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Males' academic motivation: doing a personal best.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

This paper surveys an understanding of academic motivation. From a motivational goal theory perspective, it is argued that males may be more likely to pursue performance approach goals rather than task mastery goals. Performance approach goals are considered to be effective learning goals that can be as effective motivators towards high achievement outcomes. The Personal Best is one performance goal approach that may be used in high school learning environments to enhance boys" performance.

Introduction

In many western countries the interest and 'hype' about sport and Olympic team selection is growing. At the same time, academic motivation is an ongoing problem, and often adolescent boys bear the brunt of this malaise (Warrington & Younger, 2000). The declining success of boys in relation to girls starts early in school life and pertains to most subject areas including reading, mathematics and sciences (Cresswell, Rowe, & Withers, 2002). This paper does not start from a position that one gender is 'better' or even 'more suited' to learning. It may be, however, that the motivation needs of boys can be better addressed.

This paper unwraps some of the constructs of academic motivation and focuses on adolescent learning. It attempts to synthesise what we know about academic motivation with respect to males and to highlight what we need to understand better. The 2004 Olympiad has come and gone. How many times did competitors and sports-casters praise an athlete for achieving a 'Personal Best' even when not winning the gold medal? Specifically, it is argued that the athletes' understanding of 'Personal Best' (PB) offers an appropriate means of motivating learning, and that the PB has potential to challenge the motivation needs of boys and young men. This paper tries to accomplish three main goals. Firstly, the paper charts our present understanding of academic motivation. Secondly, the extent to which the needs of males have become silent or transparent is demonstrated. Thirdly, some approaches to increase the motivational repertoire of teachers are advanced. This article seeks to encourage teachers to see and reflect upon the differences in the learners before them and to the address the challenge of promoting the development of well-adjusted, successful, effective learners.

Present View of Academic Motivation

The nature of academic motivation in classrooms has stimulated research over the last thirty years. Most of this research has been designed to understand motivation to achieve in coeducational settings using a range of models of motivation. Little research to date has been done in boys' single sex classrooms. The following argument attempts to allow our understanding of academic motivation to add value to the dialogue of learning approaches in high school education.

Achievement motivation is one of the major motivation models. Achievement motivation specifically refers to the motivation that individuals have to succeed. Theories of achievement motivation include self-determination theory (Deci, 1980) , expectancy-value theory (Feather, 1982),attribution theory (Dweck & Elliot, 1983) and self-worth theory (Covington, 1984). Goal orientation theory was developed to focus on achievement behaviour in classrooms (Ames, 1992) and is recognised as a useful theoretical approach to the understanding of student motivation in classrooms (Appelhans & Schmeck, 2002; Ferrer-Caja & Weiss, 2002; Tavani & Losh, 2003). Goal theory assumes that the classroom behaviours of students are purposeful. Goal theory seeks to explain why students engage in achievement-related behaviour and the meanings they ascribe to that behaviour (Patrick, et al, 2001). Earlier theories focused on characteristics of personality traits or classroom environmental factors as determinants of motivation. Goal theory recognises that both environmental and individual factors contribute to a student's motivation (Urdan, Kneisel,...

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