Abstract
Formative Assessment (FA) refers to eliciting evidence about students’ understanding and using the information to support learning, e. g. via individual feedback. There is evidence that FA fosters students’ motivation, but less is known about the underlying processes. The present study investigates direct effects of FA on intrinsic motivation as well as the mediating role of students’ perceived competence, drawing on Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. In a randomized, controlled trial, primary school teachers were either assigned to an FA training (n = 17) or to a control group (CG; n = 11). All teachers then taught two science units in their classrooms (FA: n = 319 students, CG: n = 232). Multilevel regression analyses showed a higher perceived competence and a marginally higher intrinsic motivation for FA students after unit 1. After unit 2, both intrinsic motivation and perceived competence were higher in the FA condition, and the impact on intrinsic motivation was significantly mediated by students’ perceived competence after the first unit. These results confirm and extend previous findings on the effectiveness of formative assessment on motivational outcomes.
Zusammenfassung
Formatives Assessment (FA) bezeichnet eine Lernverlaufsdiagnostik, die genutzt wird um das Lernen der Schülerinnen und Schüler (SuS) zu fördern, indem u. A. Rückmeldungen gegeben werden. Bisherige Studien zeigen positive Effekte von FA auf die Motivation, jedoch fehlt Forschung über die zugrundeliegenden Prozesse. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht direkte Effekte von FA auf die intrinsische Motivation von SuS, sowie abgeleitet von Deci und Ryans Selbstbestimmungstheorie, die mediierende Wirkung von Kompetenzerleben. Grundschullehrpersonen wurden randomisiert einer FA-Fortbildung (n = 17) oder einer Kontrollgruppe (CG, n = 11) zugeordnet und unterrichteten anschließend zwei Einheiten in ihren Klassen (FA: n = 319; CG: n = 232 SuS). Mehrebenenregressionsanalysen zeigten nach der ersten Einheit ein höheres Kompetenzerleben und eine marginal höhere intrinsische Motivation in der FA Gruppe, sowie nach der zweiten Einheit positive Effekte auf beide Variablen. Der Effekt von FA auf die intrinsische Motivation war zudem mediiert durch das Kompetenzerleben nach Einheit 1. Dies bestätigt und erweitert bisherige Kenntnisse über die motivationsfördernde Wirkung von FA.
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Notes
In contrast to Pituch and Stapleton (2012), Preacher et al. (2010) argue that class-level interventions can only exert influence on the variance between classes, so that any mediating effect should only be assessed at class-level (which is also referred to as “cluster only mediation”). When following this approach, our results do not change.
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Indicators of students’ intrinsic motivation and perceived competence with mplus syntax code for the cross-level mediation analysis
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Hondrich, A.L., Decristan, J., Hertel, S. et al. Formative assessment and intrinsic motivation: The mediating role of perceived competence. Z Erziehungswiss 21, 717–734 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-018-0833-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-018-0833-z