RESEARCH ARTICLE
Domain-Specific Pathways of Instructional Clarity, Motivation, and Academic Achievement: Evidence From TIMSS 2019 in Australia
Fa Zhang,
Xia Zhang,
Yu Wang,
Fa Zhang
School of Education, The Open University of China, Beijing, China
Engineering Research Center of Integration and Application of Digital Learning Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Xia Zhang
School of Education, The Open University of China, Beijing, China
Correspondence: Xia Zhang ([email protected])
Search for more papers by this authorYu Wang
School of Education, The Open University of China, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorFa Zhang,
Xia Zhang,
Yu Wang,
Fa Zhang
School of Education, The Open University of China, Beijing, China
Engineering Research Center of Integration and Application of Digital Learning Technology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Xia Zhang
School of Education, The Open University of China, Beijing, China
Correspondence: Xia Zhang ([email protected])
Search for more papers by this authorYu Wang
School of Education, The Open University of China, Beijing, China
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 20 March 2025
ABSTRACT
This study investigated how domain specificity of academic motivation related to the connection between instructional clarity and academic achievement in science and mathematics. It focused on three aspects of domain-specific academic motivation—self-concept, intrinsic value, and utility value—drawing from the Expectancy-Value Theory model. The study analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 9060 eighth-grade students in Australia, with an average age of 14.1 years. After controlling for student demographics, socioeconomic status, and parental education level, the findings from structural equation modeling showed that instructional clarity positively related to students’ mathematics achievement but did not significantly relate to their science achievement. Academic self-concept in both science and mathematics subjects was identified as the strongest motivational factor in student achievement. Additionally, the study demonstrated that instructional clarity was a stronger predictor of academic motivation to learn science compared to mathematics. These results offer empirical support for the connection between instructional clarity and students’ academic achievement in science and mathematics via a domain-specific motivational pathway.
Summary
Motivational interventions should be tailored to each subject, recognizing that self-concept, intrinsic value, and utility value function differently in science and mathematics, with specific strategies designed for each domain.
Instructional clarity is crucial for fostering student motivation, particularly in mathematics, where clear teaching methods directly influence both motivation and academic achievement.
Boosting students’ self-concept is key to improving academic outcomes, as a positive self-belief correlates strongly with success in both science and mathematics.
Open Research
Data Availability Statement
IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study – TIMSS 2019 Copyright © 2021 International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Publisher: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College. The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in timss2019 at https://timss2019.org/international-database/.
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