Higher levels of intrinsic motivation are related to higher levels of class performance for male but not female students

"Pharmacotrophy": a playful tournament for game- and team-based learning in pharmacology education - assessing its impact on students' performance

BACKGROUND

At the Faculty of Pharmacy of Paris, we conducted a pharmacology tournament in 2021 and 2022, named "Pharmacotrophy", to offer a game-, team- and competitive-based learning innovation based on fun and challenge. This article aims to (1) provide a detailed overview of the organisation of "Pharmacotrophy," (2) present and compare feedback from both students and teachers, and (3) assess the impact of student participation on their exam marks.

METHODS

"Pharmacotrophy" took place in 2021 and 2022 over a two-week period at the beginning of the exam revision phase. It involved a combination of remote matches using the online quiz creation tool Kahoot!® and in-person matches. Teams, consisting of three students from the 4th or 5th year, participated in several selection rounds leading up to the final match. The questions covered various topics from the pharmacology curriculum. Using an anonymous online survey, we collected the feedback from students and teacher regarding the organisation of the tournament and the interest and difficulty of the different type of questions. We retrospectively compared the exam marks of 4th year students who took part in "Pharmacotrophy" (n2021 = 19 and n2022 = 20) with those of the rest of the 4th year (n2021 = 315-320 and n2022 = 279-281), both in the year before "Pharmacotrophy" and just after the tournament.

RESULTS

Students highlighted the educational benefits of team-based and game-based learning. This novel approach positively and constructively motivated students to review pharmacology. Additionally, students appreciated the establishment of a trust-based relationship with their teachers. All students had a similar pharmacology level based on their exam results in the year before "Pharmacotrophy." After the tournament, participants had marks 20.1% higher in pharmacology questions compared to non-participants (p = 0.02), while they had comparable overall levels, as evidenced by their final grade averages and marks in non-pharmacology questions. Moreover, participants who advanced further in the competition achieved higher marks in pharmacology questions compared to those who were eliminated early in the tournament.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of "Pharmacotrophy" provided students with an enjoyable way to review pharmacology coursework and revived the interest in pharmacology for some. Specifically, participating in "Pharmacotrophy" led to an increase in pharmacology marks for students who were not among the top performers in the class or did not excel in pharmacology in the previous year. This study quantified the pedagogical value of this innovative curriculum in terms of knowledge acquisition.

Serious game as oral histology learning strategy for undergraduate dental students; crossover randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Oral histology is perceived by dental students as a challenging subject and often struggle to recognize the long-term relevance of understanding the cells and tissues at the microscopic level. Serious games have been reported to have a positive effect on student cognitive skills and learning motivation. However, there is still a limited amount of research supporting the effectiveness of serious games as a learning method in dentistry. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of serious game of HistoRM as a complementary learning strategy for oral histology.

METHODS

The study design was a crossover randomized controlled trial. A total of 74 first year dental students of Universitas Indonesia participated in the study and divided into 2 groups. Study intervention included HistoRM game for 3 days followed by a combination of HistoRM and script-based handouts for another 4 days. The groups represented different intervention sequences. Evaluation was performed using pre-test, post-test on day 3 and 7 and a questionnaire.

RESULTS

The data showed significant improvement of student cognitive skills (p < 0.001) and it was influenced by the number of game missions completed. Students who completed the whole 15 missions have a higher day-7 post-tests scores (p = 0.03). Perception of dental students on HistoRM was positive in all domains tested, the learning content, games and learning experience domains. Immediate feedback given after each gameplay helped the students understand the subject matters.

CONCLUSION

Serious game of HistoRM effectively improved students' understanding of oral histology learning outcome and provided more interesting learning experiences. This innovative learning can be recommended as a complementary learning strategy of oral histology for dental students.

Assessment and evaluation of a serious game for teaching factual knowledge in dental education

OBJECTIVES

A serious game application was developed to train factual knowledge and for self-assessment. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of a game application (intervention group) or paper scripts (control group) on knowledge acquisition and to evaluate the acceptance of the new application among dental students.

METHODS

The 4th semester students of the second preclinical prosthodontics course were randomly assigned to one of the two groups (n = 58/51) for two consecutive years. The study was conducted in two phases: First, all participants took a pretest, with the intervention group using the game application and the control group receiving the same set of questions in a paper script. In the second phase, all participants took a post-test. After the post-test, both groups had access to the application for another three weeks. After that, all participants completed standardized questionnaires and a scale to evaluate the usability of the system. Usage statistics were also tracked. Differences between groups were evaluated together and for both years separately in terms of pretest and posttest scores and learning success.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the groups with regard to the posttest and learning success. A significant improvement in knowledge between pretest and posttest (p < 0.05) was demonstrated in both groups. Each student played approximately 350 questions. Participants rated the application with the German school grade "good". Participants appreciated the application and rated it positively. They stated that the game motivated them to learn and that they spent more time with the learning content.

CONCLUSION

Due to the positive perception achieved through the game, this application is able to motivate students to learn. The learning effect achieved is similar to learning on paper.

Mobile application-assisted graded exercise practical: a remote teaching strategy to promote motivation and experiential learning in exercise physiology

Practical classes are critical instructional activities in facilitating learning and motivation in health sciences education. With increasing pedagogical activities being conducted in virtual or remote settings, this study assessed how a remote practical assisted by physiological monitoring smartphone applications impacted student motivation and the achievement of intended learning outcomes in exercise physiology teaching. A total of 24 students (out of 30; 80%) were surveyed via a mixed-methods questionnaire containing 27 closed-ended, and 3 the traditional in-class practical in randomized order. Unpaired Student's t tests were performed for comparisons between interventions with a significance level set at P < 0.05. Students reported that both remote and in-class practicals strongly facilitated the achievement of learning outcomes. Self-reported scores for student satisfaction and perceived achievement of learning outcomes were similar between the two practical methodologies. Student motivation scores assessed using the Lab Motivation Scale revealed that students were more motivated during the remote practical, particularly in the effort domain (P < 0.05). This was in line with the identified themes from the qualitative responses that indicated that the remote practical was more engaging than the in-person practical, with greater opportunities for experiential learning and class involvement being the main factors underlying these findings. Taken together, remote practicals can be critical aspects of a blended learning curriculum that encourages student engagement and experiential learning. With further advancements in physiological monitoring wearables and smartphone technologies, remote practicals can be potential alternatives to traditional in-person practicals in exercise physiology teaching.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Remote practical classes, supported by physiological monitoring smartphone applications, were assessed for their utility in facilitating learning and raising student motivation in health sciences education in this study. A comparison of remote practicals with traditional in-class practicals revealed that a remote practical is an effective method for reinforcing physiology learning objectives with the added advantage of increased student motivation. The added value of remote practicals may be attributed to more experiential learning opportunities and increased engagement levels.

Medical Faculty Perspectives Toward Cadaveric Dissection as a Learning Tool for Anatomy Education: A Survey Study in India

Cadaveric dissection, as a learning tool, has been a part of Indian medical education. Worldwide, with reforms in medical education and the introduction of new learning modalities, cadaveric dissection has been complemented with other modalities such as living anatomy and virtual anatomy. This study aims to collect the feedback of faculty members regarding the role of dissection in the present context of medical education. The method of the study involved a 32-item questionnaire to collect responses; they were collected using the 5-point Likert scale along with two open-ended questions. In general, the closed questions covered these sections: learning styles, interpersonal skills, teaching and learning, dissection, and other learning modes. The principal component analysis was used to explore the multivariate relationships among the items' perceptions. The multivariate regression analysis was conducted between the construct and the latent variable to develop the structural equation model. Four themes, PC1 (learning ability with structural orientation), PC2 (interpersonal skill), PC3 (multimedia-virtual tool), and PC5 (associated factors) had positive relation and were treated as a latent variable motivation for dissection, and theme 4 (PC4, safety) had a negative correlation and was treated as a latent variable repulsion for dissection. It was found that the dissection room is an important place for learning clinical and personal skills, along with empathy, in anatomy education. Safety issues and implementation of stress-coping activities during the induction phase are required. There is also a need to use mixed-method approaches that integrate technology-enhanced learning such as virtual anatomy, living anatomy, and radiological anatomy with cadaveric dissection.

The Role of Relatedness in the Motivation and Vitality of University Students in Online Classes During Social Distancing

As part of the social distancing measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19, many university courses were moved online. There is an assumption that online teaching limits opportunities for fostering interpersonal relationships and students’ satisfaction of the basic need for relatedness – reflected by experiencing meaningful interpersonal connections and belonging – which are considered important prerequisites for student motivation and vitality. In educational settings, an important factor affecting students’ relatedness satisfaction is the teachers’ behavior. Although research suggests that relatedness satisfaction may be impaired in online education settings, to date no study has assessed how university lecturers’ relatedness support might be associated with student relatedness satisfaction and therefore, student motivation and vitality. This study tested this mediating relationship using data collected during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also investigated whether the relations were moderated by a high affiliation motive which reflects a dispositional wish for positive and warm relationships. The possible importance of the communication channel selected by the lecturers (video chat yes/no) and the format of a class (lecture/seminar) were also investigated. In a sample of N = 337 students, we tested our hypotheses using structural equation model (SEM). Results confirmed mediation, but not moderation. The use of video chat (video call) seems to facilitate the provision of relatedness support but our data did not show that the format of a class was associated with relatedness. Our findings indicate that both teaching behavior and the technical format used to deliver lectures play important roles in student experiences with online classes. The results are discussed in light of other research conducted during the pandemic.

Benefits of applying virtual reality in pelvic movement training through a Wii Fit: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Pelvic movement training has become compulsory for part of medical students. An increasing amount of research has focused on the influence of virtual reality (VR) on learning effectiveness. However, its application to pelvic floor muscles or pelvic movement training is still in its infancy. We compared the effectiveness of conventional pelvic movement training with or without VR-assisted pelvic movement training for student learning.

METHODS

We recruited 44 university students (16 male and 28 female participants; average age = 19.7 ± 0.31 years) who had not previously received pelvic movement education or training. The participants were randomly assigned into traditional and experimental groups to acquire pelvic movements and relevant knowledge. The traditional group received conventional classes (about 15 min), whereas the experimental group received both conventional classes and VR-assisted teaching (additional VR session took approximately 25-45 min depending on the speed of movement of each participant). The participants were asked to control the trajectory of the centre of pressure on the Wii Fit balance board and build-in games to learn pelvic movements. We conducted evaluations before, immediately after, and 2 weeks after the experiment, based on the scores of written and practical examinations. The experimental group was also asked to complete a questionnaire during the posttest.

RESULTS

We carried out two-way repeated measures ANOVA and discovered that the written examination scores indicated a significant Time × Group interaction (p=0.015). In each group, the written and practical examinations in the posttest and follow-up test exhibited significantly improved results compared with the baseline value (p <0.001, except for traditional group of written exam in follow up test vs. baseline p=0.001). The written examination in the follow-up test did not decline significantly compared with those in the posttest, but the practical examination in the follow-up test was decline significantly compared with those in the posttest (p=0.033). The experimental group had superior overall performance in the practical examinations than the traditional group (experimental group: mean = 76.27, 95% confidence level [CI] = 70.84-81.71; traditional group: mean = 64.21, 95% CI = 58.78-69.65). No significant difference in the written examination between two groups. The percentage for agreement ratio on the usefulness, ease of use, users' intention to continue using the VR-assisted teaching is high (95.5-100%).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggested that conventional and conventional + VR teaching were both effective. However, the incorporation of VR stimulated learning motivation and facilitated precise performance of pelvic movements. It is recommended that pelvic floor muscles training could be supplemented with VR or games to increase students' motivation and understanding how to perform pelvic movements.

Prospective study on a fast-track training in psychiatry for medical students: the psychiatric hat game

BACKGROUND

While medical students are losing interest in lectures in favor of other educational materials, many studies suggest the benefit of active learning, combined with gamified educational tools. The authors developed a psychiatric adaptation of the « Hat Game ». It was hypothesised that this game would increase both knowledge and motivation in medical students toward psychiatric semiology. The aim of the study was to assess the benefit of a Psychiatric Hat Game session for learning psychiatric symptoms in third-year medical students. Student performance was also evaluated at 3 months.

METHODS

This gamified fast-track training consists of two teams and each team has to guess as many psychiatric semiology terms as possible using different techniques (i.e. speech, mime). The study involved a pre- and post-evaluation of knowledge (Multiple Choice Questions) and a satisfaction survey. Baseline, post-immediate, and three-months scores were compared by using Friedman analysis for paired samples. Comparisons of mean scores at two different times were performed by using Wilcoxon test for paired samples.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-six students were proposed to take part in the study. Among them 129 completed the whole program (response rate = 77.7%). Mean scores measured at the three points in time were significantly different (p < 0.001, N = 129). Knowledge mean scores were significantly higher after the game than before (+ 28.6%, p < 0.001). Improvement was maintained 3 months after the game (+ 18.9%, p < 0.001). Satisfaction survey items highlighted that students enjoyed and would recommend this type of gamified training.

CONCLUSIONS

The Psychiatric Hat Game improved knowledge of psychiatric semiology in medical students. Results suggest that it is a promising and efficient tool to playfully teach medical semiology, with transferable features, utility and acceptability from one medical field to another. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge advocating for serious games and gamified training in medical education.

Using online game-based platforms to improve student performance and engagement in histology teaching

BACKGROUND

Human morphology is a critical component of dental and medical graduate training. Innovations in basic science teaching methods are needed to keep up with an ever-changing landscape of technology. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether students in a medical and dental histology course would have better grades if they used gaming software Kahoot® and whether gamification effects on learning and enjoyment.

METHODS

In an effort to both evoke students' interest and expand their skill retention, an online competition using Kahoot® was implemented for first-year students in 2018 (n = 215) at the University of Eastern Finland. Additionally, closed (160/215) or open-ended (41/215) feedback questions were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

The Kahoot® gamification program was successful and resulted in learning gains. The overall participant satisfaction using Kahoot® was high, with students (124/160) indicating that gamification increased their motivation to learn. The gaming approach seemed to enable the students to overcome individual difficulties (139/160) and to set up collaboration (107/160); furthermore, gamification promoted interest (109/160), and the respondents found the immediate feedback from senior professionals to be positive (146/160). In the open-ended survey, the students (23/41) viewed collaborative team- and gamification-based learning positively.

CONCLUSION

This study lends support to the use of gamification in the teaching of histology and may provide a foundation for designing a gamification-integrated curriculum across healthcare disciplines.

The "Neurological Hat Game": A fun way to learn the neurological semiology

INTRODUCTION

In-class courses are deserted by medical students who tend to find it more beneficial to study in books and through online material. New interactive teaching methods, such as serious games increase both performance and motivation. We developed and assessed a new teaching method for neurological semiology using the "Hat Game" as a basis.

METHODS

In this game, two teams of second-year medical students are playing against one another. The game is played with a deck of cards. A neurological symptom or sign is written on each card. Each team gets a predefined period of time to guess as many words as possible. One member is the clue-giver and the others are the guessers. There are three rounds: during the first round, the clue-giver uses any descriptive term he wants and as many as he wants to make his team guess the maximum number of words within the allocated time. During the second round, the clue-giver can only choose one clue-word and, during the third round, he mimes the symptom or sign. The team that has guessed the most cards wins the game. To assess the efficacy of this learning procedure, multiple choices questions (MCQs) were asked before and after the game. Exam results of second-year students on their final university Neurology exam were analyzed. A satisfaction survey was proposed to all participating students.

RESULTS

Among 373 students, 121 volunteers (32.4%) were enrolled in the "Neurology Hat Game" and 112 attended the game. One hundred and seven of the 112 students completed the MCQs with a significant improvement in their responses after the game (P<0.001). The 112 students who completed the satisfaction self-administered questionnaire were very satisfied with this funny new teaching method.

CONCLUSIONS

Teaching neurological semiology via the "Hat Game" is an interesting method because it is student-centered, playful and complementary to the lecturer-centered courses. A randomized controlled study would be necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

Retrieval practice in the form of online homework improved information retention more when spaced 5 days rather than 1 day after class in two physiology courses

Studies have shown that practicing temporally spaced retrieval of previously learned information via formal assessments increases student retention of the information. Our objective was to determine the impact of online homework administered as a first retrieval practice 1 or 5 days after introduction of physiology topics on long-term information retention. Students in two undergraduate courses, Anatomy and Physiology (ASCI 240) and Animal Physiological Systems (ASCI 340), were presented with information on a specific physiological system during each weekly laboratory and then completed an online homework assignment either 1 or 5 days later. Information retention was assessed via an in-class quiz the following week and by a comprehensive final exam at semester's end (4-13 wk later). Performance on homework assignments was generally similar between groups for both courses. Information retention at 1 wk did not differ due to timing of homework in either course. In both courses, however, students who received homework 5 days after class performed better on final exam questions relevant to that week's topic compared with their day 1 counterparts. These findings indicate that the longer period between introducing physiology information in class and assigning the first retrieval practice was more beneficial to long-term information retention than the shorter period, despite seemingly equivalent benefits in the shorter term. Since information is typically forgotten over time, we speculate that the longer interval necessitates greater retrieval effort in much the same way as built-in desirable difficulties, thus allowing for stronger conceptual connections and deeper comprehension.

[Learning pathologic anatomy during medical formation: Understanding the contribution of the motivation]

INTRODUCTION

The motivations of medical students for Pathologic Anatomy are little known although they can strongly influence their academic performance. Our work focused on the analysis of the relationship between performance and motivation for Pathologic Anatomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Second-year students (n=268) from the University of Nantes were contacted to complete a motivation questionnaire and to provide indicators of performance and attendance. The responses were analyzed in order to establish the psychometric reliability and the factorial structure of the questionnaire. The relationship between motivation and performance was explored by correlation and by linear regression studies. A cluster analysis was performed to specify the distribution of the two variables in our sample.

RESULTS

The sample corresponded to 168 respondents with a F/M ratio similar to that of our population. Our data demonstrated the reliability of the questionnaire and a structure described by 5 motivation factors (self-determination, self-efficacy, career, grade and intrinsic motivation). The academic performance was not significantly correlated with the overall motivation or with student attendance. However, it was predicted by self-determination and self-efficacy. Our work revealed gender differences as well as the existence of two distinct clusters defined by the motivation and performance of the students.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

This work constitutes the first study of the motivations of French medical students for cyto-pathology. It validates a quantitative assessment tool for motivation. Finally, it explores the heterogeneity of the distribution of motivation and academic performance within a population of learners.

A personal connection: Promoting positive attitudes towards teaching and learning

Students' attitudes towards teaching and learning must be addressed with the same seriousness and effort as we address content. Establishing a personal connection and addressing our students' basic psychological needs will produce positive attitudes towards teaching and learning and develop life-long learners. It will also promote constructive student-teacher relationships that have a profound influence on our students' approach towards school. To begin this process, consider the major tenets of the Self-Determination Theory. The Self-Determination Theory of human motivation focuses on our students' innate psychological needs and the degree to which an individual's behavior is self-motivated and self-determined. Faculty can satisfy the innate psychological needs by addressing our students' desire for relatedness, competence and autonomy. Relatedness refers to our students' need to feel connected to others, to be a member of a group, to have a sense of communion and to develop close relationships with others. Competence is believing our students can succeed_, challenging them to do so and imparting that belief in them. Autonomy involves considering the perspectives of the student and providing relevant information and opportunities for student choice and initiating and regulating their own behaviors. Establishing a personal connection and addressing our students' basic psychological needs will improve our teaching, inspire and engage our students and promote positive attitudes towards teaching and learning while reducing competition and increasing compassion. These are important goals because unless students are inspired and motivated and have positive attitudes towards teaching and learning our efforts will fail to meet their full potential. Anat Sci Educ 10: 503-507. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Propiedades psicométricas del Work Preference Inventory (WPI) en una muestras de adultos jóvenes mexicanos

El presente trabajo analiza las propiedades psicométricas del Work Preference Inventory (WPI; Amabile, Hil, Hennessey & Tighe, 1994) traducido al español, en una muestra de 762 participantes mexicanos de entre 17 y 27 años. La consistencia interna del instrumento indica un alfa de Cronbach general de .72, así como de .71 para la escala de motivación intrínseca y de .69 para la de motivación extrínseca. Se realizaron análisis factoriales para agrupar los reactivos en dos escalas primarias y cuatro secundarias. Además se hizo la baremación a partir de la muestra estudiada. Los resultados indican que el WPI es un instrumento es válido y confiable para medir la motivación en poblaciones universitarias.

Measuring medical students' motivation to learning anatomy by cadaveric dissection

Motivation and learning are inter-related. It is well known that motivating learners is clearly a complex endeavor, which can be influenced by the educational program and the learning environment. Limited research has been conducted to examine students' motivation as a method to assess the effectiveness of dissection in medical education. This study aimed to assess and analyze students' motivation following their dissection experience. A 29-item survey was developed based on the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction model of motivation. Descriptive statistics were undertaken to describe students' motivation to the dissection experience. T-test and ANOVA were used to compare differences in motivational scores between gender and educational characteristics of students. Dissection activities appear to promote students' motivation. Gender difference was statistically significant as males were more motivated by the dissection experience than females. Comparison between students with different knowledge of anatomy was also significantly different. The study is an important step in the motivational design to improve students' motivation to learn. The outcome of this study provides guidance to the selection of specific strategies to increase motivation by generating motivational strategies/tactics to facilitate learning. Anat Sci Educ 10: 363-371. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Effect of an educational game on university students' learning about action potentials

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an educational game that is used for teaching the mechanisms of the action potentials in cell membranes. The game was composed of pieces representing the intracellular and extracellular environments, ions, ion channels, and the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase pump. During the game activity, the students arranged the pieces to demonstrate how the ions move through the membrane in a resting state and during an action potential, linking the ion movement with a graph of the action potential. To test the effect of the game activity on student understanding, first-year dental students were given the game to play at different times in a series of classes teaching resting membrane potential and action potentials. In all experiments, students who played the game performed better in assessments. According to 98% of the students, the game supported the learning process. The data confirm the students' perception, indicating that the educational game improved their understanding about action potentials.

Students' motivation toward laboratory work in physiology teaching

The laboratory has been given a central role in physiology education, and teachers report that it is motivating for students to undertake experimental work on live animals or measuring physiological responses on the students themselves. Since motivation is a critical variable for academic learning and achievement, then we must concern ourselves with questions that examine how students engage in laboratory work and persist at such activities. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how laboratory work influences student motivation in physiology. We administered the Lab Motivation Scale to assess our students' levels of interest, willingness to engage (effort), and confidence in understanding (self-efficacy). We also asked students about the role of laboratory work for their own learning and their experience in the physiology laboratory. Our results documented high levels of interest, effort, and self-efficacy among the students. Correlation analyses were performed on the three motivation scales and exam results, yet a significant correlation was only found between self-efficacy in laboratory work and academic performance at the final exam. However, almost all students reported that laboratory work was very important for learning difficult concepts and physiological processes (e.g., action potential), as the hands-on experiences gave a more concrete idea of the learning content and made the content easier to remember. These results have implications for classroom practice as biology students find laboratory exercises highly motivating, despite their different personal interests and subject preferences. This highlights the importance of not replacing laboratory work by other nonpractical approaches, for example, video demonstrations or computer simulations.

Intellectual development is positively related to intrinsic motivation and course grades for female but not male students

We hypothesized that the intellectual development of students, i.e., their beliefs about the nature of knowledge and learning, affects their intrinsic motivation and class performance. Specifically, we hypothesized that students with low intellectual development (i.e., the naive beliefs that knowledge is simple, absolute, and certain) have low intrinsic motivation and low class performance, whereas students with high intellectual development (i.e., more sophisticated beliefs that knowledge is complex, tentative, and evolving) have high intrinsic motivation and class performance. To test this hypothesis, we administered the Learning Context Questionnaire to measure intellectual development. In addition, we administered the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory to assess our students' intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, we performed regression analyses between intellectual development with both intrinsic motivation and class performance. The results document a positive relationship among intellectual development, intrinsic motivation, and class performance for female students only. In sharp contrast, there was a negative relationship between intellectual development, intrinsic motivation, and class performance for male students. The slope comparisons documented significant differences in the slopes relating intellectual development, intrinsic motivation, and class performance between female and male students. Thus, female students with more sophisticated beliefs that knowledge is personally constructed, complex, and evolving had higher intrinsic motivation and class performance. In contrast, male students with the naive beliefs that the structure of knowledge is simple, absolute, and certain had higher levels of intrinsic motivation and class performance. The results suggest that sex influences intellectual development, which has an effect on intrinsic motivation for learning a specific topic.