A Technique for Assessing Learning Motivation in Primary School Age

1991

Abstract

The article describes the development of a diagnostic tool for determining the level of learning motivation in primary school children. The questionnaire developed by the authors includes 4 scales: negative attitude towards full-time schooling, demonstration of competence, positive attitude towards school life, and social significance of learning as a value. The study was carried out on a stage-by-stage basis and involved 352 students of 3—4 grades of Moscow schools in the first stage and 364 students in the second. The first stage allowed us to select 15 out of 33 judgments which differentiate the answers of children the most. These judgments made up the final version of the questionnaire which was used in the subsequent stages of the study. Standardization of the questionnaire showed the internal consistency of its scales and the correspondence between the indicators of motivation obtained in the test and the expert assessments of teachers. The results obtained in the study demonstrate construct validity and reliability of the “Learning Motivation Level” questionnaire. The developed technique can be used for monitoring purposes in primary schools in order to study and assess children’s motivation and needs, in counseling and research practice, and for assessing the effectiveness of various educational programs.

General Information

Keywords: learning motivation, primary schoolchildren, approbation and validation of test, factor analysis, reliability

Journal rubric: Psychology at School

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2021260504

Funding. The work was carried out within the framework of the research project of MSUPE “Academic motivation and attitude to school: socio-psychological aspect” (headed by Professor N.N. Tolstykh).

Received: 05.08.2021

Accepted:

For citation: Kulagina I.Y., Apasova E.V., Fyodorov V.V. A Technique for Assessing Learning Motivation in Primary School Age. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie = Psychological Science and Education, 2021. Vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 43–53. DOI: 10.17759/pse.2021260504. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Irina Y. Kulagina, PhD in Psychology, Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3095-4329, e-mail: kulaginaiu@mgppu.ru

Ekaterina V. Apasova, PhD in Psychology, Employee of the Department of Social Psychology of Development, Faculty of Social Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3902-0768, e-mail: dissovetmgppu@mail.ru

Valery V. Fyodorov, Senior lecturer at the Department of Social Psychology, Senior Researcher of Scientific and Practical Center for Comprehensive Support of Psychological Research PsyDATA, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8289-3775, e-mail: val.vl.fed@yandex.ru

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