Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

A Motivational Account Of The Undergraduate Experience In Science: Brief Measures Of Students' Self-System Appraisals, Engagement In Coursework, And Identity As A Scientist, Emily Saxton, Cailin Currie, Ellen A. Skinner, Gwen Shusterman

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

As part of long-standing efforts to promote undergraduates’ success in science, researchers have investigated the instructional strategies and motivational factors that promote student learning and persistence in science coursework and majors. This study aimed to create a set of brief measures that educators and researchers can use as tools to examine the undergraduate motivational experience in science classes. To identify key motivational processes, we drew on self-determination theory (SDT), which holds that students have fundamental needs – to feel competent, related, and autonomous – that fuel their intrinsic motivation. When educational experiences meet these needs, students engage more energetically and …