Evaluating the Affective Dimension in Chemistry Education - Affective Dimensions in Chemistry Education - page 31

Motivation includes important constructs such as intrinsic and extrinsic motiva-
tion, goal orientation, self-determination, self-efficacy, and assessment anxiety
(Glynn & Koballa, 2006 ). Students often perform tasks for reasons that are both
intrinsically and extrinsically motivated. For example, students who are intrinsi-
cally motivated to learn in a laboratory project often experience a flow—a state of
concentration or being fully immersed, a feeling of energized focus, full involve-
ment, and enjoyment in the process of the project (Csikszentmihalyi, 2000 ). They
may also be extrinsically motivated by the prospect of receiving a prize from their
teacher if they are able to complete the project.

2.4 Self-Concept

Self-concept is a description of one s own perceived self, accompanied by an

evaluative judgment of self-worth (Pajares & Schunk, 2001 ). In specific terms, it
is his/her attitudes, feelings, and knowledge about his/her abilities, skills, appear-
ance, and social acceptability (Byrne, 1984 ). The construct of self-concept is
potentially important and useful in explaining and predicting how someone acts
(Bong & Skaalvik, 2003 ). One

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s perceptions of himself/herself are thought to
influence the ways in which he/she acts, and his/her acts in turn influence the
ways in which he/she perceives himself/herself, such as what attributes they think
they possess, what roles they presume they are expected to play, what they believe
they are capable of, how they view their feelings in comparison with others, and how
they judge the way they are viewed by others. Seven features can be identified as
critical to the construct definition. Self-concept may be described as organized,
multifaceted, hierarchical, stable, developmental, evaluative, and differentiable.
Self-concept has received a great deal of attention in education and educational
research. The enhancement of students

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self-concept is a desirable educational goal
throughout the world (Burnett, Craven, & Marsh, 1999 ). Individuals

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knowledge
and perceptions about themselves in achievement situations refer to academic self-
concept or a subject self-concept. The attainment of positive academic self-
concepts has been shown to affect academic behaviors, academic choices, educa-
tional aspirations, and subsequent academic achievement (Byrne, 1984 ).
The most commonly used method of measuring the construct is self-report.
Items/statements that are typically used to assess academic self-concept include
“I learn quickly in most academic subjects” and “I am good at combining ideas in
ways that others have not tried.” Items that are typically used to assess chemistry
self-concept include “I am quite good at dealing with chemical ideas” and “I find
chemistry concepts interesting and challenging” (Bauer, 2005 ). Students indicate
how much they agree with each of these statements on, for example, 1-5, 1-7, or
1-11 response scales.

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