Motivational Beliefs and STEM Trajectories of Students With Learning Disabilities

• In Event: Learning and Motivation Research Inclusive of Disability

Abstract

More than a decade of efforts to improve representation of students with disabilities in advanced STEM courses, majors, and careers has yet to yield substantial improvement (Leddy, 2010; NSF, NCES, 2017). Research with other underrepresented groups suggests that motivational beliefs play as important a role as academic skill in understanding differences in STEM trajectories (Wang & Degol, 2013). Building on this work, we investigate the science-focused motivational beliefs of middle-school students with and without learning disabilities and the contextual factors influencing them.

Situated expectancy-value theory (SEVT; Eccles & Wigfield, 2020) provides a useful framework for this investigation. According to SEVT, individuals make decisions about whether to pursue and persist in a given activity or path based on their expectations for success and the perceived value of the task. Importantly, both large-scale and local contexts substantially contribute to these beliefs. For students with learning disabilities, the contextual input may put them at particular risk for beliefs that would steer away from STEM domains (Shifrer, 2013).

We use a sequential explanatory mixed methods design with students in grades 6-8 at two public schools. We first invited all students to complete a survey about beliefs and experiences in science (total n = 1173; students with learning disabilities n = 100). A principal components analysis yielded six factors, with Cronbach’s alphas between .71 and .91. Follow-up interviews with students identified with “specific learning disability” are now being conducted to understand more fully the experiences of this population.

Multiple regression was used to examine what personal and contextual factors predict motivational beliefs. Students’ ratings of their science class climate and perceptions of one’s family’s involvement and beliefs in science both significantly predict motivational beliefs of science self-concept and identity, value beliefs, and cost beliefs. Girls and students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch reported lower self-concept and identity (b = -.157; p<.01 and b = -.176; p<.01) and higher cost beliefs (b = .250; p<.01 and b = .114; p<.05), while students in 8th grade had higher cost beliefs than peers in younger grades. Turning to motivational beliefs predicting STEM persistence and choices, all three motivational beliefs predicted engagement in science class. Self-concept and identity and value beliefs significantly predicted high school course taking intentions, likelihood to pursue a STEM college major, and likelihood to pursue a STEM career, while cost beliefs did not. Having a learning disability did not predict motivational beliefs or outcomes. Initial interview data suggests, however, potential unique experiences of contextual factors relevant to SEVT, even if resulting beliefs are similar.

Whereas few studies using motivational theories specifically attend to the experiences of students with disabilities, these findings indicate that a purposefully inclusive sample experiences dynamics aligned with prior research. Personal and contextual factors meaningfully relate to beliefs about future success, value, and cost of engaging and persisting in science, and these in turn predict STEM choices. Qualitative data will further elaborate the experiences of students with learning disabilities who otherwise appear to have similar dynamics as their peers.

Authors

• Samantha G. Daley, University of Rochester
  Presenting Author

• Halil Ibrahim Sari, University of Rochester
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rebecca Rosen, University of Rochester
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michelle Heckman, University of Rochester
  Non-Presenting Author