Sociocultural+Factors+and+Achievement+Motivation+in+the+United+States+Virgin+Islands

Jonathan Richter Summary: //Sociocultural Factors and Achievement Motivation in the US Virgin Islands// by Yegin Habteyes and Marjorie Steinkamp -Problem: Low achievement motivation and high drop-out rate among students in the U.S Virgin Islands. -The Problem is rooted in 1917 when US Naval Administration begins “Americanizing” children and youth of the Virgin Islands importing American curriculums, teachers, and cultural lessons as well. -“No one is better than the American teacher” -However well equipped, these teachers failed to maintain the necessary cross-cultural perspectives that would have enabled them to understand their differences: more interdependence, cooperation, concern for the group based in the VI. -School officials believe if cultural background and understanding were implemented, there would be less severe drop-out percentages. -Social context is important to the idea of achievement motivation. -Rejects idea that competitive environments bring out the best in motivation for all cultures. -When motivation is viewed as a trait, it tends to be overlooked in groups that have different goals and values or a different regard for success. -Socio-normative factors: every person’s motivation is influenced by the values and expectations of the social groups around them. -Functional Meanings: “a measurable culmination of a combination of antecedent contextual behaviors and at the same time are a crucial variable determining which specific achievement behaviors the person will choose to enact.”  -The word “courage” not attributed to success in the U.S, but is elsewhere. -Success and failure have different meanings across the globe, now demonstrating where the U.S went wrong in its approach to education in the Virgin Islands. -Study: 1982, 165 students grades 7-12, 66 male, 99 female -Students did not associate success with competition, but with creating a modern attractive impression. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Associated the word “success” with clock or calendar <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">ie) Island Time  <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -Both male and female associated nurturant behaviors with success.   <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Thus, the failure of learning in US Virgin Island schools is that academic success is not viewed as a pathway to success among Virgin Islanders.   <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -Reasons: upper class learning for lower class people   <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -Most schools fail to prepare students for demands of the local job market.   <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Another large problem found was students actually do enjoy talking about school but when it comes to the actual process of school work, student demonstrated very low amounts of joy. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -lack of relevant curriculum <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -no immediate guarantee for economic success <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -spoken to in harsh and impatient manner <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Students only attempt to appear like good students, the actual grades they receive are unimportant to them. They care that to themselves and to their family members they simply appear to be good students as that is an important trait. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -students are not reprimanded at home for failures in school <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -most families are not involved in school-related activities and such. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Associated “performance” with trying to make others happy <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Large difference among genders <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -Women typically have done similar tasks, schoolwork seen as feminine. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Fathers treat their sons as friends and as the son grows they want to show their father that they are tough by disobeying authority or getting in fights. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Women in the test seem more active psychologically and more mature. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Role Models- higher percentage of students expected to be successful when they had a role model to look up to compared to those who did not. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-Virgin Islanders are motivated to perform behaviors in contexts of their own choosing. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -Increased parent teacher relationships suggested <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> -discrepancy of success can be addressed along with culture.