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ERIC Number: EJ1122894
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1042-0541
EISSN: N/A
A Measure of Students' Motivation to Learn Science through Agricultural STEM Emphasis
Chumbley, Steven Boot; Haynes, J. Chris; Stofer, Kathryn A.
Journal of Agricultural Education, v56 n4 p107-122 2015
There is an increased demand for motivated high school students to enter postsecondary STEM fields. Agriscience education is an innovative curriculum that can motivate students and spark interest in STEM. To recruit students to such programs, we must understand what motivates them. The purpose of this study was to determine how the secondary agriculture students conceptualized their motivation to learn agriscience. A descriptive-correlational research design was utilized with a modified version of the Science Motivation Questionnaire II (SMQ II) used as the survey instrument. Overall, students were found to have moderate levels of motivation in agriscience courses. Grade motivation and self-efficacy were found to be the motivational constructs that meant the most to students. Students were least motivated by self-determination. Getting an A and the chance to receive higher grades in their agriculture science courses were found to be the highest motivators. Researchers found that there were no significant correlations between gender or grade level and motivation to learn science. Females generally had higher motivation within self-determination and grade motivation than males. Additional research is needed in this area to determine what factors may exist that are preventing highly efficacious females from choosing STEM careers.
American Association for Agricultural Education. P.O. Box 7607, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, Raleigh, NC 27695. Web site: http://www.aaaeonline.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Postsecondary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Mexico
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A