Student motivation in after-school academic intervention classes

Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Dec. 12, 2011)Committee members: Carol Van Vooren (chair), David LeMaster, Delores LindseyThesis (M.A.)--California State University San Marcos, 2011Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-67)This study focused on student motivation and goal setting among high school students participating in an after-school intervention program. The major research question of this study concerned the best practices and procedures which could be implemented during 6.5 period academic success classes to increase the level of student motivation, attention, and participation in an effort to increase the effectiveness of the classes. Research was conducted using a survey given to a sample of seventy students who participate in an after-school intervention program at a suburban high school in Southern California. In addition, a survey was given to eight teachers of the intervention program and four administrators. The survey asked about the successes and failures of the program and also about student motivation and goal setting. In addition, quantitative data was collected on student G.P.A., 6.5 academic success class pass rates, and D and F rates from the previous four years. This data was used to create a historiography of the 6.5 program since its creation five years ago. The data suggests that there is a disparity between what administrators and teachers believe motivates the student participants to be successful, and what students themselves say are their motivating factors. The data also showed that the program is successful at helping underperforming students achiev