Filipino Students’ Preferred Motivational Strategies in Science: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

A multitude of strategies are being utilized by the teachers to engage students in the classroom activities and foster critical thinking which can ignite their interest in the lesson. However, very few researches have been conducted on students’ preferences in these different motivational strategies. This cross-sectional survey research explores the preferred motivational strategies in science instruction among 106 high school students in a public secondary school in Zambales, Philippines. The motivational strategies were classified based on Howard Gardner’s theory on multiple intelligences. The study found out that the students moderately preferred visual-auditory (M=2.88), logical-mathematical (M=2.70) and kinesthetic (M=2.60) motivational strategies. Science trivia, picture presentation, and mini labwork are the most common motivational strategies used by Science teachers. The study recommends that teachers may utilize engaging, relevant, and learner-centered motivational strategies to make Science instruction more alive and more effective. The use of varied strategies to arouse students’ interest may also be observed to cater the students’ multiple intelligences.