Use person-centered trajectory identification to target motivational interventions at at-risk students¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The article recommends person-centered approaches that identify subgroups of students with declining or unstable motivational trajectories so support can be tailored to their needs, rather than relying on average trends that mask heterogeneity. It states that "Identifying students at higher risk for declining motivation and tailoring strategies to meet their individual needs is an important step in effectively reversing or slowing declines in physical science motivation over time." Smaller trajectory groups may need the most attention despite being least typical.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Longitudinal repeated measures of ability self-concept and task values to classify students into trajectory groups

Constraints¶

• The article notes it lacked sociocultural or contextual data to explain why students decline, so the strategy identifies risk but not causes

Target Learners¶

• Adolescents in middle and high school, especially students in declining or transitory motivation trajectories

Target Learning Goals¶

• Maintaining or improving ability self-concept and task values in physics and chemistry

Affordances¶

• Expectancy Value Theory Science Motivation

Related Strategies¶

• Attend to both SEL status and SEL growth when identifying students who may need supports to stay on track to graduate
• Combine metacognitive strategy information with motivational interventions that increase task value, and reduce need frustration

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Wang, Ming-Te; Chow, Angela; Degol, Jessica Lauren; Eccles, Jacquelynne Sue. (2016). Does Everyone's Motivational Beliefs about Physical Science Decline in Secondary School?: Heterogeneity of Adolescents' Achievement Motivation Trajectories in Physics and Chemistry. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0620-1