An Investigation of the Effects of School Context and Sex Differences on Students' Motivational Goal Orientations

It is widely postulated that school context characteristics and sex may influence students' motivational orientations. However, relatively little empirical evidence exists to support this postulate. Hence the present study sought to examine both the individual and interactive effects of school and sex differences on students' motivational goals. Participants were 602 middle school students. The effects of school and sex on three academic and five social goals were examined. Results suggest that school and (to a lesser extent) sex differences, as well as the interaction between the two, significantly influence students' motivational orientations. Results are discussed and interpreted within the framework of motivation psychology.     

Do Latino Youth Really Want to Get Pregnant?: Assessing Pregnancy Wantedness

Despite recent declines, Latinas bear a disproportionate burden of teen births. Understanding social, cultural, and demographic factors underlying pregnancy desire among Latino adolescents is needed to design effective teen pregnancy prevention interventions.

A questionnaire was completed by 794 Latino youth including a “pregnancy wantedness scale” (PWS) to assess attitudes toward an early pregnancy and socio-demographic variables. Regression analyses examined the association between these variables and PWS score. PWS scores for all groups were below but near the midpoint, suggesting ambivalence toward an early pregnancy. Being female, older, acculturated, using hormonal contraception, living with parents, and having an educated mother were significantly associated with lower PWS scores, but impacted youth differently depending on their sex and sexual experience. Multi-component Latino teen pregnancy prevention strategies should address behavioral and attitudinal differences based on sex and sexual experience and acknowledge the contribution of social determinants on pregnancy intentions.     

Learning Style under Two Web‐Based Study Conditions

A sample of 48 college students prepared for in‐class examinations using two web‐based study conditions. The A condition used web‐based study groups and the B condition used web‐based quizzes. The Index of Learning Styles positioned students on four dimensions of learning style (active‐reflective, visual‐verbal, sequential‐global, and sensing‐intuitive). Students who were more active than reflective expressed a preference for face‐to‐face study groups rather than online study groups and for online quizzes rather than pencil‐and‐paper quizzes. Students who were more visual than verbal expressed a preference for online quizzes rather than online study groups. Such preferences were validated by decreased achievement in the less‐preferred study condition. At college level, students are aware of their learning style and understand the conditions that facilitate their mastery of course content. Instructional applications of web‐based technology may provide mechanisms for more consistently accommodating student learning style in higher education.