Education Commons^™

Peer Effects In Education: When Beliefs Matter, Luca Facchinello

Research Collection School of Economics

Recent literature explains the puzzling finding of zero or negative peer effects in aca- demic achievement assuming that better peers negatively affect beliefs about ability (self-concept), motivation or peer interactions. This paper provides new evidence on such negative mechanisms, and on their impact on educational choices and attainment for students randomly assigned in compulsory school to classes with different cognitive ability. Using detailed longitudinal data on a nationally representative sample of Swedish compulsory school students, I find that students exposed to higher ability peers systematically underestimate their ability and are less likely to choose advanced subjects throughout compulsory school. While …

An Investigation Of Veterinary Sales Professionals' Perceptions Of Self-Directed Learning: A Multiple Case Study, Agostino Salvatore Scicchitano

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to investigate sales professionals’ perceptions of self-directed learning within their current positions. The veterinary industry is a highly knowledge-intensive entity that values professional identity, sense of self, compassion, competence, and the human-animal bond; the veterinary sales professional plays an important role in this industry. However, with sales training waning after the first three years of a sales professional’s employment, self-directed learning becomes an important tool for the veterinary sales professional. Yet, there are no studies that provide an in-depth understanding of the role of self-directed learning in veterinary sales. The following central …

Combined Correlational Effects Of Motivation, Emotional Intelligence And Human Capital Development On Job Satisfaction Of Librarians In Nigerian Public University Libraries, Japheth Abdulazeez Yaya Dr, Uloma Doris Onuoha Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study investigated the combined correlational effects of motivation, emotional intelligence and human capital development on the job satisfaction of librarians in Nigerian public universities. A correlational survey research design was adopted. The study population consisted of 1,254 librarians in public university libraries in Nigeria, from which 923 were selected using simple random sampling. The research instrument used was a self-developed questionnaire. A response rate of 67.2% was achieved. Data were analysed using descriptive (percentage, mean, average mean and standard deviation) and inferential (ANOVA) statistics. The study revealed significant relationship among the combined contributions of motivation, emotional intelligence and human …

Elementary Student Engagement Through Stem Lessons, Leigh Blankenship

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects can be engaging for students and can help build real-world connections. Integration of STEM disciplines can also promote student engagement, as well as promote problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This action research study employed qualitative methods to investigate whether student participation in content areas changes when integrated STEM lessons are introduced in an elementary classroom. The participants of this study were nine students in a fourth-grade rural elementary classroom. Data sources included student surveys, a teacher journal, student work samples, and student interviews before and after each STEM lesson over a three-month …

Enhancing Self-Monitoring With Differential Negative Reinforcement Of Alternative Behavior For Increasing Students’ Writing Production, Meghann Torchia

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Writing is a difficult task for many students who find it aversive, and who attempt to escape the task. Self-monitoring and differential negative reinforcement of alternative behavior (DNRA) are two approaches that have been shown to improve quantity of performance, but no studies were found that combined the two methods to determine whether they are more effective in combination than in isolation. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using DNRA to enhance self-monitoring for increasing writing productivity using a multiple probe, across participants, design. Number of words and number of sentences were measured. For …

Impact Of Robotic Challenges On Fifth Grade Problem Solving, Julie Rankin

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This action research project was designed to investigate the impact of educational robotics in a fifth grade rural classroom. The integration of science, technology, engineering, and math in education (STEM) has sparked an increase of robotics in the classroom. The purpose of the study was to determine if problem-solving skills can be impacted through continuing involvement with challenges using various educational robotics and programming tools. The study sought to answer two research questions: (1) How does the introduction of robotics challenges in a fifth-grade classroom impact students’ problem solving skills? (2) How do robotics in the classroom impact student interest …

Christian Teachers’ Experiences Motivating High School Students In The Pacific Northwest: A Transcendental Phenomenology, Michael Anthony Rickman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study sought to describe experiences of Christian high school teachers motivating students in the Pacific Northwest to be autonomous learners, competent in skills and achievements, and relationally balanced within a Christian environment. The literature indicates two phenomena exist. First, student motivation decreases as they progress; and second, a gap exists in the literature related to Christian schoolteachers’ experiences motivating students. The research question is “How do Christian high school teachers describe their experiences motivating students to be autonomous, competent, and relational?” Purposeful sampling produced nine participants from Christian high schools in the Pacific …

The Conceptualization Of Costs And Barriers Of A Teaching Career Among Latino Preservice Teachers, Bradley W. Bergey, John Ranellucci, Avi Kaplan

Publications and Research

We investigated the perceived costs and barriers of a teaching career among Latino preservice

teachers and how these men conceptualized costs relative to their race-ethnic identity, gender identity, and planned persistence in the profession from an expectancy-value perspective. We used a mixed-method approach that included a content analysis of open-ended survey responses to identify salient costs and barriers and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) of participants’ responses to quantitative scales to capture phenomenological meaning of perceived costs, collective identity constructs, and planned persistence in the profession. Participants identified a range of drawbacks and barriers of a teaching career including concerns about …

Choice-Based Learning In The Art Room, Carrie J. Mathison

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review outlines the basis of the choice-based art education philosophy Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB). The review addresses the history of the philosophy and what it looks like in the classroom setting with a focus on the creativity, engagement, motivation and connections, and supporting student autonomy. The TAB philosophy and pedagogy is based on a three-part theoretical framework of what do artists do, the child is the artist, and the classroom is the child’s studio. TAB is compared and contrasted to traditional Discipline-Based Art Education (DBAE). When TAB is implemented, the art classroom looks different and impacts the …

A Phenomenological Study Of Advanced Age Individuals Pursuing A Doctoral Degree, Elaine G. Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of advanced age individuals 62 years and older who chose to return to academia and pursue doctoral studies in accredited doctoral programs in the United States. The theories that guided this study are the self-determination theory by Deci and Ryan and Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, specifically stage eight, Integrity versus Despair. These two theories framed this study investigating the central research question: What are the experiences of advanced age individuals pursuing a doctoral degree? These advanced age individuals pursued, experienced, and completed doctoral degrees or are in the …

Sulitest®: A Mixed-Method, Pilot Study Of Assessment Impacts On Undergraduate Sustainability-Related Learning And Motivation, Alicia Mason

Faculty Submissions

A United Nations international collaboration between the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) resulted in the creation of Sulitest® (aka Sustainability Literacy Test) an open, online training and assessment tool freely available to higher education institutions globally. This study analyzes the effectiveness of the newly developed Sulitest® to not only measure sustainability literacy of higher education student populations, but also act as a catalyst for boosting affective learning outcomes by: (a) generating interest in sustainability-related issues, (b) improving sustainability-related understandings, and (c) enhancing students’ interests in the subject matter. In order to do …

Addressing Burnout In Outdoor Education, Perry A. Darby

Student Publications

The role of instructors in the field of outdoor education is crucial, and those who aspire to spend their life teaching and helping others experience growth are incredibly drawn to this line of work. According to Two Factor Theory, this industry is rich in growth factors, hence the strong allure, but severely lacks in hygiene factors, causing a high rate of burnout in the industry. For the betterment of both the instructor experience and the industry itself, an emphasis must be paced on providing more of those hygiene factors in order to retain experienced and enthusiastic outdoor educators.

Motivated To Learn: Motivational Differences In High School And University-Level Foreign Language Classroom Experiences, Roy Williams Iv

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Student motivation in the context of foreign language learning is a complex topic that influences many areas of language study. Dornyei’s L2 Motivational Self Model and the concept of future self guides give some insight into the underlying motivational orientations when used to analyze self-reported survey data regarding language learning and its perceived benefits (Dornyei & Ushioda, 2009, p. 456). This analysis brings to light some of the major differences between these two contexts, challenges the idea that they are identical or equivalent in learning outcomes, and suggests some practical application to the foreign language classroom at Western Kentucky University.

Life Events Which Motivate Youth To Become Climate Activists In Sydney And Canberra, Phoebe Dolan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Climate activism is the tool of young people to rise and fight for their future and the future of the planet. Today it is necessary that young people engage as climate activists. My research asks what life events motivate youth to become climate activists. I looked into the initial life events which spark the motivation of young people to understand their initial motives for joining the climate movement. I looked into where the motivation came from, a concern for nature, a concern for social justice or the interconnectedness of the two. I also looked into the life events of individuals …

Military Veterans And Their Motivation To Persist In Distance Education Doctoral Programs, Paula Ann Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study examined military veterans’ motivational experiences who persisted to complete distance education (DE) doctoral programs in the United States. The theory guiding the research was self-determination theory (SDT), a theory of human motivation, development, and wellness that frames how motivation influences behavior, in this case, persistence. Various data sources (demographics questionnaire, timeline, advice letter, and semi-structured interview) triangulated a snowball sample of nine participants’ (six males and three females) motivational experiences. The SDT framework guided the answer to and informed the analysis of the central research question providing three theoretical constructs: (a) autonomy, (b) competence, and c) …

Elementary Teachers' And Administrators' Perceptions Of Teacher Motivation, Jody Mac Foreman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study was to compare elementary teachers’ and elementary administrators’ perceptions of teacher motivation. By identifying that differences exist between elementary teachers’ and elementary administrators’ perceptions of what motivates teachers, it allows for administrators to gain a better understanding and possibly design more effective strategies for enhancing teacher motivation. Additionally, it opens the door for further studies, not only with elementary teachers and administrators, but at the middle and high school levels as well. This study used a quantitative methodology with a causal comparative design. The sample population came from two school districts in South Carolina, the …

A Validation Program For The Self-Beliefs, Writing-Beliefs, And Attitude Survey: A Measure Of Adolescents' Motivation Toward Writing, Katherine Landau Wright, Tracey S. Hodges, Erin M. Mctigue

Literacy, Language, and Culture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Recent findings reveal clear evidence that students’ low performance on writing tasks is often related to problems with motivation. Writing curriculum and interventions produce varying effects on adolescents’ writing outcomes, and such variations may be mediated by motivation. However, without a valid tool for measuring students’ motivation towards writing, these effects cannot be quantified. In this study we present the results of our multi-study validation program for the Self-Beliefs, Writing-Beliefs, and Attitude Survey (SWAS). This measure is designed for monitoring students' motivation towards writing, as well as identifying variables that mediate student achievement. We first addressed substantive validation through a …

Challenging Identity: Development Of A Measure Of Veterinary Career Motivations, Martin Cake, Michelle L. Mcarthur, Caroline F. Mansfield, Sanaa Zaki, Kira Carbonneau, Susan M. Matthew

Education Papers and Journal Articles

Background: While little is known about the motivations underpinning veterinary work, previous literature has suggested that the main influences on veterinary career choice are early/formative exposure to animals or veterinary role models. The aim of this study was to develop and provisionally validate a veterinary career motivations questionnaire to assess the strength of various types of career motivations in graduating and experienced veterinarians.

Methods: A cross-sectional sample of experienced veterinarians (n=305) and a smaller cohort of newly graduated veterinarians (n=53) were surveyed online using a long-form questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to iteratively derive a final, short-form questionnaire …

Motivating Political Participation Among Youth: An Analysis Of Factors Related To Adolescents’ Political Engagement, Brett Levy, Thomas Akiva

Educational Theory and Practice Faculty Scholarship

Prior research has identified political efficacy and political interest as strong predictors of political participation, but few studies have examined these two attitudes in tandem or compared their relative importance vis-à-vis political participation. Drawing on the expectancy-value model of motivation, we begin to address this research gap while also considering several related issues. Our sample includes a diverse group of high school students in grades 10, 11, and 12 (N=422) from the midwestern United States. Through quantitative analyses of participants’ survey data, we found that political interest (a central aspect of value) and political efficacy (closely related to expectancy) predicted …

Combining Different Motivation And Cognitive Supports In Undergraduate Biology In Different Contexts: Lessons Learned, Avi Kaplan, Jennifer G. Cromley, Tony Perez, Ting Dai, Kyle R. Mara, Michael Balsai

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Researchers acknowledge that students’ learning and achievement requires both effective cognition and the motivation to apply it. In addition, both cognition and motivation are multidimensional, each involving different processes that may be less or more salient in different contexts. However, most basic research and intervention studies focus on either cognition OR motivation, and commonly only target a single process. We designed an intervention to investigate the role of different combinations of cognitive and motivational supports in first-year undergraduate introductory biology courses. We sought an online delivery approach with minimal burden on the instructor that can accompany any such course. Building …

“I Feel Very Fortunate To Still Be Doing What I Love”: Later Career Performing Arts Teachers Still Keen And Committed, Christina Gray, Geoffrey Lowe, Peter Prout, Sarah Jefferson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The problem of attrition among early-career teachers has generated a substantial body of research. However, less research has been devoted to later-career teachers who survive and thrive. This article explores the career experiences of four later-career performing arts teachers who remain keen and committed to teaching. Informed by seminal studies by Huberman (1989, 1993) and Day and Gu (2007, 2009) into teacher career trajectories, and using a phenomenological ‘lens’ of portraiture methodology, members of the research team undertook a series of in-depth interviews to gain insight into how these teachers maintain their positivity and commitment to teaching. Four key themes …

Science Expectancy, Value, And Cost Profiles And Their Proximal And Distal Relations To Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math Persistence, Tony Perez, Stephanie V. Wormington, Michael M. Barger, Rochelle D. Schwartz-Bloom, You-Kyung Lee, Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Despite efforts to attract and maintain diverse students in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) pipeline, issues with attrition from undergraduate STEM majors persist. The aim of this study was to examine how undergraduate science students’ competence beliefs, task values, and perceived costs in science combine into motivational profiles and to consider how such profiles relate to short-term and long-term persistence outcomes in STEM. We also examined the relations between underrepresented group membership and profile membership. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three profiles that characterized 600 participants’ motivation during their first semester in college: Moderate All, Very …

Combined Srl-Based Cognitive-Motivational Modules Increase Undergraduate Biology Grades, Jennifer G. Cromley, Tony Perez, Avi Kaplan, Ting Dai, Kyle Mara, Michael J. Balsai

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Students’ success in undergraduate STEM courses requires effective study strategies, but also the motivation to enact them, drawing on two key tenets of Self-Regulated Learning. Interventions designed to promote students’ achievement and retention in STEM have commonly focused on either cognition or motivation. Building on Pintrich’s (2000) SRL framework, we iteratively-developed and tested the effect of different combinations of one of four cognition-focused with one of three motivation-focused intervention modules. Initial development took place in 2015-2016 and post-iterative experiments occurred in 2017. Participants were 3,092 undergraduate introductory biology students tested in 10 studies at 3 universities over 4 academic years. …