Changes in Achievement Motivation among University Freshmen

Changes in achievement motivation over the first semester of university studies were examined with N = 229 freshmen, who were surveyed twice in the present study. Students’ academic self-concepts, achievement goals, and subjective values were chosen as theoretically central components of achievement motivation. The results indicated significant deterioration in achievement motivation over the course of the first semester of university studies, a phenomenon which affected a large proportion of the first-year students. Regression analyses provided evidence that motivation, prior to the start of university studies, and the changes in motivation had incremental validity over measures of prior school-achievement in predicting self-regulated learning, performance in examinations, as well as the intention to change university majors or drop out completely (partially in interaction with prior school-achievement)

The importance of perceived quality of instruction, achievement motivation and difficulties in self-regulation for students who drop out of university

Background: Starting a study programme at an university, students are confronted with rising requirements regulating their learning processes and motivation. Both difficulties due to this regulation and the quality of instruction are associated with students dropping out from a study programme in the research. Aims: The purpose of this research is to analyse the interplay and effect of difficulties in self-regulated learning, achievement motivation (i.e. academic self-concept, subject interest), and perceived quality of instruction in dropping out from an university study programme. Sample: We sampled 2301 cooperative students in their first academic year. The average age was M = 22.12 (SD = 3.02), and 1167 were male (50.7%). Method: This cross-sectional study used structural equation models for hypothesis analysis. Three years after the survey, dropout information from the university administration was matched to the survey data. Results: The results indicate associations between academic self-concept, subject interest and difficulties in regulating one's motivation with dropout. An indirect effect was found between perceived quality of instruction and dropout via academic self-concept, subject interest and difficulties in regulating one's motivation. Conclusions: The relevance of perceived quality of instruction, self-concept, subject interest and difficulties in motivational regulation and consequences for dropout is illustrated

Mentoring leistungsstarker Schülerinnen und Schüler

"Mentoring scheint entscheidend dazu beizutragen, dass leistungsstarke Schülerinnen und Schüler in einem Fachgebiet Expertise erwerben. Basierend auf einer Skizzierung der Entwicklung von Expertise und einer Charakterisierung leistungsstarker Schülerinnen und Schüler wird die Rolle von Mentoring als Förderinstrument diskutiert. Hierbei unterstreichen theoretische Überlegungen den hohen Stellenwert von Mentoring für die Förderung einer Expertiseentwicklung, sofern Mentorinnen und Mentoren auch über pädagogische und beraterische Kompetenzen verfügen. Als Konsequenz sind Implikationen für die Entwicklung theoretischer Modelle für Mentoring leistungsstarker Schülerinnen und Schüler sowie für die praktische Umsetzung dieser Fördermaßnahmen formuliert." (Autorenreferat)"There is empirical evidence that mentoring plays a crucial role in the development of expertise in one domain. In this article, the role of mentoring in the development of expertise will be discussed from a theoretical point of view. Theoretical consideration has highlighted mentoring as an important pedagogical instrument for fostering the development of expertise in one domain when mentors also have competency in education and counseling. The implications raised by these formulations have consequences for the construction of theoretical models for mentoring high-achieving students, and for the implementation of these models in practice." (author's abstract

Unfulfilled expectancies for success, unfulfilled study values and their relevance for changes in achievement motivation, achievement emotions and the intention to drop out in the first semester of a degree program

Gemäß dem Erwartungs-Wert-Modell der Lern- und Leistungsmotivation prägen Erfolgserwartungen und Studienwerte die Entscheidung für einen Studiengang. Sowohl Arbeiten zur Veränderung der Lern- und Leistungsmotivation zu Studienbeginn als auch Befragungen von Studienabbrechern geben Hinweise darauf, dass sich die vor Studienbeginn gebildeten Erfolgserwartungen und Studienwerte im Studium nicht gänzlich erfüllen. Es wurde angenommen, dass StudienanfängerInnen nicht erfüllte Erfolgserwartungen und nicht erfüllte Studienwerte im Studium erleben und diese mit einer Veränderung des studiengangspezifischen Fähigkeitsselbstkonzepts und der Studienwerte während des ersten Semesters, mit dem Erleben von Freude sowie Angst und mit der Intention eines Studienabbruchs am Ende des ersten Semesters assoziiert sind. Geprüft wurden diese Hypothesen an einer Stichprobe von 218 StudienanfängerInnen, die vor Studienbeginn sowie zur Mitte und am Ende ihres ersten Semesters befragt wurden. Konfirmatorische Faktorenanalysen erbrachten Hinweise darauf, dass zwischen nicht erfüllten Erfolgserwartungen, nicht erfüllten Studienwerten, dem studiengangspezifischen Fähigkeitsselbstkonzept und den Studienwerten zu unterscheiden ist. In einer latenten Wachstumsmodellierung ergaben sich Zusammenhänge der Veränderung des studiengangspezifischen Fähigkeitsselbstkonzepts und der Studienwerte im ersten Semester mit dem Erleben nicht erfüllter Erfolgserwartungen und nicht erfüllten Studienwerten. Schließlich zeigte sich, dass StudienanfängerInnen - inkrementell zum Fähigkeitsselbstkonzept und zu den Studienwerten - umso weniger Freude und eine höhere Intention zum Studienabbruch berichteten, je stärker ihre nicht erfüllten Studienwerte ausgeprägt waren. (DIPF/Orig.)According to the expectation-value model of learning and achievement motivation, both success expectations and study values shape the decision to enroll in a degree program. Studies on learning and achievement motivation with persons at the start of a course of studies, as well as surveys of drop-outs, indicate that the success expectations and study values formed before enrollment are not completely fulfilled over the course of a degree program. It is here assumed that undergraduates experience unfulfilled success expectations and unfulfilled study values, and that these are associated with changes in their study-specific ability self-concepts and study values during their first semester, experiences of joy and anxiety, and the intention to drop out. These hypotheses were tested on a sample of 218 undergraduate students who were interviewed before the start, in the middle of, and at end of their first semester in a degree program. Confirmatory factor analyses provide evidence that distinctions should be made between unfulfilled success expectations, unfulfilled study values, study specific ability self-concepts and study values. Using latent growth modeling, correlations were detected between changes in the study-specific ability self-concept and study values in the first semester with experiences of unfulfilled expectations of success and unfulfilled study values. Finally, it seems that students beginning a degree program reported less joy and a higher intention to drop out - incremental to study specific ability self-concepts and study values - when their unfulfilled study values were more pronounced. (DIPF/Orig.

Structure and relationships of university instructors' achievement goals

The present study examines the achievement goals of university instructors, particularly the structure of such goals, and their relationship to biographic characteristics, other aspects of instructors’ motivation, and teaching quality. Two hundred and fifty-one university instructors (184 without PhD, 97 with PhD, thereof 51 full professors; 146 males, 92 females) answered a questionnaire measuring achievement goals, self-efficacy, and enthusiasm in altogether 392 courses. Teaching quality was assessed using reports from 9,241 students who were attending these courses. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed mastery, performance approach, performance avoidance, work avoidance, and relational goals as being distinguishable from each other. Distinct relationships were found between different instructors’ achievement goals, and gender, age, and career status as well as self-efficacy and enthusiasm. Hierarchical linear models suggested positive associations of instructors’ mastery goals with teaching quality, while negative associations were indicated for performance avoidance goals and work avoidance goals in relation to teaching quality. Exploratory analyses conducted due to a quite large correlation between performance approach and performance avoidance goals indicated that for university instructors, differentiating performance goals into appearance and normative components might also be adequate. All in all, the study highlights the auspiciousness of the theoretical concept of university instructors’ achievement goals and contributes to making it comprehensively accessible

Beratungskompetenz von Lehrkräften bei hoher Begabung. Operationalisierung und Struktur

In diesem Beitrag werden Besonderheiten der Elternberatung im Kontext von hoher Begabung thematisiert. Die Autor*innen präsentieren ein Modell zur Beratungskompetenz bei hoher Begabung und prüfen auf Basis einer Studie, ob sich dessen Struktur auch anhand empirischer Daten von Grundschullehrkräften und Schulpsycholog*innen abbildet. (DIPF/Orig.

Motivationale Handlungskonflikte zwischen Sport, Schule und Freizeit

Die Theorie motivationaler Handlungskonflikte beschreibt das Erleben von Schule-Freizeit-Handlungskonflikten und der motivationalen Interferenz als Folge hiervon. Mit Blick auf sportlich aktive Kinder und Jugendliche wird erstmalig argumentiert, dass diese neben Schule-Freizeit- auch Schule-Sport- und Sport-Freizeit-Handlungskonflikte erleben und sich dies belastend auf die Ausführung der gewählten Handlungsoption auswirkt. Diese Annahme prüften wir mit 125 Schüler_innen (durchschnittliches Alter: 14.19, SD = 2.40, Jahre; 72 % weiblich), die wöchentlich durchschnittlich 5.50 Stunden (SD = 2.36) trainierten. Die Befunde verweisen darauf, dass Schule-Sport- sowie Sport-Freizeit-Handlungskonflikte eigens zu betrachten sind. Hierbei erlebten die befragten Schüler_innen Schule-Freizeit- und Sport-Freizeit-Handlungskonflikte in ähnlichem Ausmaß, Schule-Sport-Handlungskonflikte hingegen signifikant seltener. Je mehr Zeit die Schüler_innen für ihre Sportart wöchentlich trainierten, desto ausgeprägter waren Schule-Sport-Handlungskonflikte sowie Sport-Freizeit-Handlungskonflikte. Schule-Sport-Handlungskonflikte waren assoziiert mit Belastungserleben bei schulischen Tätigkeiten, nicht hingegen mit Belastungserleben beim Sport. Explorativ zeigte sich, dass Schüler_innen mit höheren Wohlbefindenswerten sich bei motivationalen Konflikten eher für die sportliche Aktivität entscheiden

Two Sides of the same Coin: Do the Dual ‘Types’ of Passion Describe Distinct Subgroups of Individuals?

The fact that harmonious and obsessive passion are called ‘types of passion’ (Vallerand, 2012; Vallerand et al., 2003) suggests that they describe subgroups of individuals. This study takes a person-oriented approach to examine groups of individuals with distinct profiles of harmonious passion (HP) and obsessive passion (OP). The aim of the study was to investigate whether HP and OP describe types in the sense of distinct groups of individuals with different passion profiles (intra-individual constellations), or if HP and OP are instead two constructs with distinct outcomes but possible alignment within individuals. Toward this aim, we analyzed four different samples (N total = 1149) of German and Brazilian adolescents and young adults. Using HP and OP as classification indicators, we compared three different classification procedures in terms of the resulting groups. We found that the previously applied classification based on z-scores of HP and OP was misleading, because it classified individuals as ‘obsessive’ who had reported higher HP than OP when responding to the original response scale. Alternative classification based on raw scores and cluster analyses revealed that most individuals experienced either co-occurring high HP and OP, or co-occurring low HP and OP, whereas the assumed mainly obsessive group was not found in any of our four samples. The general degree of passion rather than the distinction between harmonious and obsessive individuals accounted for inter-individual differences in passion, and related constructs such as dispositional approach motivation, and affect. The findings were replicated in all four samples. This person-oriented approach gives novel and unique insights about inter-individual differences and intra-individual variation that can be easily overlooked or misunderstood in merely variable-oriented approaches, which prevail in prior research. Implications for the research on passion and pitfalls of z-scores in profile analyses are discussed

Evaluating the Histologic Grade of Digital Squamous Cell Carcinomas in Dogs with Dark and Light Haircoat - A Comparative Study of the Invasive Front and Tumor Cell Budding Systems

Canine digital squamous cell carcinomas (CDSCC) are particularly aggressive when compared to their occurrence in other locations. Although these neoplasms are more frequently seen in dark-haired dogs, such as Giant Schnauzers, there are no data checking whether these tumors are histologically different between breeds. We histologically evaluated DSCC from 94 dogs. These were divided into two groups, namely, (1) dark-haired (N = 76) and (2) light-haired breeds (N = 18), further subdividing Group 1 into three subgroups, (1a) black breeds (n = 11), (1b) Schnauzers (n = 34) and (1c) black & tan breeds (n = 31). Adaptations from two different squamous cell carcinomas grading schemes from human and veterinary literature were used. Both systems showed significant differences when compared to Groups 1 and 2 in terms of final grade, invasive front keratinization, degree of invasion, nuclear pleomorphism, tumor cell budding, smallest tumor nest size and amount of tumor stroma. Group 2 was consistently better differentiated CDSCC than Group 1. However, there were no significant differences among the dark-haired breeds in any of the features evaluated. This study represents the first attempt to grade CDSCC while taking into account both phenotypical and presumptive genotypical haircoat color. In conclusion, CDSCC are not only more common in dark-haired dogs, they are also histologically more aggressive

Cross-species oncogenomics offers insight into human muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Background In humans, muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is highly aggressive and associated with a poor prognosis. With a high mutation load and large number of altered genes, strategies to delineate key driver events are necessary. Dogs and cats develop urothelial carcinoma (UC) with histological and clinical similarities to human MIBC. Cattle that graze on bracken fern also develop UC, associated with exposure to the carcinogen ptaquiloside. These species may represent relevant animal models of spontaneous and carcinogen-induced UC that can provide insight into human MIBC. Results Whole-exome sequencing of domestic canine (n = 87) and feline (n = 23) UC, and comparative analysis with human MIBC reveals a lower mutation rate in animal cases and the absence of APOBEC mutational signatures. A convergence of driver genes (ARID1A, KDM6A, TP53, FAT1, and NRAS) is discovered, along with common focally amplified and deleted genes involved in regulation of the cell cycle and chromatin remodelling. We identify mismatch repair deficiency in a subset of canine and feline UCs with biallelic inactivation of MSH2. Bovine UC (n = 8) is distinctly different; we identify novel mutational signatures which are recapitulated in vitro in human urinary bladder UC cells treated with bracken fern extracts or purified ptaquiloside. Conclusion Canine and feline urinary bladder UC represent relevant models of MIBC in humans, and cross-species analysis can identify evolutionarily conserved driver genes. We characterize mutational signatures in bovine UC associated with bracken fern and ptaquiloside exposure, a human-linked cancer exposure. Our work demonstrates the relevance of cross-species comparative analysis in understanding both human and animal UC