Difference in students' achievement motivation across middle school level and secondary level / Mariyam Zaina Ali

Abstract:
The goal of the research was to find if there exists any difference in students' achievement motivation between middle school and secondary school level. Also to find if factors; gender, grade and age influences students' achievement motivation. Achievement motivation is defined by David MacClelland as extent to which individuals differ in their need to strive to attain rewards, such as physical satisfaction, praise from others and feelings of personal mastery. The study was a quantitative cross sectional survey including 240 students from one of the school of Maldives. An achievement motive scale developed by Ellez in 2004 was used to measure students' achievement motivation based on four dimensions; strive, participation, willingness to participate and maintenance in work. Analysis of the results using SPSS software shows a significant difference of 7.482 between middle school students and a strong to moderate negative correlation between the factors; age group, grade and grade level and achievement motivation. Past research findings shows that this decline in the transition from middle school to primary level could be due to onset of puberty, academic related emotions, weak student teacher relationship, parental involvement in studies, the teachers behaviors and the type of methodology used in teaching. However, this research does not prove any of the influential factors it need to further analyzed school level as well as country level.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education, Open Univerity Malaysia, 2014. Master's project (M.Edu.). Includes bibliographical references