Connecting social support to motivational beliefs in mathematics: domain- and homework-specific expectancy-value profiles

Analysis of mathematical beliefs of Malaysian secondary school students

Women are often underrepresented in math-intensive fields like the physical sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics. By comparison, boys relative to girls are less likely to strive for jobs in social and human-services domains. Relatively few studies have considered that intra-individual comparisons across domains may contribute to gendered occupational choices. This study examines whether girls’ and boys’ motivational beliefs in mathematics and language arts are predictive of their career plans in these fields. The study focusses on same domain and cross-domain effects and investigates bidirectional relations between motivational beliefs and career plans. Data for this study stem from 1,117 ninth and tenth graders (53.2% girls) from secondary schools in Berlin, Germany. Findings show systematic gender differences in same-domain effects in mathematics: girls’ comparatively lower mathematics self-concept and intrinsic value predicted a lower likelihood of striving for a math-related career. Cross-domain effects were not related to gender-specific career plans, with only one exception. Girls’ lower levels of intrinsic value in mathematics corresponded to a higher likelihood of striving for a career in language-related fields, which subsequently predicted lower levels of intrinsic value in mathematics. This finding points to a need to address both gender-specific motivational beliefs and gender-specific career plans in school when aiming to enhance more gender equality in girls’ and boys’ occupational choices.

Associations between parents and students’ motivational beliefs in mathematics and mathematical performance: The role of gender

The relations between achievement goals in mathematics and task-specific metacognitive experiences and control were analyzed using path analyses. A sample of vocational students (n = 253) completed a set of scales on their motivational beliefs in mathematics, a test of numerical reasoning ability, and a math problem. Before and after solving this problem, the participants reported their subjective metacognitive experiences and metacognitive control. Different achievement goals were found to have unique effects throughout the solution of the problem. For example, mastery-approach goals predicted effort related to metacognitive experiences and mastery-challenge goals (Grant & Dweck, 2003) explained feelings of difficulty and liking. Metacognitive control was found to be indirectly predicted by achievement goals, with their effects mediated by metacognitive experiences. The results paint a complex picture of achievement goals’ effect on metacognitive processes.

The shift to online learning has raised concerns about how motivation is sustained in complex, high-cognitive-load subjects like Polymer Chemistry. Online platforms offer flexibility, but they may lack sufficient interaction and support, potentially impacting student engagement and achievement. Previous research has identified social support, expectancy, and value as key motivational components, yet limited studies have explored how these constructs interact in STEM-specific contexts, especially within Malaysian higher education. This study investigates the relationship between social support and motivational components, specifically expectancy and value, among undergraduate Chemistry students who have taken an online or blended Polymer Chemistry course. Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from 109 participants across three branches of Universiti Teknologi MARA, a public university in Malaysia. The instrument, adapted from Fowler (2018), comprised 40 items across three main sections: Expectancy (12 items), Value (16 items), and Social Support (12 items), with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .963). Findings indicate that students reported moderate to high levels of expectancy and value, and generally perceived strong instructor and peer support. Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships between social support and both expectancy (r = .723, p < .01) and value (r = .778, p < .01). These results suggest that social support plays a pivotal role in shaping students’ motivational beliefs in online STEM education. The study offers theoretical insights grounded in McClelland’s Theory of Needs and the Expectancy-Value Model and provides pedagogical implications for designing motivation-sensitive online chemistry instruction. It calls for the enhancement of social engagement and instructor presence to better support students in online laboratory and content-heavy learning environments.

With the rise of digital evolution as a new approach to teaching and learning, coupled with the current COVID-19 global pandemic where students are granted enormous autonomy throughout their learning process, the need for students to develop self-regulated learning (SRL) skills is even more urgent. Moreover, extensive studies found that the current global pandemic has impacted students’ motivation for learning, particularly when information technology infrastructure and facilities are lacking and social support from lecturers and peers is limited. This study was carried out to explore the relationship between students’ motivational beliefs and self-regulated learning. The study adopted a quantitative study involving 142 students. An analysis of the survey adapted from Pintrich and De Groot (1990) reveals that there is a highly positive and significant association between motivational beliefs and self-regulated learning. The study acknowledges collaborative learning as a recent intervention in improving students’ learning experiences. As such, it is recommended that future research can explore how collaborative learning excites students’ SRL skills and strategies, particularly in the post-pandemic period.

BackgroundIt is important to support ageing home care nurses (HCNs) to remain in work for longer, since the need for home care services is increasing. Personal resources such as self-efficacy belief contribute to work ability, as does work motivation. Few studies have targeted the ageing workers’ self-efficacy belief to manage their final working years. This study explores ageing HCNs’ work motivation, and occupational self-efficacy, i.e. belief in one’s capabilities, to continue working until expected retirement age.MethodsThe design of the study is exploratory using a mixed method with a qualitative to quantitative approach. A total of 234 HCNs answered four open-ended questions from a cross-sectional survey, regarding their work motivation and self-efficacy beliefs. First, data was analysed using manifest qualitative content analysis. Next, a quantitative analysis was performed based on the results of the qualitative study, and the categories that emerged were quantitatively ranked.ResultsThe open-ended questions yielded 2339 utterances. The findings showed that several categories concurrently affected both work motivation and self-efficacy belief. When they were well-functioning, they positively affected both work motivation and self-efficacy belief, and when they were insufficient, they negatively affected either or both motivation and/or belief. Meaningfulness, job satisfaction, social support, and work environmental and organizational characteristics affected work motivation most. Perceived health highly affected the self-efficacy belief to continue working until expected retirement age, as well as meaningfulness of work, support from colleagues and home care managers, and work characteristics.ConclusionsThrough highlighting the meaningfulness of work, and supporting the perceived health, the work community and leadership, both work motivation and self-efficacy belief to continue working might be facilitated among ageing HCNs. However, the still present draining workload must be handled.

Research has shown that perceived social support (PSS) (from parents and teachers) influences achievement. However, little is known about how this relationship operates. This study examines the multiple mediational effects of students’ motivational beliefs in relationship to the association between PSS and mathematics achievement. The sample included the African countries that participated in the TIMSS 2011 (Ghana, Botswana, South Africa, Morocco, and Tunisia). A bootstrap analysis indicated a unique pattern of the role of motivational beliefs in mediating the relationships between PSS and achievement. Moreover, gender was found to moderate the indirect effect in some countries. The findings indicate that total mediation effect of students’ motivational belief on the relationship between PSS and achievement is “culture-fair but not culture-free”

This study uses a mixed method sequential exploratory design to examine motivational and contextual influences on boys’ and girls’ engagement in math and science, paying particular attention to similarities and differences in the patterns by gender. First, interviews were conducted with 38 middle and high school students who varied in their level of math and science engagement about their perceptions of the motivational and contextual factors influencing their level of engagement. Both boys and girls discussed how their engagement was higher in classrooms with more student‐centered instructional practices and in classrooms with highly engaged peers. Girls were more likely to discuss teacher support and personally relevant instruction as being important to their engagement in math and science. In contrast, boys reported being more engaged in math and science when they were interested in pursuing a STEM‐related career. From these interviews, we identified factors that students described as important to their engagement and tested whether these factors were statistically significant in a socioeconomic and racially diverse sample of 3,833 middle and high school students. Specifically, we tested the associations between adolescents’ motivational beliefs (e.g., utility value, attainment value, and expectancy beliefs), social support from teachers and peers, and student‐centered and relevant instructional practices with engagement (e.g., cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and social) in math and science, paying particular attention to main effects and gender as a moderator. In the majority of the models, the motivational and contextual factors were significantly related to engagement and had comparable effects for girls and boys. We documented a few significant interactions by gender that tended to mirror the patterns found in the qualitative interviews. Implications of these findings for developing interventions to increase girls’ participation in math and science are discussed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 55: 271–298, 2018

Research on academic achievement at a university has mainly focused on success and persistence among first year students. Very few studies have looked at delay or failure in the completion of a final dissertation. However, this phenomenon could affect a substantial proportion of students and has considerable costs. The purpose of the present study is to identify factors which predict postponement in the completion of the final dissertation. Several potential predictors (e.g., background, personality, social support, motivational beliefs, and engagement) were selected through an integrative review of the literature on achievement in higher education. A questionnaire assessing these variables was administered to 341 students a few months before the deadline for their final dissertation. Results indicate that perceived peer support, perceived relatives support, role conflict, and age have an independent and significant effect on whether or not the final dissertation is completed on time. In addition, self-efficacy and behavioral engagement appeared to be mediators of the relationship between the social support and the final dissertation completion.

This study investigates the psychological mechanisms through which perceived teacher support influences student engagement in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading classes at Chinese universities. Drawing on social support theory and expectancy-value theory, the study examines how teacher support predicts students' motivational beliefs (self-efficacy and intrinsic goal orientation), and how these beliefs, in turn, mediate the link between teacher support and behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. A total of 524 undergraduate EFL learners participated in the study. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), which confirmed the hypothesized motivational mediation pathways. The findings indicate that perceived teacher support significantly predicts these two motivational beliefs, which subsequently lead to higher levels of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. The results provide theoretical implications for understanding engagement through established psychological constructs and practical guidance for fostering motivation in language learning settings. Overall, this study contributes to educational psychology by applying motivational theories to second language learning contexts and providing evidence-based insights on how to foster student engagement through both contextual and psychological mechanisms.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) refers to one’s ability to take control of his emotions, cognitions, behaviour, and environment during a learning experience. With rapid evolution and challenges in teaching and learning, students now need to acquire self-regulated learning skills even more. Moreover, many studies have also revealed that the worldwide pandemic has affected students' motivation to learn, especially in situations where there is a shortage of information technology facilities and a lack of social support from classmates and lecturers. This issue continues to present in the context of post Covid-19 period as hybrid learning is implemented at university. Therefore, this study aims to explore learners’ perception on their motivational beliefs and use of self-regulated learning strategies. A quantitative survey using questionnaires was done to explore this relationship. The sample of this study was 160 undergraduates of Universiti Teknologi MARA, Kelantan Branch. The questionnaire which has four sections used a 5 Likert-scale survey and is adapted from Pintirch and DeGroot (1990). This study discovered that there is a high significant association between motivational beliefs and self-regulated learning strategies. This study gives insights to educators to incorporate SRL theory into their classroom teaching practice. It also encourages educators to assist their students to develop SRL and be self-regulated learners as the sooner they apply the skill, the more successful and fulfilling their learning experience will be.

Teachers' Sense of Efficacy: An Important Factor in School Improvement

The current debate about social inclusion in the field of mental health reveals a tension between the political and economic objectives of social policy. The former utilises the language of citizen empowerment and rights, whilst the latter is concerned with reducing welfare dependency through labour market activation. A central question here is whether a suitable programme of therapeutic work, training and support will produce better outcomes than those predicted by either a clinical diagnostic assessment or indeed open employment in the labour market. This article evaluates a research project with mental health users designed to develop pathways towards inclusion. The principal means for achieving this was a programme of ‘green’ land-based activities, training and social support. The researchers employed a mixed method approach, utilising a quasi-experimental design with a hypothetical control and standardised testing. This was followed by interviews with users, staff and focus group discussion. The evaluation produced some unexpected findings; for example, it was found that no strong correlation existed between diagnosis and performance. Many users performed better than had been predicted by their diagnostic assessment. However, the reasons for this remained unclear until the qualitative interviews enabled users to give accounts of the problems they faced, explain what inclusion meant for them, and outline how the project had brought gains in confidence, motivation and self belief. The data gathered during the research derived from different episte-mological positions. This can be seen as representing two ways of ‘slicing the reality cake' rather than producing one complete view of mental health users reality. One construction related to how ‘the system’ diagnosed, processed, and ‘objectively’ managed them. The other was about how users' responded to their situation, utilised the opportunities available, and made ‘subjective’ sense of their experience.

The Self-Regulation for Learning – Online (SRL-O) scale was developed to encompass a broad range of motivational beliefs and learning strategies commonly used in online or blended learning environments. This study aims to determine the validity and reliability of the SRL-O scale, developed by Broadbent et al. (2023) to address shortcomings in existing measurement instruments, within the Turkish context. The 44-item, 7-point Likert-type scale was administered to a total of 803 undergraduate and graduate students. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the 10-factor structure of the scale, which includes (1) online self-efficacy, (2) online intrinsic motivation, (3) online extrinsic motivation, (4) online negative achievement emotion, (5) planning and time management, (6) metacognition, (7) study environment, (8) online effort regulation, (9) online social support, and (10) online task strategies. The results indicated that the 10-factor structure was consistent with the original scale and demonstrated good model fit. Internal consistency coefficients were calculated for the entire scale and its subdimensions to assess reliability. Additionally, the scale was found to have two higher-order factors: motivational beliefs and learning strategies. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the overall scale was calculated as 0.91. The SRL-O is expected to meet the need for a comprehensive instrument that captures a wide range of motivational beliefs and learning strategies in the context of online self-regulated learning