This review now seeks to find evidence regarding influencing the interest and
motivation to achieve in mathematics. Buehl and Alexander (2005) are two of the few
researchers to look at the interaction between motivation and epistemological beliefs held
by students. Despite the lack of research supporting or refuting their position, these
authors said students' beliefs about knowledge influences their levels of motivation.
Further, they believed that it is possible for a student to have both general-learning beliefs
and domain-specific beliefs. Bong (2004) offers her research in support of this
conclusion.
The available research detailed how a student's own perception and beliefs about
knowledge can either hinder or foster motivation. Buehl and Alexander (2005) made use
ofthe Expectancy-Value Theory ofMotivation as outlined by Eccles and Wigfield. This
theory stated that motivation is a function of an individual's expectancy of success and
their achievement values (the reasons one would engage in the task). If a student
perceives a task or problem as difficult, the student will either become more or less
engaged. The direction taken hinges on the student's epistemological beliefs. Students
who believe more in the isolation and certainty of knowledge tended to have lower
motivation levels. Additionally, if a student sees knowledge as emanating from a specific
source such as a book or a teacher, their engagement level will again be lowered upon
confrontation with a difficult problem (Buehl & Alexander).