Learning Contexts Matter: Heterogeneity in Utility-Value Intervention Effects

• In Event: Context Matters: Learning Environments' Impact When Motivational Interventions Are (or Aren't) Effective

Abstract

Theoretical Background
Utility-value interventions, which target students’ perceived usefulness of learning tasks, have been found to improve academic motivation and success (Hulleman & Harackiewicz, 2021; Priniski et al., 2019). These positive effects may be partially explained by increases in success expectancies and values as well as decreases in perceived costs (Hulleman et al., 2010; Rosenzweig et al., 2020). Although studies have examined the heterogeneity of utility-value intervention effects (often explained by students’ race and generation status; Harackiewicz et al., 2016), the influence of the instructional context on intervention efficacy is not well understood (Walton & Yeager, 2020). We address this gap by investigating how the instructional context impacts the effects of utility-value interventions on math expectancies, values, costs, and achievement.
Methods
Participants were 2,868 students enrolled in a math course in Spring 2022, taught by 81 instructors, across 12 community colleges in the Southeastern U.S. Students (65.5% female; 33.3% Black, Latine, or Native-American) were randomly assigned to a utility-value (N = 1,900) or control condition (N = 968). At week 1, we assessed students’ baseline expectancies, values, and costs. At weeks 2 and 4, we provided participants in the utility-value intervention condition activities to help them find math more relevant to their goals. Control students summarized a course topic. All students completed surveys to assess any changes in their expectancies, values, and costs for their course following activities. To measure the degree to which instructional contexts supported value development, we assessed control students’ perceptions on whether their instructor’s teaching practices promoted the value of math (e.g., “My teacher demonstrates how what we are learning is useful”). We then aggregated these scores from students in each class and used this aggregated score for all students in the same class. Math grades were collected at the end of the semester.
Results
We conducted a series of multilevel, moderated mediation models with Bayesian estimation where the moderator (perceived instructional context) was assessed at level 2, and the predictor (intervention condition), mediators (expectancies, values, and cost), and outcome (math grades) were assessed at level 1. The utility-value intervention significantly interacted with instructional context to predict expectancies (b = -.31; 95% CI [-.42, -.21]) and values (b = -.25, 95% CI [-.39, -.09]). Effects on costs were non-significant (b = .01; 95% CI [-.14, .21]). The intervention was significantly more beneficial for students in instructional contexts that did not highly support values (see Figure 1). Relatedly, the utility-value intervention significantly improved math grades through positive effects on expectancies (b = .05; 95% CI [.02, .09]) and values (b = .06, 95% CI [.03, .10]) for students in contexts that did not highly support values.

Significance
This study highlights that there is substantial, though rarely explored, heterogeneity in intervention effects caused by contextual differences. Utility-value interventions may partially compensate for gaps created by instructional contexts lacking support for the development of adaptive value beliefs. This research underscores the importance of examining the context created by instructors to better understand where and for whom interventions work best.

Authors

• Delaram A. Totonchi, University of Virginia

• Claudia C. Sutter, CourseKata

• Yoi Tibbetts, University of Virginia

• Jamie DeCoster, University of Virginia

• Joshua Davis, University of Virginia

• Michelle K Francis, University of Virginia

• Emma Huelskoetter, Tennessee Board of Regents

• Kenn E. Barron, James Madison University

• Chris S. Hulleman, University of Virginia