Student Motivation and Effort in the Swedish TIMSS Advanced Field Study

The purpose of the present study was twofold. Firstly, the study aimed to test a 9item test-taking motivation scale that could be used in large-scale, low-stakes assessment contexts. The scale was assumed to measure motivation, invested effort and perceived importance in the assessment situation. Secondly, the study aimed to describe student reported effort, motivation to do their best and perceived importance of the TIMSS Advanced field-test. The scale was administered to a Swedish sample (n = 163) participating in the TIMSS Advanced 2008 field-test. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution as hypothesized, but the importance factor was unreliable and a one-factor solution with an effort factor only provided a better fit to data. Based on these results, a number of countries participating in the TIMSS Advanced 2008 Main Study chose to include the effort scale in their student questionnaires. Results further showed that the pupils in the present sample perceived the TIMSS field-test as less important and that they reported a low level of motivation to do their best on the test. Furthermore, many students omitted several items in the test booklet. It is concluded that the results from the Swedish TIMSS Advanced field-test might be biased by a lack of motivation and effort among students. Preliminary findings from the subsequent Swedish TIMSS Advanced 2008 Main Study also reveal a modest level of motivation and effort among the students, and a significant relation between reported level of effort and achievement on the test.