Dennis M. McInerney

Academic motivation, self-concept, engagement, and performance in high school: Key processes from a longitudinal perspective

The study tested three theoretically/conceptually hypothesized longitudinal models of academic processes leading to academic performance. Based on a longitudinal sample of 1866 high-school students across two consecutive years of high school (Time 1 and Time 2), the model with the most superior heuristic value demonstrated: (a) academic motivation and self-concept positively predicted attitudes toward school; (b) attitudes toward school positively predicted class participation and homework completion and negatively predicted absenteeism; and (c) class participation and homework completion positively predicted test performance whilst absenteeism negatively predicted test performance. Taken together, these findings provide support for the relevance of the self-system model and, particularly, the importance of examining the dynamic relationships amongst engagement factors of the model. The study highlights implications for educational and psychological theory, measurement, and intervention.

Culture's Consequences on Student Motivation: Capturing Cross-Cultural Universality and Variability Through Personal Investment Theory

Culture influences basic motivational processes; however, Western theories of achievement motivation seem to have neglected the role of culture. They are inadequate when trying to explain student motivation and engagement across a wide range of cultural groups because they may not have the conceptual tools needed to handle culturally relevant information. Personal investment (PI) theory is proposed as a viable alternative that could be used across diverse cultural contexts. It designates three components of meaning: sense of self, perceived goals, and facilitating conditions as central to understanding investment in the educational enterprise. Moreover, it is an integrative framework that can shed light on both etic (culturally universal) and emic (culturally specific) dimensions of student motivation. Studies utilizing PI theory are reviewed revealing interesting etic and emic findings. Implications for cross-cultural research in educational psychology are discussed.

Studying for the sake of others: the role of social goals on academic engagement

Much of the research on achievement goal theory has focused on the roles of mastery and performance goals in academic engagement, thus the role of other goals such as social goals has mostly been neglected. The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of different kinds of social goals (affiliation, approval, concern, responsibility and status goals) on the different facets of academic engagement. A total of 1147 Filipino secondary school students answered questionnaires assessing their social goals, achievement goals and academic engagement. Hierarchical regression analyses were employed to investigate the effects of social goals on academic engagement after controlling the effects of mastery and performance goals. Results indicate that certain kinds of social goals are also important predictors of academic engagement. We recommend that researchers consider investigating social goals that might be more salient in cross-cultural settings instead of focusing exclusively on mastery and performance goals.

The Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect and a National Policy of Within-School Ability Streaming Alternative Frames of Reference

The big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) was evaluated with 4,461 seventh to ninth graders in Singapore where a national policy of ability streaming is implemented. Consistent with the BFLPE, when prior achievement was controlled, students in the high-ability stream had lower English and mathematics self-concepts (ESCs and MSCs) and those in the lower-ability stream had higher ESCs and MSCs. Consistent with the local-dominance effect, the effect of stream-average achievement on ESCs and MSCs was more negative than—and completely subsumed—the negative effect of school-average achievement. However, stream-average achievement was stronger than, or as strong as, the more local class-average achievement. Taken together, findings highlight the potential interplay of a local dominance effect with variability and/or salience of target comparisons in academic self-concept formations.

Including social goals in achievement motivation research: Examples from the Philippines

Traditional theories of achievement motivation such as achievement goal theory mostly neglected its more social aspects. This paper focuses on social goal as a key construct and argues for the need to include social goals in the research agenda. This is especially important when conducting research among collectivist societies where the interdependent self-construal is more salient. Examples of social goal research done within one collectivist culture, the Philippines, are provided. Overall, social goal research in the Philippines supports the inclusion of social goals when examining students’ motivational dynamics. This article is available in Online Readings in Psychology and Culture: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/orpc/vol5/iss3/4

Teachers’ Commitment and psychological well-being: implications of self-beliefs for teaching in Hong Kong

Despite ample research on commitment in industrial settings, there has been no systematic attempt to investigate outcomes associated with teacher commitment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between teacher commitment and psychological well-being in the work place using questionnaires. Hong Kong teachers (Nu2009=u2009857) participated. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to investigate how the three aspects of commitment pertaining to the organisation and occupation predicted relevant outcomes. Results showed that affective and normative commitment positively predicted psychological well-being in the work place: interpersonal fit at work, thriving at work, feeling of competency, perceived recognition at work, desire for involvement at work and job satisfaction. Continuance commitment was a negative predictor of some outcomes. Results of the current study provide support to Meyer’s 3u2009×u20092 factor model of commitment. Findings are discussed in relation to the situation of teachers in the Hong Kong context.

Culturalizing motivation research in educational psychology.

Like water, culture is everywhere yet is often left unexamined. Although scholarly conversation on the importance of culture in studentmotivation has started three decades ago (Maehr, 1974, 1984; Maehr & Braskamp, 1986; Maehr & Nicholls, 1980; McInerney, 1992, 1995; McInerney, Roche, McInerney, & Marsh, 1997), ‘this topic was never fully integrated into mainstream motivational research’ (Zusho & Clayton, 2011, p. 239). This was partly due to the tendency to treatmotivation as a trait and also due to the fact that the bulk ofmotivation research has been conducted inwhat Henrich, Heine, and Norenzayan (2010) termed as WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) cultures. The aim of this special issue, therefore, was to examine the key role of culture in students’ motivation and learning processes. Reigniting the conversation on culture and motivation is timely (DeCuir-Gunby & Schutz, 2014; King&McInerney, 2014, 2016; Kumar&Maehr, 2010; Pajares, 2007; Zusho &Clayton, 2011). First, schools all over theworld are becomingmore andmore diverse. In the United States, the number of non-White public school students has already reached 49% (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2015). In American higher education institutes, international students comprise four percent of the total population (Institute of International Education, 2015). The figures are higher in the United Kingdom and Australia with international students comprising 18% and 19% of the university population, respectively (Australian Government Department of Education and Training, 2015; UK Council for International Student Affairs, 2015). This pattern mirrors the increasing globalization of the world. Second, there is an increasing recognition that

Growth trajectories of mathematics achievement: Longitudinal tracking of student academic progress

BACKGROUNDnA number of methods to investigate growth have been reported in the literature, including hierarchical linear modelling (HLM), latent growth modelling (LGM), and multidimensional scaling applied to longitudinal profile analysis (LPAMS).nnnAIMSnThis study aimed at modelling the mathematics growth of students over a span of 6 years from Grade 3 to Grade 9.nnnSAMPLEnThe sample comprised secondary longitudinal data collected in three waves from n = 866 Hong Kong students when they were in Grade 3, Grade 6, and Grade 9.nnnMETHODnMathematics achievement was measured thrice on a vertical scale linked with anchor items. Linear and nonlinear latent growth models were used to assess students growth. Gender differences were also examined.nnnRESULTSnA nonlinear latent growth curve with a decelerated rate had a good fit to the data. Initial achievement and growth rate were negatively correlated. No gender difference was found.nnnCONCLUSIONnMathematics growth from Grade 6 to Grade 9 was slower than that from Grade 3 to Grade 6. Students with lower initial achievement improved at a faster rate than those who started at a higher level. Gender did not affect growth rate.

Socially Oriented Motivational Goals and Academic Achievement: Similarities between Native and Anglo Americans.

ABSTRACT The authors examined the relations between two socially oriented dimensions of student motivation and academic achievement of Native (Navajo) American and Anglo American students. Using confirmatory factor analysis, a multidimensional and hierarchical model was found to explain the relations between performance and social goals. Four first-order goal constructs (competition, social power, affiliation, and social concern) represented by 2 higher order factors (performance and social dimensions) were found to be invariant for two cultural groups of high school students in the United States: Navajo (n = 1,482) and Anglo (n = 803). The findings suggest that the effects of performance goals are relatively stronger, and are similarly strong cross-culturally. However, Navajo students were relatively lower in achievement scores and competition goals but higher in social concern.

Personal best (PB) goal structure, individual PB goals, engagement, and achievement: A study of Chinese- and English-speaking background students in Australian schools

BACKGROUNDnPrior cross-cultural research with students in different national contexts (Australia and China) has shown consistency in the extent to which individual personal best (PB) goals are associated with engagement at school.nnnAIMSnThis study extends this work to a multicultural context, assessing perceived PB goal structure in school and individual PB goals among Chinese- and English-speaking background Australian high school students attending the same schools.nnnSAMPLEnA sample of 450 students (Nxa0=xa0225 Chinese-speaking background Australian students; Nxa0=xa0225 matched English-speaking background Australian students) from 20 schools.nnnMETHODnWe conducted multigroup path modelling to examine the following process model: Perceived PB goal structure in schoolxa0→xa0individual PB goalsxa0→xa0school engagementxa0→xa0academic achievement.nnnRESULTSnFindings showed that for both groups, perceived PB goal structure in school is associated with an individuals PB goals (and engagement), individual PB goals are associated with engagement, and engagement is associated with achievement. The indirect effects of perceived PB goal structure in school to achievement (via individual PB goals and engagement) and individual PB goals to achievement (via engagement) were also significant. Notably, there was no significant difference in parameters between Chinese- and English-speaking background students, suggesting generality of the effects of perceived PB goal structure in school and individual PB goals in the engagement and achievement process.nnnCONCLUSIONnFindings hold implications for educators teaching to culturally diverse classrooms and seeking to optimize students academic growth within these contexts.