Abstract

The purposes of this study were to (1) examine the effects of criterion-referenced (i.e., Programmed Practice Sheet or PPS) and norm-referenced (i.e., standardized) skill assessments on the situational motivation of junior high school physical education students (N = 507), (2) determine if student task and ego dispositions could be affected by the type of skill assessment administered, and (3) determine if having choices of skill level affects student situational motivation and perception of autonomy support. Student situational motivation, task and ego disposition, and sense of autonomy were assessed using the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS), Perception of Success Questionnaire (POSQ), and the Self-Regulation Questionnaire-Autonomy (SRQ-A). Results revealed significant differences between the criterion-referenced/choice Group 4 and the norm-referenced/no choice Group 1 as follows: Group 4 (a) had a greater sense of identified regulation, (b) had a lesser sense of external control, and (c) was less amotivated than Group 1. Significant gender by group interactions were found, thus indicating that girls were more affected by test type than boys. Girls in Group 4 (a) felt a lesser sense of external regulation, (b) had a greater sense of identified regulation, and (c) were more intrinsically motivated than girls in Group 1. Also, girls in Group 4 (a) felt a greater sense of identified regulation and (b) were more intrinsically motivated than girls in the norm-referenced/choice Group 2. These findings provide some evidence that using criterion-referenced skill assessments, like the PPS, and offering choices of skill level may enhance student situational motivation during skill assessment. No significant differences were found in student task and ego disposition and perception of autonomy support.

Degree

College and Department

Life Sciences; Exercise Sciences

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