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Abstract: This study reports adolescent expectancy-value motivation, and its relation to fitness knowledge and psychomotor skill learning in physical education. Students (N =854) from 12 middle schools provided data on expectancy-value motivation, fitness knowledge and psychomotor skill learning. Results from dependent t-test and MANOVA indicated that 8th grade students rated task values significantly lower than 6th grade while their expectancy beliefs did not significantly differ. Students gained sizable fitness knowledge (d =0.58, p <0.05) and badminton skill (d =1.40, p <0.05). Multiple regression analyses revealed that expectancy-value motivation did not significantly predict learning in fitness knowledge or psychomotor skills. These findings suggest that expectancy-value motivation might predict engagement and performance, but not necessarily learning achievement in physical education. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Students'' different perceptions of task values influence their learning experience and achievement in physical education. Framed using the subjective task value construct, this study was conducted to determine the extent to which male and female Chinese middle schoolers with different body sizes differed in their perception of the task values. A second goal of the study was to identify the extent to which the task values along with gender and body size predicted students'' performance on knowledge and physical skill tests. Data from a random sample of students (N =860) from eight Chinese middle schools revealed that the boys appreciated intrinsic (p =.001) and utility values (p =02); both boys and girls, however, equally appreciated the attainment value (p =.73). The boys performed better in physical skill tests than the girls (p =.001), whereas the girls scored higher in knowledge tests than the boys (p =.04). Regression analyses revealed that gender is the only predictor for performance on both knowledge and skill tests. Utility value and body size were predictors for skill, not for knowledge. These findings indicate that Chinese middle school boys and girls differed in valuing and achieving in physical education. The findings imply that Chinese boys need to strengthen cognitive learning and girls need to strengthen psychomotor skill development in physical education. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]