Dynamic testing (DT) is a method of testing that includes the provision of a form of feedback and guidance to the testing procedure, and can be used to examine children’s potential for learning in...Show moreDynamic testing (DT) is a method of testing that includes the provision of a form of feedback and guidance to the testing procedure, and can be used to examine children’s potential for learning in various cognitive functions, including working memory (WM). Furthermore, intrinsic motivation (IM) seems to be related to enhanced WM performance and learning, especially in feedback-contexts. However, research on the effectiveness of DT of WM in this age group, as well as the influence of IM, is lacking. Therefore, the current thesis aimed to study the effectiveness of our DT of WM, as well as the influence of IM. The study had a pretest-training-posttest design with two groups. The experimental group received training, whereas control group did not. The sample included 100 typically developing primary school children between 8 and 9 years old (Mage = 8.46, SD = 0.50, 51% girls). Contrary to previous findings, our results showed a decrease from pretest to posttest in WM performance in the control group and a slight increase in performance in the experimental group. Moreover, the children’s IM did not significantly influence the WM improvements when tested dynamically. The findings suggest that the training element in our DT could have protected against the decrease in WM from pretest to posttest and that IM did not have a significant influence on these results. These findings contribute to the field of research by highlighting the importance of factors such as sustained attention and time-on-task effects in the prevention of this decline in WM performance during DT. Besides these factors, future research should look into the effects of age, cognitive load and engagement on the DT of WM and IM to gain a better understanding on how to improve its effectiveness, especially in 8- to 9-year-old children. Further exploration could aid educational professionals in implementing the dynamic approach and supporting children’s learning processes and cognitive development.Show less
Even though the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) describes the importance of both contextual factors and internal factors for eliciting intrinsic motivation, research on the latter is scarce within...Show moreEven though the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) describes the importance of both contextual factors and internal factors for eliciting intrinsic motivation, research on the latter is scarce within the educational context. The current study addresses this issue by researching the relationship between general insight, emotional insight, and intrinsic motivation (i.e., one’s clear understanding of thoughts, feelings, behavior, and emotions), thereby researching individual differences in how internal thought processes are regulated in interaction with the social context. The study involved 61 students of age 8 to 13 years (fifth to eighth grade), attending the Primary Years Program (P.Y.P) originated from the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Mixed methods research is conducted – both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. The quantitative research includes questionnaire responses for general insight, emotional insight, and intrinsic motivation. The qualitative research involved semi-structured interviews, comparing the students’ ability for general insight and emotional insight between 5th – 6th grade and 7th – 8th grade. Using the multiple regression analysis, the quantitative results indicate there is no relationship between general insight and intrinsic motivation. However, an association was found between emotional insight and intrinsic motivation. The quantitative results suggest that students’ capacity for general insight and emotional insight is age-related, as the older students had a better understanding of their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and emotions, and the analysis of such was more in-depth and elaborate in comparison to the younger students. These findings show that the role of internal processes is more essential in the elicitation process of intrinsic motivation than has typically been accorded for, contributing to a further understanding of antecedents affecting students’ motivation.Show less
