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Academic Achievement and Motivation of Chinese Students
Academic Achievement and Motivation of Chinese Students
Hau Kit Taiai
Hau Kit T
by Professor
Choh-Ming Li Professor of Educational Psychology
Department of Educational Psychology
and self-determination are important to sustain
involvement. It is against this background of values
and beliefs, which are largely self-referent, that
Western schools operate.
The implication is that teachers need to spend a lot of
effort negotiating individual student needs and group
requirements. Even when schools are successful
in promoting student identification with the value
of academic achievement, there is still the issue of
how to maintain motivation, especially in the face
of obstacles and setbacks. Promoting expectancy for
success thus becomes important. In individualistic
cultures, success is generally attributed to personal
factors, and self-directed initiatives characterise the
process. Therefore, a sense of efficacy and a sense
of control over the process are important for positive
expectancies about the outcome.
37 The study of student achievement and related
motivational characteristics in different cultural
groups has been of great interest to researchers in Chinese Schools
the past two decades. Among the various cultural
groups being studied, Chinese and other Asian In the Confucian-collectivistic culture, analyses of
students from the Confucian cultural heritage have motivational dynamics involve the interdependent
self to a much greater extent than in the Western
drawn special attention because of their outstanding context. Achieving academic excellence is more
performance in international comparisons of than a personal matter and the motives to achieve
achievement (e.g., PISA, TIMSS, PIRLS; all large scale
international survey of student achievement). An involve fulfilling obligations to oneself as well as to
important focus of research has been on students’ the family and society. This strong moral undertone
makes educational achievement a virtuous pursuit,
motivational characteristics engendered from their thus undermining the importance of personal interest
specific cultural and educational environments.
or self-efficacy as necessary conditions for students
to work hard. Moreover, with hierarchical social
Western Schools relationships being an ingrained feature of society,
teacher-directed learning has always been accepted
In the Western Socratic-individualistic context, in the Confucian tradition, and the lack of self-
the independent self is the focus of motivational determination on the student’s part is much less an
analysis. The value of academic pursuit is a highly issue in the Chinese classroom.
individualized matter, and achievement is largely
conceptualised in terms of the gain to the individual, Thus, Chinese schools operate in a context with
such as self-actualisation. Motives for achievement more uniform values and aspirations for academic
are largely linked to self-worth or self-enhancement. achievement, and there is less need to convince
Tasks that are worth learning should be of personal students of the value of learning. With the importance
interest or relevance, and a sense of self-efficacy and utility of achievement being firmly established
by the cultural code, interest and cost are no longer
of major concern. In other words, even if the task originated in Western contexts apply in other cultures,
appears uninteresting, the student will more readily therefore contributing to the development of more
accept the need to accomplish it, as it is their duty to precise theories.
do so.
Professor Hau will continue his research on student
In fact, Chinese teachers tend not to spend as self-concept, motivation orientation, self-regulation,
much energy catering for individual differences in and positive attitude towards learning and life. It is
aspiration and interest. Rather, they focus on making hoped that the project will enhance student academic
the best use of the tuned-in initiatives and efforts achievement as well as desirable social development.
that students bring with them to school to promote
higher achievement. Confucian-collectivistic values
and beliefs seem to make a significant difference. Further Information, please read
Two features of this culture are of particular salience
in making Chinese students adaptive learners Hau, K. T., & Ho, I. T. (2010). Chinese students’ motivation
and achievement. In M. H. Bond, The Oxford handbook
against all odds. Firstly, the high value accorded to of Chinese psychology (pp.187-204). New York: Oxford
educational achievement serves as a strong driving University Press.
force: where there is a will, there is a way. Then there
is the phenomenal belief in effort: you will get there if
you put in enough effort. 38
Conclusion
The proliferation of research on student achievement
motivation since the 1990s is a consequence of two
major forces. On the one hand, educators in many
parts of the modern world actively seek solutions to
educational problems, among which poor school
engagement and declining achievement have caused
great concern. Observations of Chinese and other
Asian students’ outstanding achievement despite
apparently less favorable learning conditions has
spurred interest in examining the so-called ‘paradox
of the Chinese learner,’ and related findings do
provide important insights. On the other hand,
psychological studies have increasingly emphasized
person–environment interactions as determinants of
human behavior.
Cultural factors, being an important aspect of
environmental influences, have therefore received
greater attention in research, resulting in an
increased interest in cross-cultural studies. Studies
of this kind generate insights into how theories