Abstract
This research examined the learning motivations of high school students that influenced their inferences derived from the knowledge about contemporary social studies. The study aimed to propose new methods of instruction that enhance their inferences. We measured the learning motivations of high school students by utilizing a questionnaire and free-response method, while their inferences were determined by an essay test and the questions from the National Center Test for University Admissions. The results showed that learning motivations from possessing knowledge of a particular subject that they consider useful in their life had a positive effect on completing the essay test. Moreover, motivation of interesting subject or influence of other students' learning methods and of their parents' or teacher's hopes had a positive effect on students' performance on the National Center Test questions. However, the motivation to prevent loss of intelligence had a negative effect on the students. On the basis of these results, this study proposed new methods of instruction to ensure: that students' interest in a particular subject is developed so that they understand that knowledge of a particular subject will be useful in their life, that they are positively influenced by other students' learning methods and by their parents' or teacher's hopes, and that they are able to develop performance-approach goals and not performance-avoidance goals.
