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Kao, "Motivational orientation, achievement, and school-related occupations in Taiwanese gifted children," 2000

USC Dissertation in Education.
August 24, 2009
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Chih-Chuan Kao, Ph.D.

Abstract (Summary)
The education of gifted adolescents that underachieving is a significant problem that impacts on the child's educational opportunities and possible career trajectory in Taiwan. In recent years, many researchers have investigated the relationship between motivational orientation and achievement. This study used an occupational science paradigm to examine the relationship between motivational orientation, school-related occupations, and achievement. Participants were 91 high achieving gifted and 57 low achieving gifted junior high school Taiwanese students from northern, middle, and southern Taiwan. Participants provided information on age, IQ score, percentile ranking, sex, and social economic status. They also completed The Occupational Questionnaire (Smith, 1986) and The Scale of Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Motivation (Harter, 1981).

In this investigation, there were four questions addressed. The results indicated that school-related occupations were delineated as on-campus academic, school-support, and off-campus academic school-related occupations. There were statistically significant relationship between achievement and time expended, and importance of school-related occupations in Taiwanese gifted children. Secondly, there were statistically significant relationship between achievement and motivational orientation on Preference for Challenge, Independent mastery, Internal criteria, and total scores in Taiwanese gifted children. Thirdly, the results indicated that there were statistically significant positive linear relationship between motivational orientation in total scores and time expended, and interest in school-related occupations in Taiwanese gifted children.

This study has cross-cultural comparisons to U.S. students regarding the time expended on on-campus and off-campus school-related occupations for teenagers gifted children, and regarding the comparisons on the cultural value of schooling. Second, this study has the cultural implications of the relationship of societal value and academic achievement; and the relationship of motivational orientation for school-related occupations and schooling in Taiwan. Lastly, the implications for Occupational Science and children's education were also discussed. The present investigation partially supported the hypotheses. There may be four reasons for the unsuccessful results. Therefore, there were five topics for future study suggested

Advisor: Kellegrew, Diane

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