Students Motivations For Voluntary Remedial Learning In High School

Abstract

Most high schools offer remedial learning sessions to their students; however, very little is known about the perception of these activities, especially with regards to the students motivations. In order to gain insights into both topics, an exploratory study was conducted within a sample of 1388 high school students in the Province of Quebec (Canada). Participants were selected on the basis of their voluntary participation or non-participation in remedial learning sessions held at school. School motivation was measured with a questionnaire based on Deci and Ryans SDT (Self Determination Theory); perceptions were gathered and measured with open-ended and multiple choice items. Quantitative results indicated that participants of remedial learning sessions were more strongly motivated towards school. No significant relationships were found between attendance and grades, with similar proportions of high, average and below average participating and non-participating students; however, among participants, girls outnumbered boys by 2:1. Two main categories emerged from qualitative analyses: remedial learning can be seen as: a) an instrumental support linked to the subject matter; or b) a relational support which fosters better learning.