The relationship between student motivation and mathematics achievement in the Assessment of Basic Competencies (ÜGK) 2016

Abstract

Based on the expectancy-value-theory (Eccles et al., 1983), we tested the relationship between motivation variables and mathematics achievement using ÜGK 2016 data of N = 11’131 students at the end of compulsory education. The results confirm the predictive power of learning goal-orientation, self-concept, and self-efficacy beliefs for explaining mathematics achievement. Gender-specific differences such as the pronounced lower mathematics self-concept of girls despite comparable achievement can be explained by a multi-dimensional assessment of mathematics self-efficacy beliefs as there are significant differences in applied mathematics but not in algebra.