The motivational impact of the standards for student supervision and assessment in midwifery

The strength of midwifery students’ motivation to learn in the practice environment is directly influenced by the standards for student supervision and assessment, but how they impact learning has not been explored. This article described the application of an interpretative macro theory of motivated learning in the evaluation of these standards. The findings of two independent studies that explored implementation of the standards for student supervision and assessment were interpretatively mapped to a macro, motivational and volitional process theory. Four motivational root problems emerged: an ambiguous goal system, low student interest and curiosity, decreased student and staff expectancies for success and negative emotionality associated with students’ non-self-regulation. The standards fail to distinguish between mastery and performance goals, influencing students’ motivation to learn.