Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate motivational beliefs and self-regulation skills of 4th grade students in science. More specifically, the effect of gender on motivational beliefs and self-regulation skills, how motivational beliefs and self-regulation skills predict science achievement, and how motivational beliefs predict self-regulation skills were examined. Totally 442 4th grade students participated in the study. The method of the study is survey and the data were gathered with the Students’ Adaptive Learning Engagement in Science Questionnaire. The independent t-tests indicated that there was no significant difference between girls and boys in terms of their motivational beliefs and self-regulation skills. According to the linear regression analyses, 4th grade students’ motiva-tional beliefs and self-regulation skills predicted achievement, as well as motivational be-liefs predicted self-regulation skills significantly.