Table 1 Mean scores obtained for each item and each group of students

1. Intrinsic motivation

03. Learning histology is interesting

3.85 ± 0.83

3.80 ± 0.91

3.95 ± 0.65

3.42 ± 0.92

3.38 ± 0.93

3.50 ± 0.90

3.74 ± 0.99

3.88 ± 0.95

3.39 ± 1.02

17. I am curious about discoveries in histology

3.57 ± 0.96

3.58 ± 0.98

3.56 ± 0.93

3.04 ± 1.01

2.94 ± 1.03

3.23 ± 0.96

3.52 ± 1.05

3.69 ± 1.02

3.10 ± 1.01

01. The histology I learn is relevant to my life

3.44 ± 0.84

3.34 ± 0.81

3.65 ± 0.87

3.29 ± 0.86

3.26 ± 0.89

3.35 ± 0.81

3.24 ± 1.02

3.37 ± 0.95

2.90 ± 1.14

12. Learning histology makes my life more meaningful

2.68 ± 1.02

2.65 ± 1.09

2.74 ± 0.88

2.35 ± 1.03

2.43 ± 1.01

2.19 ± 1.05

2.88 ± 1.00

3.03 ± 0.97

2.52 ± 1.00

19. I enjoy learning histology

3.86 ± 0.85

3.83 ± 0.91

3.93 ± 0.70

3.26 ± 0.99

3.22 ± 0.96

3.32 ± 1.05

3.71 ± 1.06

3.81 ± 1.04

3.47 ± 1.11

2. Career motivation

07. Learning histology will help me get a good job

3.15 ± 1.04

3.03 ± 1.03

3.40 ± 1.03

3.02 ± 1.11

3.10 ± 1.08

2.89 ± 1.17

2.91 ± 0.97

2.94 ± 0.98

2.84 ± 0.93

13. Understanding histology will benefit me in my career

4.28 ± 0.75

4.21 ± 0.78

4.42 ± 0.70

3.90 ± 0.92

3.89 ± 0.94

3.91 ± 0.91

3.68 ± 1.12

3.79 ± 1.07

3.39 ± 1.20

10. Knowing histology will give me a career advantage

4.23 ± 0.77

4.18 ± 0.72

4.33 ± 0.87

3.90 ± 0.91

3.85 ± 0.95

3.98 ± 0.85

3.64 ± 1.12

3.66 ± 1.08

3.58 ± 1.23

25. I will use histology problem-solving skills in my career

3.79 ± 0.74

3.72 ± 0.77

3.93 ± 0.68

3.55 ± 1.04

3.51 ± 1.12

3.64 ± 0.89

3.29 ± 0.97

3.31 ± 0.98

3.23 ± 0.96

23. My career will involve histology

4.08 ± 0.80

4.08 ± 0.76

4.09 ± 0.89

3.78 ± 1.02

3.75 ± 1.07

3.82 ± 0.95

3.44 ± 1.08

3.53 ± 1.10

3.23 ± 1.02

3. Self-determination

22. I study hard to learn histology

3.67 ± 0.86

3.73 ± 0.84

3.53 ± 0.91

3.71 ± 0.88

3.74 ± 0.89

3.66 ± 0.86

3.29 ± 0.98

3.40 ± 0.93

3.00 ± 1.05

16. I prepare well for histology tests and labs

4.42 ± 0.67

4.47 ± 0.69

4.33 ± 0.61

4.54 ± 0.60

4.51 ± 0.61

4.61 ± 0.58

4.09 ± 1.17

4.25 ± 1.07

3.71 ± 1.35

05. I put enough effort into learning histology

4.11 ± 0.87

4.15 ± 0.89

4.02 ± 0.83

4.05 ± 0.81

4.09 ± 0.85

3.98 ± 0.73

3.74 ± 0.99

3.86 ± 0.99

3.45 ± 0.93

11. I spend a lot of time learning histology

3.55 ± 0.85

3.60 ± 0.82

3.47 ± 0.91

3.67 ± 0.93

3.67 ± 0.92

3.68 ± 0.96

3.17 ± 1.03

3.25 ± 1.04

2.97 ± 0.98

06. I use strategies to learn histology well

3.67 ± 0.90

3.65 ± 0.94

3.70 ± 0.80

3.47 ± 1.07

3.40 ± 1.11

3.61 ± 0.97

3.39 ± 1.03

3.53 ± 0.98

3.06 ± 1.09

4. Self-efficacy

18. I believe I can earn a grade of “A” in histology

2.89 ± 1.06

2.81 ± 1.04

3.05 ± 1.09

3.07 ± 1.03

3.10 ± 1.02

3.02 ± 1.07

3.15 ± 1.07

3.12 ± 0.95

3.23 ± 1.33

14. I am confident I will do well on histology labs and projects

4.23 ± 0.69

4.27 ± 0.70

4.14 ± 0.68

4.20 ± 0.76

4.10 ± 0.82

4.39 ± 0.62

3.92 ± 1.07

3.91 ± 0.99

3.94 ± 1.26

15. I believe I can master histology knowledge and skills

3.74 ± 0.69

3.70 ± 0.66

3.83 ± 0.73

3.67 ± 0.68

3.60 ± 0.72

3.81 ± 0.59

3.75 ± 0.93

3.78 ± 0.85

3.68 ± 1.11

21. I am sure I can understand histology

4.17 ± 0.69

4.10 ± 0.69

4.33 ± 0.68

3.91 ± 0.79

3.89 ± 0.81

3.95 ± 0.78

3.89 ± 0.96

3.91 ± 0.87

3.84 ± 1.16

09. I am confident I will do well on histology tests

4.11 ± 0.79

4.09 ± 0.83

4.14 ± 0.71

4.07 ± 0.85

3.93 ± 0.89

4.34 ± 0.71

3.88 ± 1.01

3.78 ± 1.00

4.13 ± 1.02

5. Grade motivation

04. Getting a good histology grade is important to me

4.05 ± 0.86

4.18 ± 0.79

3.79 ± 0.94

4.25 ± 0.98

4.24 ± 1.00

4.27 ± 0.97

3.83 ± 1.11

3.92 ± 1.07

3.61 ± 1.20

08. It is important that I get an “A” in histology

3.51 ± 1.31

3.62 ± 1.29

3.29 ± 1.35

4.02 ± 1.20

4.01 ± 1.19

4.02 ± 1.25

3.49 ± 1.25

3.49 ± 1.23

3.48 ± 1.31

20. I think about the grade I will get in histology

3.51 ± 1.11

3.60 ± 1.07

3.33 ± 1.17

3.76 ± 1.09

3.64 ± 1.06

3.98 ± 1.11

3.56 ± 1.16

3.70 ± 1.16

3.20 ± 1.10

24. Scoring high on histology tests and labs matters to me

4.27 ± 0.72

4.23 ± 0.72

4.35 ± 0.72

4.08 ± 0.88

4.05 ± 0.86

4.14 ± 0.90

3.83 ± 1.07

3.97 ± 1.01

3.48 ± 1.15

02. I like to do better than other students on histology tests

4.00 ± 0.94

3.93 ± 0.96

4.14 ± 0.89

3.94 ± 1.12

3.96 ± 1.17

3.91 ± 1.03

3.66 ± 1.24

3.68 ± 1.23

3.61 ± 1.31