Thesis abstract:

«p»During the transition from primary school to secondary school, young adolescents become less motivated and engaged in their studies. To address this, we can get them to value academic tasks more such that they show more self-directedness and agency in approaching academic activities. Integrating Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT; Eccles & Wigfield, 2020) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000), we will explore how young adolescents’ reflections upon themselves and their goals relate to their valuing of and self-determination towards academic tasks. Our approach to addressing these aims is threefold. First, through analysing existing datasets, we need to see whether understanding oneself and one’s goals relates to academic motivation. Secondly, we would like to know how our constructs of interest (self, goals, task values, academic motivation) operate and relate to each other in the lives of 10-15-year-old young adolescents. To achieve this, we will conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews. Finally, through an experimental task, we will test whether prompting young adolescents to reflect on themselves and their goals has any impact on their academic motivation. Overall, the study has potential for the development of pedagogical tools that allow adolescents to value academic tasks more and approach them in self-determined ways.«/p»