Expectancy-value theory postulates that student expectancy beliefs and task values are important motivation sources for learning (Eccles et al., 1983). Expectancy beliefs refer to the belief about successfully accomplishing a task. Task values include learners' perceptions of the importance, interest, and utility values of the content. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of expectancy beliefs and task values on student learning in multiple psychomotor skills and fitness knowledge over a year.
Method
The participants included 854 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students from 13 middle schools in a very large metropolitan school district where a new curriculum was implemented with emphases on evidence-based learning in psychomotor skills, fitness, psychological disposition, and fitness knowledge. Student learning in psychomotor skill and fitness knowledge were documented using pre-posttest evaluations. Basketball dribbling (Lockerhart & McPerson, 1949) and badminton striking (AAHPERD, 1984) tests were administered at the begging and end of the year, respectively. Fitness knowledge was assessed using the standardized paper-pencil tests. Students also responded to the modified Expectancy-Value Questionnaire (Eccles & Wigfield, 1995), a 5-point likert scale measuring expectancy beliefs and task values.
Analysis/Results
Dependent t tests were conducted to examine student learning at class level (n = 35; i.e., the unit of analysis). The results suggested that student badminton striking skill was significantly improved (t = 6.50, df = 34, p < .01; Cohen's d = 1.40); basketball dribbling, however, improved a little over the year (t = .93, df = 34, p = .36; Cohen's d = .13). Students' fitness knowledge was also significantly improved (t = 3.17, df = 34, p < .01; Cohen's d = .58). Results from multiple regression analyses showed that students' attainment value accounted for 2.4% of the variances in basketball dribbling achievement (β = .154, p < .01) and intrinsic value accounted for .6% in the badminton striking achievement (β = .079, p < .05), respectively. Neither expectancy beliefs nor task values were identified as predictors for the fitness knowledge achievement.
Conclusions
The results suggest that middle-school students' expectancy-value motivation have a significant yet small direct contribution to their psychomotor learning, no effect on their knowledge learning. Other factors such as student previous knowledge and skill as well as the curriculum might be a stronger predictor for their achievement. These findings also suggest content specificity in student learning in that different psychomotor skills were improved at a different rate.