Irini Dermitzaki

Predictors of students' intrinsic motivation in school physical education

The aim of the present study was to examine the relations of students’ intrinsic motivation in physical education lessons with factors such as perceived locus of causality, perceived competence and outcome expectancies. Five hundred sixteen students of grades 7–12 participated in the study. The students were randomly selected from three schools located in a medium sized town in Greece. Perceived locus of causality was examined using Ryan and Connell’s (1989) motivational orientation scales, while intrinsic motivation was assessed by means of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (Ryan, 1982). Outcome expectancies for ten possible outcomes of school physical education were assessed by means of two different scales, namely outcome evaluation and outcome likelihood. Causal modelling analysis showed that intrinsic motivation was mainly influenced by perceived usefulness which in turned was influenced by outcome expectations. Moreover, outcome expectations also influenced perceived locus of causality. These results show that students’ outcome expectancies for their participation in school physical education is an important factor influencing their intrinsic motivation.RésuméLe but de cette étude presente était d’examiner les rapports entre la motivation intrinsèque pour l’éducation physique et des facteurs comme le locus de causalité, la competence perçue, et l’attente de résultat. Cinq cent seize étudiants des grades 7–12 ont participés à la recherche. Les étudiants ont été choisis au hasard dans trois écoles d’une ville grecque de grandeur moyenne. Le locus de causalité a été établi à l’aide du questionnaire d’orientation motivationnelle de Ryan et Connell (1989) tandis que la motivation intrinsèque a été estimée par le questionnaire de Motivation Intrinsèque (Ryan, 1982). L’attente de résultat concernant dix résultats possibles en éducation physique scolaire a été éxaminée par deux echelles differentes: évaluation de résultat et probabilité de résultat. L’analyse des relations de causalité a revelé que la motivation intrinsèque a été surtout affectée par l’utilité perçue et que l’utilité perçue a été affectée par l’attente de résultat. De plus, l’attente de résultat a affecté aussi le locus de causalité. Ces résultats ont révélé que l’attente de résultats des étudiants en ce qui concerne leur participation à l’éducation physique scolaire est un facteur important qui affecte leur motivation intrinsèque.

The effectiveness of teaching a life skills program in a physical education context

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a life skills training program taught as part of physical education lessons. Seventy three, seventh grade students were assigned either in an experimental or in a wait-list control replication group and received an abbreviated version of GOAL, a school-based intervention designed by Danish and colleagues to teach life skills. The program focused on setting goals, making plans for achieving goals and on positive thinking. Students were assessed on physical fitness tests, knowledge about life skills, and beliefs about effective use of life skills. Results showed gains and retention on physical fitness, knowledge and self-beliefs regarding goal setting. These results show that life skills training can be effectively implemented within a school physical education context.RésuméLe but de cette étude était d’examiner l’efficacité d’un programme pour exercer des capacités de vie qui a été enseigné comme part de cours de l’éducation physique. Soixante-dix trois élèves de la septième classe ont étaient distribués soi qu ’à un groupe expérimental soi qu ’à un groupe du contrôle répliqué et reçus une version brève de GOAL, une intervention éducative développée par Danish et collaborateurs pour enseigner des capacités de vie à l’école. Le programme contenait mettre des objectifs, tracer des plans pour obtenir les buts et développement de la pensée positive. Les élèves ont étés examinés aux épreuves de la condition physique, connaissance des capacités de vie et convictions relativement à employer effectivement des capacités de vie. Les résultats indiquent des profits et du maintien de la bonne santé physique, de la connaissance et des convictions de soi-même en ce qui concerne mettre des objectifs. Ces résultats indiquent que l’entraînement des capacités de vie peut se pratiquer effectivement dedans l’éducation physique scolaire.

Motivation in physical education is correlated with participation in sport after school

The aim of the present study was to examine differences in motivation with respect to physical education of students who participate in after-school sport clubs and students who do not. 247 secondary school students responded to scales assessing intrinsic motivation, outcome expectancies, perceived competence, and perceived usefulness of physical education. Analysis showed that students in after-school sports exhibited a more positive motivational pattern regarding physical education with intrinsic motivation, outcome expectancies, and perceived competence making unique contributions to the overall difference.

Self-Regulated Learning of a Motor Skill Through Emulation and Self-Control Levels in a Physical Education Setting

This study examined the effectiveness of the second and third level of Zimmermans (2000) model of self-regulated learning development. Participants were 72 (28 boys and 44 girls) fifth- and sixth-grade students who practiced the novel task of dart-throwing. Results showed that sixth-grade Greek students who proceeded sequentially from the emulation to the self-control level improved their dart-throwing performance more than students who missed one or both of these levels, but fifth-grade students benefited equally either from the sequential practice at the emulation and the self-control level or from the experience at one of these self-regulatory levels. No differences were found in self-efficacy, although sixth-grade students who practiced at the emulation level reported higher satisfaction, and sixth-grade students who practiced at the self-control level reported higher intrinsic motivation compared to control group students. These results attest to the effectiveness of learning at the emulation and self-control levels and are discussed with reference to the social cognitive model of self-regulation development.

The effects of self-talk and goal setting on self-regulation of learning a new motor skill in physical education

This study examined the effects of self-talk and goal setting on self-regulation of learning a dart-throwing skill in physical education. Eighty-five fifth- and sixth-grade students (M ag e = 11.01, SD = 0.67yrs.) were randomly assigned to four experimental (2 Self-talk × 2 Goal type) groups and one control group. Results showed that students who combined self-talk with either process goals or performance goals outperformed students in the goal only and control group conditions. No difference emerged among the groups on self-efficacy, satisfaction, and enjoyment. These results showed that self-talk was effective in enhancing performance in physical education and are discussed with reference to the social-cognitive model of self-regulated learning.

Participation motives in physical education: An expectancy-value approach

This study applied an expectancy-value approach in examining participation motives of students in physical education. As predicted outcome expectancy, a variable formed by the combination of outcome value and outcome likelihood correlated significantly higher with motivational indices than these two factors.

Motivational and affective determinants of self-regulatory strategy use in elementary school mathematics.

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between elementary students’ reported use of self-regulatory strategies in mathematics and their motivational and affective determinants. Participants of the study were 344 fifth- and sixth-grade Greek students. Students were asked to complete self-reported measures regarding the strategies they use to self-regulate mathematics learning, their achievement goals in relation to mathematics, their self-efficacy concerning mathematics learning and achievement, the value they attribute to mathematics as a subject domain and their enjoyment of mathematics learning. Structural equation modelling confirmed a mediation model, that is, students’ mathematics self-efficacy, value beliefs about mathematics and enjoyment mediated the effects of achievement goals on reported strategy use. Results are discussed in terms of implications for elementary students’ self-regulated learning skills.

Investigating Ongoing Strategic Behaviour of Students with Mild Mental Retardation: Implementation and Relations to Performance in a Problem-solving Situation

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent students with mild mental retardation exhibit strategic behaviour during problem solving and to investigate the relationships between the ongoing behaviours examined and the students’ respective performance. Eleven students with non-organic mild mental retardation participated in the study. Students were asked to perform the Block Design Cubes of the WISC-III and their problem-solving behaviour during task performance was video-recorded. For each participant student, two independent observers assessed cognitive, metacognitive and motivational strategic behaviours, such as analysing and combining activities, self-monitoring and maintaining self-motivation, by means of a structured observation instrument. The results showed that students’ performance was at the lower end of the possible score range in the Block Design Cubes. Students’ strategic behaviour was also recorded at the lower end of the assessment scale. Further consideration of participants’ performance and strategic profiles revealed individual differences within this group of students regarding their performance patterns but also their repertoire of strategic behaviours exhibited. As expected, significant relations were found between the students’ strategic behaviour and respective performance. The educational implications of the study are discussed.

Self-regulated learning and students’ metacognitive feelings in physical education

The aim of this study was to examine students’ self-regulated learning and metacognitive feelings regarding a sport skill in elementary physical education. Participants were 88 fifth-and sixth-grade students who were assigned to four groups and practised basketball shooting at different levels of self-regulated learning (i.e. observation, emulation, self-control, and self-regulation). Students were pre- and post-tested in basketball shooting performance and their knowledge regarding technical aspects of the basketball shooting. They also reported their metacognitive feelings of effort, difficulty, and correctness regarding basketball shooting before and after the practice. Results showed that students who experienced both observational learning and emulative practice (i.e. practice with social feedback) improved their knowledge regarding technical aspects of the basketball shooting. However, no differences were found among groups in basketball shooting performance. Moreover, students’ post-test basketball shooting performance was negatively correlated with students’ feelings of difficulty and positively correlated with students’ feelings of correctness. Results are discussed with reference to social cognitive models of self-regulated learning. The role of metacogitive feelings in the process of self-regulated learning of a sport skill is also discussed.