Formative assessment and intrinsic motivation: The mediating role of perceived competence

Formative Assessment (FA) refers to eliciting evidence about students’ understanding and using the information to support learning, e.?g. via individual feedback. There is evidence that FA fosters students’ motivation, but less is known about the underlying processes. The present study investigates direct effects of FA on intrinsic motivation as well as the mediating role of students’ perceived competence, drawing on Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. In a randomized, controlled trial, primary school teachers were either assigned to an FA training (n?=?17) or to a control group (CG; n?=?11). All teachers then taught two science units in their classrooms (FA: n?=?319 students, CG: n?=?232). Multilevel regression analyses showed a higher perceived competence and a marginally higher intrinsic motivation for FA students after unit 1. After unit 2, both intrinsic motivation and perceived competence were higher in the FA condition, and the impact on intrinsic motivation was significantly mediated by students’ perceived competence after the first unit. These results confirm and extend previous findings on the effectiveness of formative assessment on motivational outcomes.