The impact of a mathematics game programming project on student motivation in grade 8
Publication date
2019
Authors
Westerhout, E.N.
Drijvers, Paul
Bakker, Arthur
Editors
Jankvist, U. T.
van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, M.
Veldhuis, M.
Advisors
Supervisors
DOI
Document Type
Part of book
Metadata
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License
taverne
Abstract
In this paper, we describe the impact of a mathematics game programming project on the intrinsic motivation of eighth grade students (n = 8). We investigate which aspects of the project contributed to student motivation based on a taxonomy that distinguishes individual (e.g., challenge) and interpersonal motivation aspects (e.g., recognition). We also employ these aspects to compare the programming project to regular mathematics education. The findings reveal that students appreciated the project because it was challenging and they had freedom of choice. All group members had a positive attitude towards learning. In regular mathematics classes, they experienced a lack of challenge while the freedom of choice was minimal.
Keywords
Intrinsic motivation, autonomy, mathematics education, programming, Taverne
Citation
Westerhout, E N, Drijvers, P H M & Bakker, A 2019, The impact of a mathematics game programming project on student motivation in grade 8. in U T Jankvist, M van den Heuvel-Panhuizen & M Veldhuis (eds), Proceedings of the Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education. Freudenthal Group & Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht University and ERME, Utrecht, the Netherlands, pp. 1565-1572. < https://hal.science/hal-02410276/ >