The Cultural Ecology of Children's Motivation to Learn and Contribute

• In Event: 14.023 - Cultural and Ecological Approaches to Understanding and Designing for Resilience, Motivation, and Engagement

Abstract

The potential of what some researchers call ‘noncognitive factors’ has captured research attention and the public imagination (e.g., in the 2014 AERA symposium by Dweck, Yeager, Duckworth, Raver, Cohen, Walton, and Bryk; Steele’s Whistling Vivaldi, 2010; and the New York Times, May 15, 2014). Brief interventions using targeted messages that promote student grit, self-regulation, a purpose for learning, social belonging, lowered anxiety about relevant abilities, and a learning/malleability mindset can make major inroads in success for students from low-income and some nondominant backgrounds. These brief interventions seem to allow individuals to “unleash” their potential toward future goals and current tasks in ways that translate to remarkable improvements in grades, scores, and school.

We find these results intriguing, particularly because they dovetail with cultural research pointing to strengths that children from some nondominant backgrounds develop in the everyday cultural ecologies of their families and communities. Although most of the research on ‘noncognitive factors’ does not address cultural processes, we propose that some of the ‘factors’ are ones that many children and youth from some nondominant backgrounds learn at home. If these strengths can be called forth in school situations with brief interventions, it is especially important to understand how they develop. We propose that the interventions help students learn to navigate between their home/community settings and school settings.

We suggest that the effectiveness of some ‘noncognitive factors’ interventions may stem from calling forth strengths that are already present and appreciated in the students’ homes and communities. Our research indicates that children from more traditional Mexican-heritage backgrounds, both in Mexico and the US, are more likely to show self-regulation, initiative, and motivation to contribute to their families and communities, than are children from middle-class backgrounds (whether of European or Mexican heritage). They are more likely to be alert to their surroundings and pitch in to help without being asked, both at home and with an instructor (Alcalá et al.; Coppens et al. in the 2014 special issue of Human Development; López et al., Oxford Handbook of Culture and Psychology, 2012). Their initiative and work are often motivated by an interest ‘from the heart’ in belonging and contributing to the larger group, whereas the work of middle-class children is more often in response to adult management and control efforts (Rogoff et al., Human Development, 2014).

These strengths — such as children acting with initiative — may be overlooked, discouraged, or even punished in school settings. Children may even be accused of cheating or being unfocused, when in fact they are following cultural value systems that encourage initiative, belonging, and contribution.

Our presentation suggests that understanding the cultural ecologies — practices and value systems — of children from underserved backgrounds can further the work on ‘noncognitive factors,’ and more importantly, in line with the work of Henry Trueba, promote the success of young people who have historically been poorly served by schooling.

Authors

• Barbara Rogoff, University of California - Santa Cruz

• Andrew D Coppens, University of New Hampshire

• Omar Ruvalcaba, California State University - Northridge

• Omar Ruvalcaba, California State University - Northridge