Examining Motivational Attitudes Toward Statistics and Their Relationship to Performance in Life Science Students

被引:0
|
作者
Kulacki, Alexander R. [1 ]
Aikens, Melissa L. [2 ]
机构
[1] Univ Minnesota Twin Cities, Dept Biol Teaching & Learning, Minneapolis, MN USA
[2] Univ New Hampshire, Dept Biol Sci, Durham, NH 03824 USA
来源
JOURNAL OF STATISTICS AND DATA SCIENCE EDUCATION | 2024年
关键词
Biostatistics; Cost; Expectancy-value theory; Motivation; Student attitudes; Task-values; TASK VALUES; FIT INDEXES; ACHIEVEMENT; BIOLOGY; ANXIETY; COST; MATH; BELIEFS; RECOMMENDATIONS; INTERVENTIONS;
D O I
10.1080/26939169.2024.2365892
中图分类号
G40 [教育学];
学科分类号
040101 ; 120403 ;
摘要
A strong foundation of statistics is essential for undergraduates pursuing life science careers, but this foundation is frequently undermined by negative student attitudes toward statistics. This study explored life science students' motivational attitudes toward statistics, and their relationship to performance, using expectancy-value theory as a guiding framework. According to expectancy-value theory, task-values-interest in a task (intrinsic value), importance of doing well on a task (attainment value), perceptions of the usefulness of a task (utility value), and negative aspects of engaging in a task (cost)-impact achievement outcomes. However, task-values may be better represented by differentiating each into more specific underlying dimensions, or facets. Using 360 undergraduate life science students enrolled in biostatistics courses across two institutions, this study assessed the fit of a task-value facets model for statistics and examined which task-value facets relate to performance on a statistics assessment. Results show that life science students distinguish among facets of attainment value (importance of achievement, personal importance), utility value (school, daily life, social, career/job), and cost (effort, emotional, opportunity) for statistics. Students' perceptions of the emotional cost of statistics and the importance of achievement in statistics related to their statistics performance. Implications for teaching and research are discussed. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
引用
收藏
页数:12
相关论文
共 50 条