Education Commons^™

Instructor Caring: Using Self-Determination Theory To Understand Perceptions, Measurement, And Impact Of Instructor Caring On Motivation And Learning In Online Contexts, Amanda J. Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

At least one third of college students enrolled in a given year take at least one course that is 80%+ online delivery (Allen & Seaman, 2015). This number has increased from 10% of students just within the last decade. Given this increase, the need for instructional communication research in this context has also grown.

One construct that has had little attention in online settings is that of perceived instructor caring. Caring instructors are perceived as concerned, sensitive, not self-centered, and having students’ best interests at heart (McCroskey & Teven, 1999). Caring has the potential to impact various aspects of student …

Motivations For Disaffiliation From The Two-By-Two Sect, Julene L. Jones

Julene L. Jones

Disaffiliates from encapsulating sects may have many motivations for their disaffiliation. Multiple typologies exist which shed light on an individual’s motivations for disaffiliation from religious groups in general, and on motivations for disaffiliation from particular sects, though no exploration has been made of disaffiliates of the highly tense, fundamentalist Christian Two-by-Two sect. This thesis describes results from a survey of former members of the sect which points to motivations regarding the implausibility of doctrine as being the strongest motivations for these disaffiliates.

Examining The Influence Of Parents, Teachers, And Neighborhood Safety On African American Adolescents’ Motivation And Achievement, Clarissa R. Roan-Belle

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Guided by the theoretical frameworks of Baumrind’s parenting style theory, interpersonal expectations, Self Determination Theory, and self-efficacy, this study examines factors that influence African American students’ GPA and motivation, specifically associations between parents’ and teachers’ control, warmth, and educational expectations and African American adolescents’ GPA, self-efficacy, and intrinsic motivation were examined. The moderating effects of neighborhood safety on the aforementioned associations were also assessed. Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, this study found that parents’ warmth and expectations were positive predictors of all educational variables, while parents control was a negative predictor of GPA and intrinsic motivation. …