Learning Motivation as an Aspect of personality Self-Determination at the Stage of Pre-Professional Development

Abstract

This article analyzes the problem of raising learning motivation in high school students. Proceeding from key provisions of the theory of values, self-determination and positive psychology the authors analyzed the processes which stimulate or undermine the learning motivation of high school students. The article describes the results of the study conducted in schools of Boston (United States), where high school students were enrolled in the training program at the workplace («School-to-work»). The findings revealed that teacher’s support of students’ autonomy significantly contributes to academic performance. Promoting a positive future orientation was recognized as an important component of the efficiency of an educational program. Comparative results of the study on interplay between the level of educator’s care, autonomous motivation and positive emotions to the learning process among high school students of Germany and the United States have shown that teachers who provide such support, give high school students an opportunity to make choice and take independent decisions, contribute to formation of a positive autonomous learning motivation.