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Motivation Matters: Profiling Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Students’ Motivational Goals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 November 2014

Natasha R. Magson ,
Rhonda G. Craven ,
Genevieve F. Nelson ,
Alexander S. Yeung ,
Gawaian H. Bodkin-Andrews  and
Dennis M. McInerney
Natasha R. Magson*
Affiliation:
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Rhonda G. Craven
Affiliation:
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genevieve F. Nelson
Affiliation:
The Kokoda Track Foundation, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Alexander S. Yeung
Affiliation:
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Gawaian H. Bodkin-Andrews
Affiliation:
Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Dennis M. McInerney
Affiliation:
Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong
*
address for correspondence: Natasha Magson, Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Locked Bag 2002, Strathfield NSW 2135, Australia. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This research explored gender and cross-cultural similarities and differences in the motivational profiles of Indigenous Papua New Guinean (PNG) and Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Secondary students (N = 1,792) completed self-report motivational measures. Invariance testing demonstrated that the Inventory of School Motivation (McInerney, Yeung, & McInerney, 2001) measure was invariant across both gender and Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups. Structural equation modelling (SEM) results explicated that males were significantly more performance orientated than females in all three groups examined; however, the disparity between genders was most apparent in non-Indigenous Australians. Diverging from previous findings with non-Indigenous students, the current study found that PNG and Australian Indigenous males endorsed mastery goals more strongly than Indigenous females. In contrast, non-Indigenous females were more mastery orientated than non-Indigenous males. Finally, the two Indigenous groups endorsed social goals more strongly than the non-Indigenous Australians. The current findings highlight the importance of assessing gender and group differences, as broad statements relating to student motivation do not appear to be applicable in all cultural contexts.

Keywords

Indigenous educationmotivationgoal theoryeducational psychology
Type
Research Article
Information
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education , Volume 43 , Issue 2 , December 2014 , pp. 96 - 112
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2014 

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