Control-value theory in the context of teaching: does teaching quality moderate relations between academic self-concept and achievement emotions?

Abstract

Students' self-concept of ability is an important predictor of their achievement emotions. However, little is known about how learning environments affect these interrelations. Referring to Pekrun's control-value theory, this study investigated whether teacher-reported teaching quality at the classroom level would moderate the relation between student-level mathematics self-concept at the beginning of the school year and students' achievement emotions at the middle of the school year. Data of 807 ninth and tenth graders (53.4% girls) and their mathematics teachers (58.1% male) were analysed. Students and teachers completed questionnaires at the beginning of the school year and at the middle of the school year. Multi-level modelling and cross-level interaction analyses were used to examine the longitudinal relations between self-concept,teacher-perceived teaching quality, and achievement emotions as well as potential interaction effects. Mathematics self-concept significantly and positively related toenjoyment in mathematics and negativelyrelated to anxiety. Teacher-reported structuredness decreased students' anxiety. Mathematics self-concept only had a significant and positive effect on students' enjoyment at high levels of teacher-reported cognitive activation and at high levels of structuredness. High teaching quality can be seen as a resource that strengthens the positiverelations between academic self-conceptand positive achievement emotions.