Motivational orientations, self-efficacy, anxiety and strategy use in learning high school mathematics in Morocco

Abstract

A self-report questionnaire was administered to 289 high school students in order to explore their perceived motivational orientations, strength of self-efficacy, level of test anxiety and strategy use, in learning mathematics. A factor analysis of the motivational items produced one factor for intrinsic orientation, and three factors for extrinsic orientation which were labelled 'grades', 'social status' and 'pleasing others'. Students appeared to be predominantly oriented towards obtaining good grades and gaining more social status, and reported using passive trategies more frequently than active strategies. However, correlational analyses showed that students with a stronger intrinsic orientation reported stronger self- efficacy, lower test anxiety and more frequent use of active strategies. By contrast, those with a stronger orientation towards grades reported higher perceptions of test anxiety, and greater use of passive strategies. Interestingly test anxiety related negatively to self-efficacy and to use of active strategies