The Bulletin of Japanese Curriculum Research and Development
Online ISSN : 2424-1784
Print ISSN : 0288-0334
ISSN-L : 0288-0334
A Factorial Analysis of Students' Motivation in a Science Class
Shinji MATSUMOTOMasami HIROSEHiroyuki AKIYOSHI
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1990 Volume 14 Issue 2 Pages 55-61

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Abstract

The major purpose of this basic study was to identify the factors of enhancing students' motivation toward learning science. In the beginning, we developed the "Questionnaire on Motivation in Science Class (QMSC)" as an instrument which included items related with motivation toward learning science. The QMSC was administered in the Junior High School attached to Hyogo University of Teacher Education in November 1988. The sample consisted of 126 third year students. There were 74 males and 52 females in the population. The reliability of the QMSC was 0.85. The 31 items of the QMSC related with motivation toward learning science. Through the use of factor analysis of the 31 items, we were able to hypothesize the existence of 5 underlying factors depicting the characteristics of students' motivation. These factors were shown as follows: Factor I : Scientific curiosity Factor II : Inquiry Factor III : Mathematical treatment Factor IV : Measurement Factor V : Difficulty of materials Factor I and II were found out to have enhanced motivation toward learning science among the learners'. Conversely, Factor III and IV seemed to have reduced it.

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© 1990 Japan Curriculum Research and Development Association
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