Examining the Academic Motivation of a Diverse Student Population: A Consideration of Methodology

Abstract

In this article, we review research that has examined the association between race, ethnicity, culture, and student motivation. We begin by describing potential problems regarding how race, ethnicity, and culture are defined in research. Next, we review some of the methods that have been used to examine the associations among race, ethnicity, culture, and several constructs related to academic motivation (e.g., valuing of education, ethnic identity, generational status, and other contextual factors). In this review, we highlight how different methodologies reflect different assumptions, and have led to different conclusions, about these associations. The article concludes with a consideration of future research questions and methodology, including important factors to consider when examining the intersection of race, ethnicity, culture, and academic motivation.

Investigating underrepresented and first‐generation college students' science and math motivational beliefs: A nationally representative study using latent profile analysis

“…Practically, measurement invariance allows us to interpret the latent classes in the same way across different groups. Our findings, together with recent research (Gottlieb, 2018) and synthesis (Urdan & Bruchmann, 2018; Usher, 2018), suggest that perhaps there is not measurement invariance across all groups. However, testing for measurement invariance in mixture modeling remains an area of active research, and there is no one accepted method to test for invariance in LPA (Kim, Cao, & Nguyen, 2017; Masyn, 2018; Muthén & Asparouhov, 2018).…”

“…In other words, the greater diversity in math and science beliefs among racially and ethnically UR students may be the result of U.S. high schools improving how they engage UR students in those subjects. Finally, we cannot ignore the possibility that EVT may be better suited to explaining the choices and achievement of White and Asian students, a possibility raised in recent research (Gottlieb, 2018) and commentary on the limitations of motivational research (Urdan & Bruchmann, 2018; Usher, 2018). Indeed, expecting that EVT as a theory should perform similarly across racial and ethnic groups is colorblind because it assumes that students have similar experiences with and beliefs about science and math when research suggests this is not the case (e.g., Sheth, 2019).…”

Vocabulary Instruction: A Critical Analysis of Theories, Research, and Practice

“…Other underpinnings of motivation theory, such as goal setting and the development of autonomy [147], should be examined for their ability to increase breadth and depth of word knowledge, particularly with struggling learners and ELLs. Additionally, researchers may want to consider how traditional constructs of motivation impact diverse student populations, as varying cultural beliefs and goals may require different types of motivational interventions [148].…”

Experience and Meaning in Small-Group Contexts

“…Instruments measuring students' motivation and learning processes have contributed to a rich understanding of students' experiences in school. Yet, the extent to which self-report measures adequately capture the learning process for all students across varying contexts remains an important concern (e.g., Urdan & Bruchmann, 2018). For researchers studying specific instructional contexts, self-report data can pose challenges to investigating motivation and strategy use in small groups.…”