Study of structural relations of epistemic emotions, epistemological beliefs with mathematical motivation in students

The purpose of this study was to determine the structural relationships of epistemic emotions, epistemological beliefs and mathematical motivation in elementary school students. The present research is an applied descriptive correlation study.

The statistical population includes all students who study at Ferdows' primary schools in the academic year 2017-18. The sample size of the present study is 300 students. Participants in the study were selected by multistage cluster sampling. The instrument used in this study was the Pekrun’s Epistemic Emotions Questionnaire, Schumer's Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire, Curter's Math Motivation Questionnaire, and Mathematical researcher-made test.

The results showed that epistemic emotions on mathematical motivation have a direct effect on the coefficient 3.09 and epistemological beliefs on epistemic emotions have a direct effect on the coefficient 1.79. Also, epistemological beliefs have no direct effect on mathematical motivation, but they have a significant indirect effect with a 5.5311 coefficient.

Therefore, it is suggested that teachers, educators and curriculum planners pay attention to the elements related to the growth of epistemological beliefs and mathematical motivation, and that all elements of the curriculum, including goals, methods and content in order to form epistemological beliefs and learners' Math Motivation, are properly designed and evaluated