Beyond Motivation: Middle School Students' Perceptions of Press for Understanding in Math

ISSN： 0361-476X

Source： Contemporary Educational Psychology, Vol.27, Iss.3, 2002-07, pp. : 373-391

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Abstract

Research in motivation and in academic press for understanding has developed separately. This study examines the relation between press for understanding and middle school students' educational beliefs and behaviors in math after controlling for their motivational goals. A scale assessing academic press for understanding was developed and included with scales assessing task, performance-approach, and performance-avoid motivational goals in surveys given to 586 eighth-grade students. Factor analysis supported the distinction between scales assessing press and motivational goals. No differences were found in students' perception of academic press by gender, race, or prior achievement. Hierarchical regression analyses found that motivational orientations predicted student beliefs and behaviors in predictable patterns. Controlling for goal orientation, academic press for understanding positively predicted self-regulation and self-efficacy and negatively predicted avoiding help-seeking but did not predict avoiding academic risk or novelty. A significant interaction indicated that as press for understanding increased, girls' avoidance of help-seeking decreased more than did boys'. The discussion includes a consideration of the mechanisms underlying press for understanding and the implications of the findings for teachers.