Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

4-19-2024

Presentation Format

In person

Abstract

In this study, the Motivation for Mathematics Abbreviated Instrument (MMAI) was administered to students in an urban high school in one Midwestern city. Demographically, the vast majority of these students identify with categories other than white. There is a strong emphasis on college readiness and high expectations within the school’s culture. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the 168 responses revealed strong fit to a four-factor model. The items within each factor are shown to discriminate between factors, converge together within factors, and to reliably measure their individual factors. This model strongly aligned with the four intended motivational constructs; however, EFA revealed a significant inverse relationship between one of the performance approach orientation items and expectations for success. Student comments support this problematic relationship between performance and expectations for success. During this administration almost 20 percent of the students were intrinsically motivated, mastery approach oriented, and had high expectations for success but were not performance approach oriented. This suggests that many students enjoyed math, were motivated to understand math, and thought they could be successful; however, they did not want to be compared to other students. Results of this study suggest cognitive motivational constructs may be related to issues associated with performance orientations in mathematics education, and that performance orientations may have negative impacts on intrinsic motivation and expectations for success in students.

Keywords

Mathematics Education, Motivation, Performance Orientations, Critical Inquiry, Exploratory Factor Analysis

Disciplines

Education | Science and Mathematics Education | Secondary Education

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