Motivational Profile, Future Expectations, and Attitudes toward Study of Secondary School Students in Spain: Results of the PISA Report 2018

Abstract

During the secondary school stage, students’ motivation to study may decrease and affect their future expectations, which are exclusively directed toward the search for employment, with the consequent abandonment of academic training. The main objective of the present paper was to examine the sources of motivation to study and the future expectations of secondary school students, as well as to develop a predictive model of their future expectations based on the variables studied. The sample consisted of a total of 35,943 students from different Spanish high schools, with an average age of 15.83 (SD = 0.28). The instrument used was the placement tests referring to the PISA 2018 report. On the one hand, the results showed that the main source of motivation for secondary school students to study responds to some kind of imposition either from the surrounding environment or internally, which appears to be represented by identified or controlled extrinsic motivation. In terms of future expectations, important factors included the fundamentally expression of their intention to continue studying rather than to stop studying, facts or economic support which they considered as influential to their capacity to study, and the opinions of others such as parents and friends. On the other hand, sex showed some significant differences in terms of future expectations but did not predict them. The regression model explained 20.9% of the variability of future expectations based on variables such as grade repetition, reasons that discourage studying (not being interested in the contents and never studying), and the influences on future expectations (school grades and subject mastery). Finally, the structural equation model revealed that grade repetition predicts the reasons that discourage studying and these in turn impact future expectations which are influenced by school grades, performing well in a specialty, and having talent. Likewise, there was a negative correlation between repeating a course and school grades, performing well in a specialty, and having talent. Based on these results, it would be advisable to improve the intrinsic motivation of secondary school students by means of educational actions that contribute to the adjustment of their future expectations and attend to the students’ own interests, desires, and competencies, all with the main purpose of contributing to meaningful learning and facilitating professional orientation, and above all, attending to diversity to reduce school failure.

Digital Competence, Validation and Differential Patterns between Spanish and Portuguese Areas as Assessed from the Latest PISA Report as a Pathway to Sustainable Education and Social Concerns

“…The works of [46,47], who, in this case, measure ICT use and its influence on motivation, self-efficacy and persistence, is also of interest. Additionally, with regard to motivation, we found the work of [48], who in this case validate the items of the PISA 2018 report referring to motivation to study and future expectations of adolescents, but without taking into account digital literacy in their work.…”

Influence of motivation on the perception of mathematics by secondary school students

“…On the other hand, variables responsible for low academic performance can be classified into internal and external variables. Internal variables are associated with cognitive factors such as aptitude, intelligence, cognitive style, and personality factors such as motivation ( Lim, 2021 ; Mercader Rubio et al, 2022 ), self-esteem ( Smith et al, 2022 ), and self-confidence ( Estrada-Madariaga, 2017 ; Vinni-Laakso et al, 2019 ). Several findings have suggested positive relationships between academic performance and emotional intelligence ( Buenrostro and Radinsky, 2019 ).…”

Relationships of Academic Support and Attitude Towards Future Career with Academic Procrastination in Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout

“…Many individuals choose a particular major or university to find a more suitable job and profession or to increase their chances of employment. However, not all fields of study have the same job opportunities, and some of them even have saturated job markets (15).…”