Motivation and epistemic emotions in mathematical modelling

Abstract This study investigates the relationships between students’ motivational constructs and emotional responses during the mathematical modelling process. Drawing upon situated expectancy-value theory and control-value theory, the study explores how intrinsic value, utility value and expectancy are linked to students’ emotions, including enjoyment, curiosity, boredom and anxiety. The findings reveal that intrinsic value is of great relevance to positive emotions, particularly enjoyment and curiosity, while expectancy supports positive emotions and reduces boredom and anxiety. Utility value interacts with expectancy, fostering curiosity among students with lower confidence levels. The study also examines the role of gender and prior achievement in shaping emotional experiences. Boys reported higher boredom but lower anxiety compared to girls, and higher-achieving students experienced less boredom and anxiety while demonstrating greater curiosity. These results underscore the importance of curiosity as a central emotional response in mathematical modelling tasks as well as its potential to engage students and promote deeper learning. The findings contribute to theoretical frameworks by bridging situated expectancy-value theory and control-value theory, illustrating the interplay between motivation and emotions during complex problem-solving. Regarding practical implications, the findings emphasise the need for carefully designed modelling tasks that balance cognitive challenge, relevance to real-world contexts and opportunities for student autonomy to foster motivation and engagement. By addressing both motivational and emotional dimensions, this study provides insight into effective learning environments for mathematical modelling.