HOME ASSIGNMENTS - UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION TO COMPLETE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS HOMEWORK TASKS Merilyn Meristo & Sirle Kivihall Tallinn University, Estonia 10 April, 2015 Tallinn

Home assignments- definition  Tasks assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be performed during non-school hours (Cooper, 1989)  Used in schools across cultures as part of teaching strategies for meeting the educational needs of individuals (Iflazoğlu & Hong, 2012)  A significant role as supplemental learning opportunity (Bembenutty, 2009; Cooper, Robinson, & Patrall, 2006; Kitsantas & Zimmermann, 2009; Xu, 2005)

Worldwide problem  Students do not know how to begin understand the instructions feel that the assignment is meaningful (Darling- Hammond & Olivia, 2006)  Students may not complete assignments which are boring and routine (Pasi, 2006)  Students become stressed from the volume of homework (Lacina-Gifford & Gifford, 2004)

Students’ attitudes  Research question I – students’ attitudes towards home assignments  Attitudes concerning homework in the English language course and the Major subjects (general, not subject- specific)  Same questions used for both

Motivation  Theoretical framework to homework management - self- regulated learning (Boekaerts & Corno, 2005; Corno, 2001; Kuhl, 2000; Winnie, 2004)  Interest and value influence self-regulation (Schunk, 2005) and homework management  Homework management influenced by many variables (goal orientation, task value, task interest, affective attitude, the influence of others, background variables) (Xu & Wu, 2013)

Motivation  Intrinsic reasons positively associated with the use of homework management strategies (Xu, 2007)  Strongly motivated students do homework well and are organised (order, place) perceive that they do their homework well and/or have favourable attitudes toward homework (Iflazoğlu & Hong, 2012)

Intrinsic Motivation  Performing an activity for its own sake  Inner wish  Is the focal point of creativity, responsibility, healthy behaviour and lasting chance  Is the desire to be the origin of one's own action rather than to be manipulated by external forces (Ryan & Deci, 2000; Sansone & Harackiewicz, 2000; Vansteenkiste et al, 2005)

Students’ level of motivation  Research question II - students’ level of motivation in completing their home assignment tasks  Level of motivation to do homework in the English language course and the Major subjects (general, not subject-specific)  Same questions used for both

Sample  124 BA and MA level students of Tallinn University  101 female, 23 male  106 BA students, 18 MA students  88% of BA students under 25  67% of MA students over 25  Students of all disciplines taking English on B2 or C1 level

Instruments  Academic Self-regulation Questionnaire (Ryan & Deci, 2000) - validated in several countries  Intrinsic < Identified < Introjected < External motivation  Example: To which extent you agree or disagree with the following statements about doing your homework (HW) as a part of your English course/Major subjects: 6. Because that is what I am supposed to do. Very trueSort of trueNot very trueNot at all true 7. Because I enjoy doing my homework. Very trueSort of trueNot very trueNot at all true

Instruments  Students’ Attitude Questionnaire (Tallinn University)  Example: To which extent you agree or disagree with the following statements about doing your homework (HW) as a part of your English course/Major subjects: 5. I find most HW tasks useful Very trueSort of trueNot very trueNot at all true 7. I find most HW tasks boring Very trueSort of trueNot very trueNot at all true

Results – levels of motivation ENGLISH course MAJOR subject MeanStand. Dev.MeanStand. Dev. Intrinsic 2,5000,636982,5482,72554 Identified3,5887,510253,5696,52519 Introjected2,9879,582483,0217,58636 External2,8427,657563,1826,62943 Method of analysis: Paired Samples t-test, p<.001 Significant difference between BA (M=2,4) and MA (M=2,9) Intrinsic motivation in English; No significance between age groups; Significant difference between females (M=3,64 English / 3,62 Major) and males (M=3,35 English/ 3,34 Major) in Identified regulation

Results - attitudes ENGLISH course MAJOR subject MeanStand. Dev.MeanStand. Dev. Priorities3,2195,794833,3217,70770 Positive attitudes3,2016,504403,2105,59209 Negative attitudes2,0376,562632,2865,54290 Significant differences in English between females (M=3,27) and males (M=2,91); Significant differences in Major subjects between females (M=3,28) and males (M=2,92); Significant difference between age groups in Positive attitudes – y (M=3,08) and 26- y (M=3,47) No difference between MA and BA students

Further steps  How prior experiences in doing homework at secondary school level affect doing home assignments at university?  Are there any changes in attitudes and motivation level within first years at university?

Recommendations  Make sure students understand how to do the tasks and wording of the task  Make sure homework is relevant to the lesson/lecture  Provide feedback on homework  Allow students to start on homework tasks in class and monitor their ability to proceed  Provide students with options for homework assignments  Provide a variety of types of assignments for students

Thank you!