Motivation interventions via study programmes for under-achieving students, focusing on Paifika students

Research has shown that lower motivation orientations are associated with under-achievement and that ethnicity may also be associated with motivation and achievement. This study investigates if student motivation can be altered by two intervention programmes — a traditional study (TS) programme and a motivation-enhanced study (MS) programme. A total of 57 students participated, from three different groups, attending Year 11 (median age 15 years) at two New Zealand Secondary Schools. This mixed-methods study used Martin’s (2008) Student Motivation and Engagement Scale (MES-HS) and Meyer, McClure, Walkey, McKenzie and Weirs’ (2008) Survey of NCEA Goals Year 10 and Year 11 Students to gain quantitative data. Qualitative data about perceptions on motivation and achievement were gained from interviews with students. MS students, across all three groups, had steeper gains in academic achievement, showed decreases in maladaptive intra-personal motivation orientations and increases in inter-personal motivation orientations compared to corresponding TS students. However, Pasifika students had the highest gains in achievement, showed stronger decrease on intra-personal adaptive motivation factors, and greater increases on inter-personal motivation orientations compared to non-Pasifika students. These results are discussed within a theoretical framework of how changes in intra-personal and inter-personal motivation orientations may be associated with ethnicity and achievement-related outcomes.