Abstract:

Abstract The aim of this study is to find out whether the 6th and 7th grade students? intrinsic  and extrinsic motive levels of Social Studies courses differ according to class and gender,   and also how much the Social Studies achievement goal orientations and self efficacy beliefs predict the intrinsic  and extrinsic motive levels towards the Social Studies course. The study was carried out with 429 middle school students from Alanya, a district of Antalya. Data was gathered through the scales ?Achievement Goal Orientations?, ?Social Studies Course Self-efficacy? and ?Social Studies Course Motivation?. t-Test,  pearson correlation and regression analysis were used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the analysis of the data, it was found out that the independent variables could explain 47% of the intrinsic motive variance; and learning approach, performance approach, learning avoidance and self-efficacy beliefs are important predictors of intrinsic motive. It was also found out that the independent variables could explain .09% of the extrinsic motive variance; and performance approach and self efficacy beliefs are important predictors of extrinsic motive. Other findings of the study are; male students? Social Studies course extrinsic motive levels are higher than the female students, and when the class level increases, intrinsic and extrinsic motive levels of the students decrease significantly. Key Words: Self-efficacy, achievement goal orientation, intrinsic and extrinsic motive.  

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