6221433 Power Point Version Slides Vocational Students Motivation and Perceived Success in Workplace Learning

8/3/2019 6221433 Power Point Version Slides Vocational Students Motivation and Perceived Success in Workplace Learning

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Vocational studentsmotivation and perceived

success in workplace

learning Anne Virtanen & Pivi Tynjl,

University of Jyvskyl, FinlandECER 2008 Gteborg, Sweden


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Introduction 1/2

One of the biggest constraints on vocationalstudents learning is their lack of motivation(e.g. Mulder et al., 2006).Findings concerning the new workplacesystem in Finland VET are encouraging:vocational students are very motivated to learnreal work during their workplace learningperiods (e.g. Lasonen, 2001).Therefore, in this study, we will examine inmore detail the factors on the background ofmotivational aspects and students self -assessed success in their workplace learning.


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Introduction 2/2

Recent studies on employees learning at workhave showed that learning through workdepends both on the individuals participation

and workplace affordances (Billett, 2004;Collin, 2005).Therefore, we are searching explanations forstudents experiences of workplace learningboth from the social and individual elements ofworkplace learning (these include studentsexperiences of work communities andguidance as well as their motivationalorientations).


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Research questions

1) What kind of motivational orientations dovocational students show in workplacelearning?2) What kind of relationship there is betweenstudents self -assessed success in school-based learning and work-based learning?3) What factors do explain students self -assessed success in workplace learning?


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Data and methods

Data was collected by Internet questionnairesVocational students (N = 3106) were final-years

students from six vocational fields of FinnishVETIn total, 1603 students (52 %) answered thequestionnaires

Data was analysed with quantitative methods


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Measuring students motivationalorientations during their workplace

learning periodsNine statements related to students motivationalorientation at work (e.g. It was important to me to complete my tasks in a way that made my trainer fully satisfied. )a four-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3= agree, 4 = strongly agree)The following aggregate scales and single variableswere used in the analysis:- Achievement orientation (Cronbachs alpha = .66) - Avoidance orientation (Cronbachs alpha = .56) - Learning orientation (single variable)- Initiative orientation (single variable) - Invention orientation (single variable)


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Students motivational orientationsduring workplace learning periods

(min 1, max 4)STUDENTS MOTIVATIONALORIENTATIONS

Meanvalue

SD

Learning orientation 3.66 .58

Achievement orientation 3.28 .56

Invention orientation 2.97 .69

Initiative orientation 2.75 .88

Avoidance orientation 2.03 .74


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Students self -assessed successat school and in workplace

learningQUESTIONS:1) How do you rate your performance at school?

2) How do you rate your performance during your workplace learning periods?

RESULTS (min 1, max 5):- Students self -assessed success at school (n=1552):

mean value 3.63 (SD .81)- Students self -assessed success in workplace learning(n=1545): mean value 4.05 (SD .75)


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Cross tabulation of students self -assessed success at school and in

workplace learning (n = 1540) STUDENTS SELF -ASSESSEDSUCCESS IN WORKPLACE LEARNINGPoor +satisfactory

Moderate Good +Excellent Total

STUDENTSSELF-ASSESSEDSUCCESSAT SCHOOL

Poor +satisfactory

19 % 16 % 65 % 100 %n=130

Moderate 5 % 22 % 73 % 100 %n=456

Good +Excellent

1 % 6 % 93 % 100 %n=954


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Independent variables used in thefollowing regression analysis

Students experiences of work communities: social andinteractive support, availability of individual guidance, and activemembership (Collin, Paloniemi, Virtanen & Etelpelto, 2008)Forms of guidance: discussions with employees, discussions with

teacher, discussions together with teacher and workplace trainer,self- assessment of ones own work, assignments from school,learning journals (Virtanen & Tynjl, 2008)Content of guidance: guidance concerning work and workenvironment, and guidance concerning students development (Virtanen & Tynjl, 2008)Students motivational orientations (mentioned above)

Students prior work experience (Virtanen, Tynjl & Collin,2008)


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What factors do explainstudents self -assessed success

in workplace learning?DEPENDENT VARIABLE R R

Self-assessment successin workplace learning

.454 .206

INDEPENDENTVARIABLES

B Stand.beta

t Sig.

Avoidance orientation - .176 - .177 -6.908


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ConclusionsStudents are very motivated to learn at work: they want tolearn particularly new things and also succeed well both atschool and at work.Students assess their success in workplace learning betterthan their success at school. In other words, if school does notgo well at all for students workplace learning can go muchbetter. Students perceived success in the workplace learningdepends both on the factors related to the students (i.e. theirmotivational orientations) and the factors related to thecircumstances of the workplace (i.e. availability of individualguidance and active membership). Thus, the success of thestudents cannot be seen as only a consequence of studentsmotivation, as often is believed, but the circumstances of theworkplace were equally important for successful in workplacelearning.


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Further information: Anne Virtanen

Department of Educational Sciences

University of Jyvskyl, FinlandEmail: [email protected]

Pivi Tynjl

Finnish Institute for Educational ResearchUniversity of Jyvskyl, Finland

Email: [email protected]

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6221433 Power Point Version Slides Vocational Students Motivation and Perceived Success in Workplace Learning