Exploring Student Motivation and Engagement in Self-Assessment: An Expectancy-Value Theory Perspective

• In Event: Reimagining Assessment as a Learning Process: Student Voice, Classroom Practice, and Data Analytics

Abstract

This study investigates how students engage in self-assessment tasks in a college engineering statistics course using the Expectancy-Value Theory framework. Through thematic analysis of open-ended responses, we explored how students' motivational beliefs—expectancy, value, and cost—influence their engagement. Findings revealed varied patterns shaped by confidence, relevance, emotional responses, and academic identity. While some students found self-assessment valuable for reflection and growth, others viewed it as burdensome or irrelevant. Differences emerged across gender, academic level, and performance. Emotional factors, often underexamined in traditional models, strongly predicted engagement quality. This research offers insights into student motivation and highlights the importance of designing self-assessment activities that promote autonomy, relevance, and psychological safety in college STEM education.

Authors

• Deborah G. Fabiyi, Washington State University

• Oluyemisi Ajoke Oloniyo, Washington State University

• Deborah Moyaki, University of Georgia

• Nathaniel Hunsu, University of Georgia