INTRINSIC MOTIVATION, LEARNING GOALS, ENGAGEMENT, AND ACHIEVEMENT IN A DIVERSE HIGH SCHOOL

• Published in: Psychology in the schools Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 321 - 336
• Main Authors: Froiland, John Mark, Worrell, Frank C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2016; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; African American Students; College students; Correlation; Educational Benefits; Grade Point Average; High School Students; Hispanic American Students; Learner Engagement; Learning; Motivation; Structural Equation Models; Student Diversity; Student Educational Objectives; Student Motivation
• ISSN: 0033-3085; 1520-6807
• DOI: 10.1002/pits.21901

Using structural equation models, with gender, parent education, and prior grade point average (GPA) as control variables, we examined the relationships among intrinsic motivation to learn, learning goals, behavioral engagement at school, and academic performance (measured by GPA) in 1,575 students in an ethnically and racially diverse high school. Intrinsic motivation to learn was indirectly and positively related to academic performance via classroom engagement. Seventy‐five percent of the variance in engagement and 33% of the variance in GPA were explained by variables in the study. Results were generally replicated when the model was tested separately with the 336 African American students and the 311 Latin@ students. The significant indirect effect of intrinsic motivation to learn on GPA via engagement, as well as the positive direct association between learning goals and academic performance, suggest that students will benefit from schools fostering intrinsic motivation to learn and learning goals.