The conflict between on-task and off-task actions in the classroom and its consequences for motivation and achievement

Abstract

The relations between students' value orientations, decisions in conflicts between on-task and off-task actions in the classroom, and experiences of motivational interference following these conflicts were investigated. It was expected that well-being value orientation was positively linked and achievement value orientation was negatively linked to decision for off-task behavior in such conflicts and that the higher students' well-being value orientation, the higher their motivational impairment when deciding for the on-task behavior and the lower when deciding for the off-task behavior. For achievement orientation, the relationships were predicted to be reversed. The experience of motivational interference while performing on-task behavior was, in turn, expected to be related to worse grades. Data from 817 students (mean age 13.44) from 35 classrooms were collected using self-report questionnaires and analyzed in a series of hierarchical linear models. Analyses showed the relationships as predicted. All relationships found were comparable to the relationships found for a conflict between school and leisure actions after class. Results point out that even if students resist the off-task temptation in class, the mere possibility of off-task behavior can impair motivation and achievement.Résumé Dans le présent ouvrage, les décisions des élèves en cas de conflits entre un comportement attentif et inattentif en classe ont été analysées en même temps que leurs sentiments durant cette interférence motivationnelle. L'hypothèse de travail était que l'orientation vers les valeurs de bien-être avait une corrélation positive tandis que celle vers les valeurs de réussite scolaire corrélait négativement avec la décision pour l'inattention en classe et que, avec une plus grande orientation vers le bien-être, l'élève se trouvait moins motivé dans la décision pour la réussite scolaire et plus motivé, s'il optait pour l'inattention et vice versa en cas d'orientation inverse. Il était supposé que cette interférence motivationnelle correspondait à des résultats scolaires inférieurs. Les données de 817 élèves (moyenne d'âge 13.44) dans 35 classes ont été collectionnées à l'aide d'un questionnaire d'autoévaluation et analysées en utilisant des modèles hiérarchiques linéaires. Ces analyses confirment les relations comme prévues. Toutes les relations étaient comparables aux relations de conflits entre le travail pour l'école et les activités de loisirs d'après-midi. Les résultats montrent que même si l'élève résiste à la tentation de l'inattention en classe, la seule possibilité du comportement inattentif peut gêner la motivation et la réussite scolaire.Keywords Learning motivation . Motivational interference . Off-task behavior . School-leisure conflict . Value orientation On-task vs. off-task conflict as an instance of a motivational action conflict Students pursue a variety of goals in the classroom, such as "being a successful student", "doing the very best you can", "having fun", and "making or keeping friendships" (Wentzel 1989)....

Value orientations as determinants and outcomes of conflicts between on-task and off-task actions in the classroom

“…Values seem especially applicable to such conflict situations in which students have to prioritize between actions, because values are ordered by importance in a system of priorities (Schwartz, 2006). Indeed, Kilian, Hofer, Fries, and Kuhnle (2010) found the extent students value well-being and achievement to be related to the experiences they report during on-and off-task behavior when confronted with action conflict scenarios between those two. Values were conceived as determinants of students' experiences in conflicts.…”

“…Cross-sectional studies have shown that these two value orientations were related to the motivational interference students reported in action conflict scenarios between school-related and leisure-type activities (Fries, Schmid, Dietz, & Hofer, 2005;Hofer, Schmid, Fries, Zivkovic, & Dietz, 2009;Kilian et al, 2010). In these studies, value orientations were conceived as determinants of the experience of motivational interference.…”

“…If Daniel decides to keep following the lesson he might be easily distracted, in a bad mood or feeling that he is missing out on what his friend wants to tell him. On the other hand, if he decides to read the note, he might be distracted from it or suffer from a guilty conscience because he is not following the lesson (Kilian et al, 2010).…”

“…At t1 817 students participated. Their data on value orientations and motivational interference has been published in Kilian et al (2010). 697 students (52% female) also participated at t2.…”

“…The cross-sectional design of the data, however, left the direction of the relationship unclear. In the present paper, the Kilian et al (2010) study is extended to a longitudinal design and it will be argued that the influence is reciprocal: It is assumed that value orientations influence the experience of motivational interference in action conflict situations, but also that experiences students have dealing with these conflicts might change their values over time. These assumptions are studied using scenarios of action conflicts in class.…”