Examining students' current academic motivation in relation to peer interactions and social environment in the classroom using the Experience Sampling Method.

Introduction: Current academic motivation is affected by personal and situational factors. This highlights the dynamic nature of academic motivation, which is shaped by its social contexts, particularly by peers at school.

Aims: We investigated the relationships between peer interactions and three aspects of students' current academic motivation (positive activation, enjoyment of learning and concentration) in real learning situations in the classroom. We also examined whether and to what extent aspects of the social environment within the class (social classroom climate, the perceptions of peers and teachers as motivators) affected current motivation.

Sample: The study involved N_L2 = 145 fifth graders in secondary schools, who completed a total of N_L1 = 3099 (M = 21.4 per student) short questionnaires on tablet computers during class in one school week.

Method: The Experience Sampling Method was used to simultaneously measure students' aspects of current motivation and their peer interactions in class. In addition, the students reported on their social classroom climate and their perceptions of peers and teachers as motivators using a conventional questionnaire. Multilevel structural equation models were specified.

Results: Results revealed considerable variability in aspects of current motivation. Students showed higher levels of current academic motivation when they interacted with peers compared to learning situations in which they did not interact with peers (i.e. when they studied alone), when they perceived a positive social classroom climate and when they perceived their peers as supportive.

Discussion: The study underscores the situational dependence of students' current academic motivation and the central role of peers in aspects of current academic motivation.