Expectancy-value Theory Research Articles

‘I really like teaching, but…’ understanding pre-service teachers’ motivations and perceptions about teaching as a career choice

ABSTRACT This study investigates pre-service teachers’ motivations and perceptions about the decision to choose teaching as a career choice. Twenty-seven students who have embarked on teacher education programme in Scotland were interviewed. It was found that students conveyed ambivalent feelings and perspectives in the decision to teach in the sense that they perceived teaching as a platform to fulfil their career aspirations and enjoy themselves but also portrayed teaching negatively in relation to workload, work-related stress, salary, and social status. In light of expectancy-value theory, this study concludes that participants’ seemingly highly intrinsically motivated to pursue a teaching career is likely to involve the feature of weighing the intrinsic rewards of teaching (enjoyment or fulfilment) and the negative perceptions deriving from a high level of workload and emotional stress and low salary and social status. The findings of this study have important practical implications for recruiting and retaining teachers; and, for helping future teachers fulfil their interests and articulated professional goals.

Motivation for MOOC learning persistence: An expectancy-value theory perspective.

Managing learning continuity is critical for successful MOOC learning. Thus, enabling learners to have learning persistence needs to be integrated into the MOOC learning design. Motivation effort is a critical component enabling students to maintain continuous MOOC learning. The expectancy–value theory explains why learners engage in learning: (1) they have a higher perceived ability for learning success, (2) place value on learning, and (3) avoid psychological costs. However, it is unclear how these factors affect MOOC learning persistence and how learners’ motivation is formed from this perspective. This experimental study explored how learners’ motivational variables affect their learning persistence, focusing on the expectancy–value theory. The results of this study indicated that academic self-efficacy and task value had significant positive effects on learning persistence. The structural relationship of antecedent, process, and outcome variables showed that teaching presence as an antecedent had a significantly positive effect on academic self-efficacy and task value. Among the three factors of the expectancy–value theory, only the task value influenced learning persistence through student engagement as a mediator. Based on the results, suggestions are provided for motivating MOOC environments that support learners’ continuous MOOC learning.

Addressing the vexing educational challenges of biodiversity loss: A photo-based intervention

As an educational problem, the accelerating loss of biodiversity—one of the planet’s most pressing issues—represents a particularly intriguing challenge. First, although biodiversity loss unfolds around us on a daily basis, many individuals struggle to see, comprehend, and care about it. In addition, educators addressing biodiversity loss must attend to multiple outcomes simultaneously—i.e., students’ emotions, motivation, and behaviors as well as their understanding of key concepts. Focusing on the valuing component of expectancy-value theory, we evaluated the potential of photographs to affect participants’ emotional reactions, valuing of biodiversity, pro-environmental behaviors, and content-relevant learning. Through a preliminary, exploratory experiment (N = 399 adults) and a preregistered, confirmatory experiment (N = 1870 secondary school students), we found broadly consistent evidence that strategically selected photographs induced negative emotions, increased participants’ valuing of biodiversity, and motivated pro-environmental behavior. Meanwhile, we saw no evidence of deleterious (or positive) effects on participants’ learning when the photographs accompanied an informational text. We conclude by discussing how costs are conceptualized within expectancy-value theory, as well as the potential of photographs as a useful pedagogical strategy for a range of environmental educators.

Profiles of achievement motivation and instructional dissent

ABSTRACT We integrated perspectives from achievement goal theory and expectancy-value theory to investigate how undergraduate students’ (N = 475) achievement motivation might influence their instructional dissent. A latent profile analysis of students’ achievement goals, performance self-efficacy, task value, and perceived cost revealed four distinct subgroups of students characterized by differences in their achievement motivation. Students between these latent profiles differed to some degree in their use of expressive and vengeful dissent but not rhetorical dissent. When examining instructor clarity as a triggering agent of dissent, lack of clarity was positively associated with all three types of instructional dissent; however, auxiliary moderation models revealed that latent profile membership did not moderate these effects. Our results suggest that although instructor clarity has similar effects on students’ instructional dissent—regardless of their latent profile membership—students still experience some differences in instructional dissent which can be explained by their achievement motivation profiles.

Expectancy-value profiles in math: How are student-perceived teaching behaviors related to motivational transitions?

This longitudinal study aimed to investigate how motivational transitions of adolescents in the domain of mathematics from Grades 9 to 10 were related to student-perceived mathematics teacher support and student-oriented teaching. Data were drawn from the 2012 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and its German national extension called PISA Plus 2012–2013. We used a subsample of 2605 students (51.0 % girls) from 198 classrooms. Using latent profile analyses, we identified three motivational patterns based on expectancy-value theory that were meaningfully associated with students' mathematics test scores and work ethics. Latent transition analyses showed that these patterns were mostly stable across time. Occurring changes were characterized by a decrease in mathematics motivation across time. Student-oriented teaching as reported by students in Grade 9 impeded maladaptive motivational transitions. Students with particularly low interest and utility value benefitted from teachers who direct their instruction at students' motivational characteristics.

Rewards and knowledge sharing in the CoPS development context: the moderating role of transformational leadership

PurposeKnowledge sharing (KS) among employees is critical to successfully developing complex products and systems (CoPS) but is often hampered by employees’ low motivations. The purpose of this study is to investigate how extrinsic and intrinsic rewards influence employees’ explicit knowledge sharing (EKS) and tacit knowledge sharing (TKS) in the CoPS development context. This study also examines the moderating effects of transformational leadership on the relationships between two types of rewards and two types of KS.Design/methodology/approachThis study builds a research model based on expectancy value theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. To test hypotheses, the authors surveyed 257 employees in CoPS projects and analyzed data with the partial least squares structural equation modeling and hierarchical linear modeling.FindingsThe results of this study demonstrate that extrinsic rewards exert no effect on EKS but negatively affect TKS, while intrinsic rewards significantly promote both EKS and TKS. Moreover, transformational leadership positively moderates the abovementioned relationships.Originality/valueThis study extends the research scenario of KS motivations and responds to the call for shedding light on contextual factors influencing KS. This study also offers a comprehensive theoretical perspective to understand KS motivations. Practically, this study provides managers with suggestions about how to use different rewards to encourage different KS practices.

College Students’ motivational beliefs and use of goal-oriented control strategies: Integrating two theories of motivated behavior

In college, students often encounter situations in which they struggle to meet their academic goals in difficult courses. We integrate the Motivational Theory of Life-Span Development and Situated Expectancy-Value Theory to investigate how motivational beliefs and experiences in a difficult course predict the use of goal engagement oriented and goal adjustment oriented control strategies that can help students stay engaged in challenging courses. We used survey data collected in two academic quarters at a public university in the U.S. (N = 231). Students who perceived their midterm exam as more difficult than expected and students with higher course-specific subjective task values reported using more goal engagement oriented and goal adjustment oriented control strategies. Students with higher course-specific ability beliefs were less likely to use goal adjustment strategies. Results further showed that students planned to use control strategies depending on their experienced setbacks or success in exams. Findings provide important insights into how motivational orientations and course experiences relate to adaptive and goal-oriented behavior in college courses.

Introducing the DYNAMICS framework of moment-to-moment development in achievement motivation

This article introduces a new theoretical and psychometric framework describing moment-to-moment development and inter-dependencies of achievement motivation in terms of the situated expectancy-value theory, by introducing dynamical systems concepts into this line of research. As a first empirical example of a study using this framework, we examined whether task values, costs, and success expectancies measured in a learning situation (time point t) predicted themselves and each other at the next situation (t + 1; 27 min later) within a weekly university lecture.Situational task values, expectancies, and costs were assessed using the experience sampling method in 155 university teacher training students during weekly lectures for one semester, with three surveys during each weekly lesson. Data were analyzed with multilevel cross-lagged structural equation models.There were significant auto-regressions from one learning situation to the next in success expectancies and effort costs, but not in intrinsic, utility, or attainment value nor emotional or opportunity costs. There were no significant cross-lagged effects from one situation to the next in any of the measured situated expectancy-value components.As a framework to integrate dynamical systems concepts into the research on situated learning motivation, we expect the proposed DYNAMICS framework to have a substantial impact on further theory development.

Accelerating high school students’ science career trajectories through non-formal science volunteer programs

ABSTRACT Extensive research shows that non-formal science education programs effectively build and sustain long-term interest and persistence in science careers. Framed by expectancy-value theory, this study examined the academic and career outcomes of students who participated in a multi-year volunteer program at a science museum. Twenty-one participants were interviewed about their motivations for volunteering and the impact of participation on their science career trajectories. Data were coded for factors related to expectancy-value including goals, motivations, previous non-formal science experiences, and family attitudes towards science and STEM. Results showed participants of the volunteer program pursued science careers at higher rates than the national average, adding evidence to show how non-formal science education programs extend the longevity of science career interests. This study also documented a newly emergent phenomenon of acceleration of participant science career trajectories. Museum volunteer programs such as the one studied may help high school students gain knowledge and skills central to science career development earlier than is typical. The implications of this type of program for students with already established science interests and science career motivations is discussed from an equity perspective.

Research-to-Resource: Persistence and Recruitment in Elective Choral Music During the Pandemic Recovery

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted music education worldwide with a particular impact on choral music. The purpose of this research-to-resource article is to provide music educators with research-based strategies for recruitment and persistence in choral music during the pandemic recovery. Using the theoretical frameworks of self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017) and expectancy-value theory (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000), I identified the themes of (a) value, (b) competence, (c) relatedness, (d) autonomy, and (e) costs as contributing factors to participation and persistence in elective music. As we recover from the pandemic, choir teachers and those who support them may benefit from the use of student-centered instruction, inclusive teaching practices, and aligning choral program values with that of the community in which a program exists.

Promoting University Students’ Engagement in Intercultural Group Work: The Importance of Expectancy, Value, and Cost

Intercultural group work (IGW) is a valuable learning strategy to enhance deep learning and prepare university students to participate in a globalized world, so more insight is needed into what motivates students to engage actively in IGW. Using an expectancy–value theory framework, this study investigates the extent to which the different components of this theory (i.e., self-efficacy, perceived benefit, and perceived cost) relate to each other and contribute to student engagement in IGW. Responses to a questionnaire, gathered from 846 bachelor’s students from six universities in the Netherlands and Canada, reveal that strong self-efficacy for IGW, high perceived benefit of IGW, and low perceived cost of IGW correlate. In structural equation modeling analyses, self-efficacy and emotional cost emerge as important predictors of behavioral and cognitive engagement; intercultural benefit is critical for cognitive engagement. As a prerequisite of cognitive engagement, behavioral engagement also mediates the effects of self-efficacy, costs, and benefits. Therefore, developing students’ self-efficacy, increasing perceived benefits of IGW, and decreasing perceived costs of IGW can promote student engagement and deeper learning. Universities thus should prepare students for IGW and provide support and feedback during group work process. Based on the results, we theorize about the relationships among the components of the expectancy–value theory.

A gender perspective on the structure of adolescents’ interest in science

ABSTRACT It has repeatedly been documented that there are cross-sectional gender differences in adolescents’ science interest, and these differences are often considered the main factor behind the gap in enrolment rates in higher education STEM programmes. Based on expectancy-value theory and interest theory, this study models interest and tests how self-efficacy and utility value predict science interest among male and female adolescents based on the PISA 2015 data set for Denmark. The results suggest that self-efficacy and utility value had a large predictive effect on science interest for both males and females. Despite the frequently pointed out gender differences in science interest, the multi-group analysis results only show a significant difference between males and females in the path through utility value. These findings indicate that beliefs about the utility value of science are more important for female adolescents’ development of an interest in science than for their male peers. This implies a need for strategies for enhancing students’ perceptions of utility value in science education.

Longitudinal associations between parent degree/occupation, parent support, and adolescent motivational beliefs in STEM.

The United States struggles with racial/ethnic disparities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) degrees and occupations. According to situated expectancy-value theory, the experience and knowledge parents gain through STEM degrees and occupations shape the STEM support they provide and relatedly their adolescents' STEM motivational beliefs. We analyzed data from the High School Longitudinal Study (N = 14,000; 50% female; Mage = 14 years old at 9th grade), which is a recent U.S. data set that surveyed a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Results showed that parent STEM support in 9th grade and adolescent STEM motivational beliefs in 11th grade were lower in families where parents did not have a STEM degree/occupation than in families where at least one parent had a STEM degree/occupation. Our within-group analyses suggested that parents' STEM support was generally positively related to adolescents' STEM motivational beliefs among families where parents did not have a STEM degree/occupation for all racial/ethnic groups except Black adolescents. However, these relations were not significant among adolescents who had a parent STEM degree/occupation. Furthermore, although Asian and White adolescents' parents were more likely to hold a STEM degree/occupation than Latina/o and Black adolescents' parents, the associations between parent STEM support and adolescents' STEM motivational beliefs emerged for Asian, Latina/o, and White adolescents.

Social presence and teacher involvement: The link with expectancy, task value, and engagement

Students' social experiences are critical to their academic success, including determining their motivation and engagement. However, little is known about how various social factors, including social presence and teacher involvement, relate to expectancy, task value, and facets of engagement in online learning. Using path modeling to analyze the survey responses of 122 college students, we examined the relations among social presence, teacher involvement, expectancy, task value, and cognitive and behavioral engagement guided by the situated expectancy-value theory. We discovered that social presence predicted expectancy, task value, and behavioral engagement, and task value impacted cognitive engagement. We found a mediating effect of expectancy-to-task value in the link between social presence and cognitive engagement. Overall, the predictive influence of expectancy on task value was critical in the model. Interestingly, teacher involvement did not play a role. These findings confirm the significance of online social features to motivation and engagement and further highlight the value of motivation for online learning success. Therefore, it is important to design online learning environments whereby students feel socially connected and motivated.

The influence of socioeconomic status, parents, peers, psychological needs, and task values on middle school student motivation for school music ensemble participation

There are a multitude of influences on adolescents’ decisions to enroll in elective instrumental music ensembles. While some music teachers might rely on external rewards such as end-of-year trips to encourage retention from year to year, middle school students’ sociocultural and psychological characteristics may best account for their intentions to continue in band or orchestra. I examined needs satisfaction variables from Self-Determination Theory and task values from Expectancy Value Theory alongside environmental factors such as parent and peer influence as well as socioeconomic status (SES) as predictors of adolescent instrumental students’ elective intentions ( N = 42). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Parents tended to exert a large amount of influence over the extent to which participants’ needs were satisfied and a small amount of influence over the task values of their children. Concurrently, peers and SES played small but important roles in the development of elective intentions. Moreover, when parents and teachers were supportive of students’ autonomy, competence, and relatedness, instrumental music learning tasks were valued. Task values, in turn, strongly predicted middle school instrumental students’ intentions to persist and enroll in future instrumental music courses.

Students’ interest and self-efficacy and the impact of changing learning environments

Interest and self-efficacy are two key components of motivation and learning, both of which decrease during adolescence. The situated expectancy-value theory (SEVT), recently formulated by Eccles and Wigfield (2020), provides a detailed perspective on critical components of learning situations and the ways in which competence beliefs (e.g., self-efficacy) and value perceptions (e.g., interest) work together to impact students’ achievement. This four-wave study includes data from 754 German secondary school students (MAge = 13.56; SD = 1.2; 49.4% girls). The study analysis employed two latent change models and a latent neighbor change model with covariates (sex, age, grades) to examine the development and interconnections between interest and self-efficacy. The schools included in the sample expand instruction via two self-directed learning intervals during the school year. During the self-directed learning intervals, learning was driven by the students’ preferences for subject matter rather than curricular objectives. The findings indicate that students’ interest and self-efficacy increased not only during self-directed learning but also over the course of the school year. The results suggest that an instructional environment that has been enriched by SDL intervals benefits the interplay between interest and self-efficacy.

Why Computing? Motivations and Mathematics to Pursue Postsecondary CIS Education

Computing and information sciences (CIS) careers in the United States are expected to grow faster than the average occupation between 2019 and 2029 and educational requirements for these positions span subbaccalaureate and baccalaureate degrees. Despite secondary curricular interventions, the population of people who pursue CIS pathways are not diverse by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or gender. This study applies situated expectancy-value theory to investigate the motivational factors which influence the decision to pursue postsecondary CIS degree programs for students in the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (n = 18,730). Prior CIS experiences are associated with increased odds of declaring subbaccalaureate and baccalaureate CIS within three years of high school, but several math-related factors are associated only with pursuing baccalaureate CIS. These results have implications for designing interventions that encourage more students to pursue computing careers and understanding why students choose between two postsecondary educational paths.

Investigating the Role of English as a Foreign Language Learners' Academic Motivation and Language Mindset in Their Grit: A Theoretical Review.

This review made a critical attempt to examine the studies on the role of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ academic motivation and growth mindsets in their grit. Some investigations have been done on the role of academic motivation in learner grit. However, a significant positive correlation between academic motivation and grit has been approved in related studies. The related literature review justified the results by broaden-and-build and expectancy-value theories. The related literature has shown that grittier learners persist in doing tasks, and developing their intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, the related literature has approved the effect of learners’ language mindset on their grit. In other words, learners with a growth mindset are persistent, and they devote their time to their performance. Finally, the pedagogical implications are expanded to promote the quality of language learning. This review also provides some suggestions for further research to illuminate our perspectives over motivation, mindset, and their interactions with each other.

The relationship between vocational teachers’ motivational beliefs and their engagement in work placement

ABSTRACT Work placement has been regarded as one of the most effective ways of developing vocational teachers’ occupational expertise. Guided by expectancy-value theory, we aim to explore how vocational teachers’ motivation towards professional learning shapes to their engagement when on work placement. Two research questions were addressed: 1) What is the relationship between vocational teachers’ motivational beliefs and engagement in work placement? 2) Does teaching experience have a moderating effect on this relationship? The data was collected from an online survey and analysed with a quantitative way. The participants were 426 Chinese secondary vocational teachers. Exploratory factor analysis identified four motivational beliefs: task value, self-efficacy, task effort, and emotional cost. Regression analysis revealed that vocational teachers’ task value, self-efficacy, and task effort were positively related to their engagement. Teachers’ emotional cost was negatively linked to their behavioural, cognitive, and emotional engagement, but positively linked to agentic engagement. Moreover, a negative moderation of teaching experience was seen. These findings facilitate the understanding of vocational teachers’ professional learning in work site and provide suggestions on how to reinforce their engagement. The future research could examine the relationship between vocational teachers’ motivational beliefs and engagement from a longitudinal perspective or within other learning contexts.

High School Math and Motivation for autistic students

Analyzing data from students in the NCES High School Longitudinal Study dataset, we drew upon expectancy-value theory to examine the role of student motivation (measured by self-efficacy, identity, utility, and interest), as mediators between 9th grade math test scores and final math GPA for autistic students. In predicting final high school math GPA, math identity was the strongest predictor for autistic students with above average test scores. Findings for autistic students contrast with results for non-autistic students whose final math GPA is strongly predicted by the direct effects of 9th grade test scores. These results suggest that seeing oneself as a “math person” may be particularly influential for autistic students with higher 9th grade math performance.