Explaining Health and Social Care Students' Experiences of Meaningfulness in Vocational Education: The Importance of Life Goals, Learning Support, Perceived Competence, and Autonomous Motivation

Abstract

The experience of meaning in a learning situation is a stated goal of Knowledge Promotion Reform in Norway. This study, guided by self-determination theory, examines how pursuing intrinsic and extrinsic life goals relates to the experience of meaning in vocational education. The study also examines how learning support, perceived competence, and different types of autonomous motivation are associated with students' experiences of meaning. The sample consisted of health and social care students (N = 405) in upper secondary school. The results indicated that intrinsic goals encouraged meaningfulness in all subjects, whereas extrinsic goals related to perceived meaninglessness in vocational subjects. Learning support, perceived competence, and autonomous types of motivation all have a positive link to students' experiences of meaning, either directly or indirectly.

Keywords:

• meaningful education
• intrinsic and extrinsic life goals
• autonomous motivation
• learning support

Notes

¹Dropout is defined differently in different countries. The same variation exists in the structure of upper secondary education. In Norway, upper secondary education for general studies (university preparatory) usually lasts three years, whereas vocational programs are organized mainly in a “2 + 2” model, meaning two years in school followed by two years of apprenticeship. It is common to measure dropout and achievement of competence five years after entry into upper secondary education (Markussen, 2010).

²Only students who answered at least 66% of the items included in each variable (for example, 2 of 3 items) are included in the analysis. Following this criterion, missing data are replaced with the mean for the individual's answers on the items represented by the factor.

³Composite reliability (ρ)= (Σλ_i)² / [(Σλ_i)² + (Σθ_ii)]. Values greater than 0.6 are desirable, whereas values greater than 0.7 are good (Hair, Black, Babib, & Anderson, 2010).