New Perspectives in Science Education

The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess the relative importance of a number of variables in predicting students’ motivation to study science. Questionnaire data were collected from 571 undergraduate students, comprising both males and females enrolled in undergraduate science degrees at two mid-sized public universities in Australia. The study employed achievement goal theory to investigate students’ motivation in science. Using Structural equation Modelling (SEM), the study assessed the relations between affective and cognitive variables and students’ goal orientations. Confirmatory factor latent class analysis and descriptive statistics was conducted on th data.  The results indicate that intrinsically motivated students were predominantly mastery goal orientated while extrencally motivated students were performance goal oriented. The research sheds light on the theoretical framework of achievement motivation that goes beyond mastery and performance-approach goals.

The implications of these results for researchers and practitioners are discussed.