Abstract
This article defines and measures interest in lifelong learning in an effort to capture motivation as an outcome of schooling. As a school-internal counterpart, motivational orientations toward learning at school in general and toward mathematics learning in particular are introduced, based on Deci and Ryan’s theory of self-determination. Analysis within the Swiss TIMSS samples in lower and upper secondary education led to the definition of five such orientations with a constant structure across grades and levels of generality. Some orientations show a concrete focus like long-term utility. The validity of these constructs is examined by analysing the relation among these motivational orientations, their relationship to interest in lifelong learning and mathematics achievement as well as age and gender differences. As hypothesised, the higher a motivational orientation’s degree of self-determination, the higher is its correlation with interest in lifelong learning and mathematics achievement. Among age and gender differences, the contrasting behaviour of intrinsic and long-term utility orientation toward mathematics is notable. For example, the gender difference in long-term utility but not in intrinsic orientation increases from grade 6 to grade 8. These findings can be understood as an expression of gender-typical vocational aspirations which define technical and scientific fields as a domain for males and not for females.
Résumé
L’article se propose de définir et de mesurer l’intérêt porté à l’apprentissage poursuivi tout au long de la vie, cherchant à saisir la motivation comme résultat de l’expérience scolaire. Léquivalent dans le domaine scolaire est constitué par l’introduction, basée sur la théorie d’auto-détermination de Deci et Ryan, de certaines orientations motivationnelles intervenant dans l’apprentissage scolaire. S’appuyant sur l’analyse des échantillons Suisses de l’étude TIMSS pour les niveaux inférieurs et supérieurs du secondaire, on définit cing orientations présentant une structure constante à travers tous les niveaux de classe et de généralité. Certaines de ces orientations ont un noyau plutôt concret comme l’utilité à long terme. La validité de ces notions est examinée en analysant les interrelations entre les orientations motivationnelles ainsi que les relations entre ces orientations et l’intérêt concernant l’apprentissage poursuivi tout au long de la vie, la performance en mathématiques et les différences d’âge et de sexe. Confirmant l’hypothèse de départ, la corrélation entre une certaine orientation motivationnelle et l’intérêt porté à l’apprentissage poursuivi tout au long de la vie est d’autant plus forte que le niveau d’auto-détermination dans cette orientation est élevé. Pour les différences d’âge et de sexe, on note le comportement fort contrasté quant à l’orientation intrinsèque et à long terme envers les mathématiques. De la sixième à la huitième classe, par example, la différence entre les sexes s’accroît pour l’utilité à long terme, mais pas pour l’orientation intrinsèque. Ces résultats peuvent être interprétés comme l’expression d’aspirations professionnelles constituant des domaines techniques et scientifiques spécifiques aux garçons.
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Ramseier, E. Motivation to learn as an outcome and determining factor of learning at school. Eur J Psychol Educ 16, 421–439 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173191
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173191