There is an extensive research history related to understanding how educational institutions can better serve the American Indian student. However, there is little research on how the sociocultural context shapes perceptions of the future and impacts student achievement. This study investigates who the sociocultural context of home and school…

It is widely postulated that school context characteristics and sex may influence students' motivational orientations. However, relatively little empirical evidence exists to support this postulate. Hence the present study sought to examine both the individual and interactive effects of school and sex differences on students' motivational goals.…

The goal theory of achievement argues that the goals stressed by schools have dramatic consequences for whether children develop a sense of self-efficacy, or whether they avoid challenging tasks, giving up when faced with failure. It is commonly believed that the goals stressed by Western-oriented schools are inappropriate to indigenous minority…

This collection presents current thinking and research on the sociocultural influences in student motivation. After an introduction, "Bridging the Sociocultural Divide: An Encouragement for Researchers To Consider a Wheel of Research Perspective" (Shawn Van Etten and Dennis M. McInerney), the 14 papers include: (1) "The Self in…

Examines the hierarchy of academic self-concept in four studies. Tests the hypotheses that strong hierarchical relations exist in the academic self-concept structure at a domain-specific level, and that a hierarchy exists in an educational setting with a strong focus on the curriculum. Results reveal support for the multidimensionality of academic…