Value Interventions With Writing and Messages Facilitate Interest and Performance in Undergraduate Physics

• In Event: Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Advances in Utility-Value Intervention Research

Abstract

To gain insight into what helps generate students’ continued interest in STEM learning, we examined the effects of value interventions with writing (VI-W) and writing plus messages (VI-WM) compared to a summarization control condition (S-Control) on students’ values, beliefs, intentions, and performance in an introductory physics course for non-STEM majors (N=342). Our results indicated that students in both VI groups reported higher levels of endogenous utility value at the end of the semester compared to S-Control. The VI-WM group reaped additional benefits evidenced by higher ratings of interest in majoring in physics and intentions to continue learning physics. Students with lower perceived competence and intrinsic value benefited more from VI-WM in regards to exam performance and final course score.

Authors

• Taylor Wayne Acee, Texas State University-San Marcos

• Darolyn A. Flaggs, Texas State University

• Theresa Hoang, Texas State University

• Erin M. Scanlon

• Ren VanderLind, Texas State University - San Marcos