Open Schooling Matters: Student Effects in Science Motivation, Intrinsic Motivation and State Emotions

Abstract

Open-schooling as an innovative management construct combines formal and informal stakeholders for joining forces for supporting schools. By highlighting this complex frame from a European vantage point, an experimental study of 316 open school environments with 1642 students was completed by applying the psychometric constructs of science motivation (SMOT), intrinsic motivation (IM) and state emotions (SE). SMOT contained five subscales: intrinsic motivation, career motivation, self-determination, self-efficacy, grade motivation; IM is using four subscales: interest, perceived competence, pressure and perceived choice; and SE contained three subscales: well-being, interest and boredom. In total, gender and self-determination produced a difference before participation as girls showed higher scores. This difference vanished later on which points to a positive catch-up for boys. IM scored high in all subscales while pressure and perceived choice competence was more present in boys. The same was true for state emotions of well-being and interest as well as low ones in boredom. In sum, SMOT subscales correlated positively for the state emotions of well-being and interest and negatively with boredom.