowledge and education in all students, not on-
ly those underachieving. To do so it would be necessary to awaken and de-
velop an interest in knowledge in various fields, foster intrinsic motivation for
learning and steer the educational process towards achieving and reward-
ing in-depth, coherent fundamental knowledge (only in potential connec-
tion with useful aspects). Giving priority to practical and procedural knowl-
edge over fundamental knowledge may lead to pragmatism, which does not
develop any suitable students competencies defined among the educational
aims. On account of this, there is not only a decrease in the significance of con-
tent-based knowledge, which strengthens the negative value of knowledge
and is reflected in negative views on knowledge and an inappropriate attitude
of youths to education, but it can also be expected that such lessons will lead
to lower levels of command of knowledge or lack of knowledge, judging from
the underachievement of students who have in this study expressed a prag-
matic attitude to knowledge.
attitude to knowledge and adolescent´s learning achievement
