Identifying the Relationships between Motivational Features of High and Low Performing Students and Science Literacy Achievement in PISA 2015 Turkey

Abstract

In this study, the predictive roles of intrinsic and instrumental motivations, science self-efficacy on success in the lower and upper quartiles of score distribution are analyzed in scientific domain of PISA 2015 Turkey sample. Since their index values can’t be calculated due to missing values, some students are excluded from the sample and the study sample is comprised of 5287 students. Regression models in which intrinsic and instrumental motivation, science self-efficacy are predictive variables and success is response variable are formed for the lower and upper quartiles of score distribution of science literacy. Models are analyzed by quantile regression analysis. It is found that self-efficacy in science, intrinsic and instrumental motivations towards science are significant predictors of science success. The predictive roles of science self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation towards science are much more effective in the upper quartile of score distribution than the lower quartile. Instrumental motivation has significant relationship with science success only in the lowest and highest 10^th percentages. Based on these results, suggestions are made both for researchers and teachers regarding the classroom activities, assessment processes and possible future studies that might be conducted related with the success and motivation of the students.