Situating Motivation

This article describes a situative approach to studying motivation to learn in social contexts. We begin by contrasting this perspective to more prevalent psychological approaches to the study of motivation, describing epistemological and methodological differences that have constrained conversation between theoretical groups. We elaborate on issues of the unit of analysis, the conceptualization of contexts, and the role of identity as a central construct. Finally, we argue that the design of learning environments and interventions to change learning environments are informed by attention to the relationships among meanings, identities, and motives in context. We illustrate our argument with examples of design-based research and design-based implementation research focused on motivation to learn in children and adults.     

Knowing in primary physical education in the UK: negotiating movement culture

This paper aims to understand how pupils and teachers actions-in-context constitute being-a-pupil and being-a-teacher within a primary school physical education (PE) movement culture. Dewey and Bentley's theory of transaction, which views organism-in-environment-as-a-whole, enables the researcher to explore how actions-in-ongoing activities constitute and negotiate PE movement culture. Video footage from seven primary school PE lessons from a school in the West Midlands in the UK was analysed by focusing upon the ends-in-view of actions as they appeared through the educational content (what) and pedagogy (how) of the recorded PE experiences. Findings indicated that the movement culture within the school was a monoculture of looks-like-sport characterised by the privileging of the functional coordination of cooperative action. Three themes of pupils' and teachers' negotiation of the movement culture emerged U-turning, Knowing the game and Moving into and out of games. This movement culture required teachers to ensure pupils looked busy and reproduced cooperative looks-like-sport actions. In fulfilling this role, they struggled to negotiate between their knowledge of sport-for-real and directing pupils towards educational ends-in-view within games activities. Simply being good at sports was not a prerequisite for pupils' success in this movement culture. In order to re-actualise their knowledge of sport, pupils were required to negotiate the teacher's ‘how’ and ‘what’ by exploring what constituted cooperative actions within the spatial and social dimensions of the activities they were set. These findings suggest that if PE is to be more than just the reproduction of codified sport, careful adjustment and consideration of ends-in-view is of great importance. Without regard for the latter there is potential to create significant complexity for both teachers and pupils beyond that required by learning and performing sport.     

Using a collaborative working group model to develop an ADHD resource for school staff

Inclusive education for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) presents challenges for school staff and professional development is lacking. Training is not always available when needed, strategies suggested by external experts can be impractical and staff lack autonomy in choosing the best way of being resourced. Additionally, the experience and knowledge of the range of school staff is not utilised. A collaborative working group of school staff and a researcher explored an alternative method of ADHD resourcing. Co-construction of knowledge defines how the group discursively identified actionable knowledge from the different perspectives and knowledge brought by individual group members. A systemic framework was used to critically reflect on the collaboration. The framework enabled reflection on four areas to understand how and why the collaboration led to a published web-based school staff ADHD resource. Firstly, starting conditions and assumptions were considered to identify and articulate the rationale for the resource. Secondly, the context and system dynamics enabled consideration of the socio-cultural and political landscape of the project and the impact of COVID-19. Thirdly, the different voices of participants and power dynamics were reflected on. Finally, emergence was a frame in which to elucidate knowledge production and changes in practice. The collaborative working group addressed the research–practice gap and the need for diversity of voices to be heard across the school. Knowledge co-construction positions staff as knowledge bearers and, together with different forms of knowledge, they can be empowered to create new, contextualised evidence-based knowledge.     

STUDENTS’ ATTRIBUTIONS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS

This study investigates higher education students’ own attributions of success using free responses, exploring in particular the relative importance of ability and effort‐related attributions on the one hand and luck‐related attributions on the other. A sample of 150 first year polytechnic degree course students from both Arts and Science faculties was investigated. A rank order of 12 categories was established: study habits, lecture‐content, lecturer, social, interest, motivation, ability, domestic security, peers, luck, financial security, health. Among study habits a rank order of 7 categories was also established: reading skills, examination technique, time, note‐taking skills, organisation of work, revision, place. Knowledge of, and practice in, study habits, is clearly important, and other implications are the need for further awareness of the lecturer‐student relationship and more research into the consistency of student attributions across faculties beyond the first year.     

Estimation of VO2max: a comparative analysis of five exercise tests

Thirty-eight female subjects (M +/ SD = 33 +/- 3.0 years) had VO2max measured on the cycle ergometer (M +/- SD = 37.3 +/- 6.4 ml.kg-1.min-1) and on the treadmill (M +/- SD = 41.3 +/- 6.6 ml.kg-1.min-1). VO2max was estimated for each subject from heart rate (HR) at submaximal workloads on the cycle ergometer using the Astrand-Rhyming nomogram (A/R) and the extrapolation method (XTP). VO2max was also estimated from three field tests: 1.5-mile run (RUN) (independent variable [IV] = time), mile walk (WALK) (IV = time, age, HR, gender, body weight), and the Queens College Step Test (ST) (IV = HR during 5-20 s recovery). Repeated measure ANOVA revealed significant mean differences between the criterion cycle ergometer VO2max versus A/R and XTP (20 and 12% overestimation). The WALK, RUN, and ST VO2max values were not significantly different from the criterion treadmill VO2max. The correlation between criterion VO2max estimated from the WALK and RUN were r = .73 (SEE = 4.57 ml,kg-1.min-1) and r = .79 (SEE = 4.13 ml.kg-1.min-1), respectively. The ST, A/R, and XTP had higher SEEs (13-13.5% of the mean) and lower r s (r = .55 to r = .66). These results suggest both the WALK and RUN tests are satisfactory predictors of VO2max in 30 to 39-year-old females.