Perception of Learning Environment and Student Motivation: Effects Within and Between School Subjects

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The proposed project aims at applying the newly developed Generalized Internal/External Frame of Reference Model (GI/E model; Möller, Müller-Kalthoff, Helm, Nagy, & Marsh, in press, see as well Arens & Möller, 2016) to relations between the perception of different aspects of the learning environment and different aspects of student motivation within and between school subjects. The GI/E model was developed on the basis of the Internal/External Frame of Reference Model (I/E model; Marsh, 1986) and the Dimensional Comparison Theory (DCT; Möller & Marsh, 2013). The I/E model describes the joint effects of external/social comparisons and internal comparisons (later termed as dimensional comparisons, see Möller & Köller, 1998; Möller & Köller, 2001a; Möller & Marsh, 2013) on subject-specific self-concepts in mathematics and the mother tongue. Drawing social comparisons, students compare their own achievement in a subject to their class mates` achievements, and this comparison shows an effect on their self-concept in the regarding subject. Drawing dimensional comparisons, students compare their achievement in one subject to their achievement in another subject, and this comparison has an effect on their self-concepts in both subjects. In DCT, dimensional comparison processes are reappraised theoretically; amongst other things, it is postulated that dimensional comparisons take place in other academic areas and in non-academic areas as well. In doing so, DCT prepares the ground for the extensions of the I/E model undertaken in the GI/E model: The GI/E model assumes that students not only compare their achievements in different school subjects, but that they as well compare different aspects of school subjects and of the learning environment offered in the subject lessons and that this comparison not only takes an effect on subject-specific self-concepts but on other subject-related motivational aspects as well. Following the GI/E model, for example two students could compare their relation to their teachers in two subjects and this comparison would affect their motivation in both subjects: the more positive the teacher-relation in one subject, the lower the motivation in the other subject (see Dietrich, Dicke, Kracke, & Noack, 2015). The application of the GI/E model to the formation of subject-specific self-concepts and further motivational variables can enrich research on the determinants of student motivation. As in the proposed project students` perceptions of the learning environment are to be analyzed as determinants of student motivation, insights can be gathered that are useful for educational research and practice as well.