Effect van Sociale Verbondenheid op de Motivatie en de Prestatie door Gebruik van een Weblog

Abstract

Social relatedness is a constraint to come to motivated learning: the selfdetermination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2008) states that naturally, one is meant for functioning within groups. To experience a relationship and connection with others is a basic psychological need. In motivation theories, importance is ascribed to social relatedness. The effort to perform learning tasks depends on students’ motivation. Martens and Boekaerts (2007) reveal that intrinsically motivated students come to deeper learning. Moreover, Wolters en Rosenthal (2000) stress willpower to be an essential quality of motivated learning. Social relationship can be accomplished through learning communities (Sloep, 2008). Joint activities, interest and connection can make learning communities successful. Use of 2.0-applications, like weblogs, could simplify the communication, make online social network work, and connect the members. The interesting of a learning community is that members with distinctive interests, expertise and affinities share a common domain (Sloep, 2008). The aim of this research is to study whether the quality of theses, the social relatedness and the willpower of students could be fostered by the use of a weblog. Therefore, five hypotheses have been tested: 1. students who use a weblog feel socially more related than students who do not; 2. students who are socially related to a self-composed knowledge group through a weblog make more use of willpower strategies than students who are not; 3. the assessment of theses, written by students who are socially related to a self-composed knowledge group through a weblog are higher then theses of students who are not; 4. teachers and students perceive a weblog as an instrument that fosters social relatedness, willpower and leads to a higher quality of theses; 5. weblogs lead to social support and contributions concerning content. The research group consisted of 93 students of Iselinge College (75 girls and 18 boys). Two groups have been formed: an experimental group of 14 and a control group of 79 students. While working on their theses, the experimental students were connected with teachers, domain experts, mentors and fellow students through a weblog. They could also make use of a digital helpdesk. A questionnaire of 50 questions to measure social relatedness and willpower was developed, based on the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) of Ryan and Deci (2008), and the MSQL questionnaire (Pint Rich & De Groot, 1990). Furthermore, interviews were conducted with students, teachers and domain experts to examine their perceptions and two weblogs were analyzed. It was found that the social relatedness and willpower of students from the experimental group was not significantly higher then that of the students from the control group. However, compared with the control group, the average assessment of the experimental students’ theses was significantly higher. Tempo of study of students from the experimental group was significantly higher then that of the students from the control group. Students, teachers and domain experts agree that the weblog is a 7 powerful means to enlarge social relatedness and to generate more quality. The weblogs invoke mainly contributions concerning content. The use of a weblog has proven its use in creating a knowledge group around the student. Students received feedback and tips from fellow students, other teachers besides their supervisor and domain experts. They were just in time provided with comments. The weblog offered opportunities to bring them in contact with teachers and experts from different organizations.