First-Year Undergraduate Student Expectancy and Value for General Education

• In Event: 14.035 - Examining Factors and Characteristics That Influence Assessment Performance and Responses

Abstract

Undergraduate students’ expectancy and value for their first-year general education courses (writing, oral communication, critical thinking, and information literacy) were explored. A sample of 1,649 undergraduate students rated the expectancy and value (relevance and importance) for their general education curriculum during a university-wide assessment day. Latent profile analyses supported four classes. External validity evidence for the classes was also collected (e.g., students’ majors, general motivation, and academic entitlement. The four classes could be described as: 1) high expectancy/high value class; 2) high expectancy/high value class that did not significantly differ from other classes on external variables; 3) high expectancy/mid-value class; and 4) a mid-range expectancy /low value (importance) class. The findings provide insight into students’ motivation for general education coursework.

Authors

• Heather Dawn Harris, James Madison University

• S. Jeanne Horst, James Madison University

• Kenn E. Barron, James Madison University

• Chris S. Hulleman, University of Virginia

• Gretchen Hazard, James Madison University