This study concentrated on the effect of the learning motivation training program on improvement of middle school students' self-directed learning and academic achievement. The researcher formulated the hypotheses below to attain its objectives.
Firs...
This study concentrated on the effect of the learning motivation training program on improvement of middle school students' self-directed learning and academic achievement. The researcher formulated the hypotheses below to attain its objectives.
First, the researcher will be able to confirm the significant difference between the pre-test and the post-test on self-directed learning of the experimental group joining in the learning motivation training program.
Second, the researcher will be able to discover a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test on academic achievement of the experimental group.
Third, the researcher will be able to figure out a significant difference between the experimental and comparative group.
Fourth, the researcher will be able to identify a significant difference between the experimental and comparative group in academic achievement.
To verify the hypotheses above, a subject group consisted of the first-year students in K middle school in Seoul. The students took the pre-test. The researcher chose the experimental class and comparative class of the same quality. The experimental group joined in the learning motivation training program ten times, twice a week for five weeks.
The results of this study are as follow:
First, the self-directed learning of experimental group significantly improved in cognitive, motivation, behavioral aspects after the application of the learning motivation training program. The experimental group progressed significantly in cognitive strategy, t=3.91 (p<.000) and motivation strategy, t=2.78 (p<.007), which were subordinate domains of self-directed leaning. Even though it was not a significant difference, the behavioral strategy of the experimental group showed a remarkable tendency, compared with the comparative group.
Second, academic achievement of the experimental group significantly increased after application of the learning motivation training program. However, there was not a significant difference between the experimental and comparative group when the researcher analysed the results of t-test on academic achievement. It means that both of them developed academic achievement. It was why the questions of final-term exam in the second semester were easier than that of final-term exam in the first semester in the degree of difficulty. Therefore, the researcher couldn't confirm the effect of the program on academic achievement.
The researcher could figure out some important information from the results of this study. The middle school students didn't know how and for what to study. Futhermore, they didn't have any information for their own future plan. This program was useful for such students. First, the learning motivation training program activated their motivation on academic achievement. Second, it helped students to make habits of doing self-study actively and positively.
In conclusion, this program improved students' motivation for learning in a short term. However, it didn't increase students' academic achievement. Therefore, this program demands a systematic and practical application in a long period to decrease habitual unconcern of students and increase their academic achievement.