The Formation of Motivation for Students to Participate in Extracurricular Activities

This article examines the involvement of Russian students in extracurricular activities, their perceptions of the benefits of participating in such activities, and the observation of students with positive participation experiences as a factor motivating others to engage in extracurricular activities. Despite the clear advantages, there is a low level of student engagement in «out-of-classroom» activities in Russia. A literature review revealed that existing research on Russian students’ involvement in extracurricular activities primarily relies on data collected within a single university. Moreover, an analysis of academic works identified a lack of studies focusing on Russian students’ perceptions of extracurricular activities and the impact on motivation to participate in this area. The study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with members of student organizations from major universities in Moscow. The sample included students aged 18 to 24 enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, and specialist programs. The research findings are formulated based on theoretical models, particularly the expectancy-value theory and Albert Bandura’s social learning theory. The article highlights the need for further research using mixed methods and suggests continuing the discussion on emulating students with successful extracurricular experiences. The limitations of this study include a small sample size (15 participants), a focus on Moscow-based universities, and the predominance of student self-government organizations in the sample. At the end of the article, the interview guide used with the students is attached.