Examination of Expectancy Beliefs and Values Perceptions of Primary School Students towards Social Studies Lesson

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine elementary school students' perceptions about value and expectancy beliefs towards Social Studies lesson in terms of different variables. To determine students' expectancy beliefs and value perceptions towards social studies lesson, the researcher used The Self and Task Perception Inventory in Mathematics adapted to social studies lesson by Dinider and Yurt (2016). Demographic information form was used to obtain students' end-of-term lesson marks and their demographic information. As a result of the research, it was seen that the elementary school students had a low level of expectancy beliefs for social studies lessons and that their expectancy beliefs did not show any significant difference according to gender, but displayed significant differences according to class level and lesson success. It was determined that the participants of the study had a moderate level of value perceptions for social studies lesson. Also, it was found that the students' values perceptions did not show any significant difference according to gender, but displayed significant differences according to class level and lesson success. The relationship between expectancy beliefs and value perceptions of the students towards social studies lesson was also examined in the study. A moderately positive and significant relationship was found between the students' expectancy beliefs and their extrinsic utility value, intrinsic interest value, attainment value perceptions, but a low and positive correlation was found between their expectancy belief and required effort perceptions. Finally, there was a moderately negative and significant relationship between the expectancy belief and task difficulty.