How Do Academically Successful Pasifika Students Perceive Task Value

Abstract

Pasifika students are a minority group in New Zealand education who are at risk of underachievement. This article examines how five high achieving Pasifika students reported the factors that contribute to the task value of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Scholarship. It uses expectancy value theory to consider motivation through subjective attainment, utility, and interest values. In-depth data were gathered from five high achieving Pasifika students who attained at least one NZQA Scholarship between 2005 and 2012. It was found that during the year these students sat the NZQA Scholarship examinations, their sources of value changed as they perceived different costs and opportunities associated with the NZQA Scholarship. Limitations, implications, and future directions for supporting high achieving Pasifika students are also discussed.