Implicit Theories of Ability and Self-Efficacy: Testing Alternative Social Cognitive Models to Science Motivation

Our overall goal was to empirically test what we called the “growth mindset as inoculation” hypothesis using a series of latent profile analytical approaches. This inoculation hypothesis, which is consistent with the way in which Dweck and Leggett (1988) described their social cognitive approach, states that believing in the malleability of intelligence serves a protective role against negative motivational and achievement outcomes. Participants were Grade 6 students (n = 504) from a middle school and Grade 10 students (n = 354) from two high schools in the Southeastern part of the United States. Two distinct patterns emerged, which corresponded to a growth mindset profile, and an all moderate profile. Our findings did not completely confirm or disconfirm the inoculation hypothesis – rather, a more nuanced conclusion should be drawn. Although there was evidence that the growth mindset profile evinced more adaptive outcomes compared to the all moderate alternative, which reinforced Dweck and Leggett’s claims, there was no evidence of any profiles with a distinct fixed theory of ability. This was true even when we forced our data to conform to such a model. Results refine Dweck and Leggett’s social cognitive approach to motivation

Motivation and Beliefs about the Nature of Scientific Knowledge Within an Immersive Virtual Ecosystems Environment

We explored Grade 6 students‘ (n = 202) self-efficacy, epistemic beliefs, and science interest over a 10-day virtual ecology curriculum. Pre- and post-surveys were administered, and analyses revealed that (1) students became more self-efficacious about inquiring scientifically after participating in the activity; (2) students on average evinced a shift toward more constructivist views about the role of authority in justifying scientific claims; (3) students who identified more strongly with being a science person evinced greater gains in self efficacy, developed a less constructivist view about the role of authority in justifying claims, and became more interested in science overall; and (4) students who held an incremental theory of ability evinced greater gains in self-efficacy. We discuss the implications of these findings for science educators and instructional designers in the design and use of immersive virtual worlds for middle school science students

Mixed-Reality Simulations to Build Capacity for Advocating for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Geosciences

We report on data collected at 3 time points during a 1-year intervention designed to teach a purposive sample of geoscience faculty members (n = 29) from 27 universities throughout the United States how to identify and address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their departments. For the intervention we used mixed-reality simulations to help participants practice specific skills to address common situations in geoscience departments. The intervention also included an intensive 3-day workshop and 3 journal clubs. Using a Bayesian analytical approach we explored: (a) general trends in participants’ self- and collective efficacy for identifying and addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion over a 1-year period; (b) relationships between self-efficacy and collective efficacy; and (c) demographic factors that explain variation in self- and collective efficacy. Results showed that self- and collective efficacy rose sharply from preintervention to 5 months after beginning. Although both self- and collective efficacy retreated toward baseline at the 1-year mark, only 1-year self-efficacy was still credibly higher than preintervention. Also, preintervention self-efficacy predicted 5-month collective efficacy. Efficacy beliefs varied as a function of race/ethnicity. Only collective efficacy varied as a function of academic rank. We discuss these findings in relation to social– cognitive theory and the literature regarding the use of digital learning environments to address diversity, equity, and inclusion

A multi-user virtual environment to support students’ self-efficacy and interest in science: A latent growth model analysis

Using latent growth models, we explored: (a) The effect of middle school students’ (n=189) preintervention science self-efficacy and science interest on their initial interest in an Ecosystems Multi-User Virtual Environment (EcoMUVE) and the rate of change in their interest in EcoMUVE; and (b) the mediating effect of students’ initial interest in EcoMUVE and rate of change in interest on students’ post-intervention science self-efficacy and interest in science. Results showed that: (1) students’ pre-intervention self-efficacy for science had an effect both on students’ triggered situational interest for EcoMUVE and on students’ maintained situational interest for EcoMUVE; (2) both triggering and maintaining situational interest in EcoMUVE were important in developing students’ science self-efficacy. In fact, maintained situational interest was the stronger predictor; and (3) maintained situational interest for EcoMUVE translated into individual interest for the science content. Results support and extend social cognitive theory as well as models of interest development

Technology-rich Activities: One Type Does Not Motivate All

We report on data collected at three time points during a four-day intervention designed to explore the value added of technology-rich activities within an inquiry mathematics curriculum. Two of the activities were computer-based, whereas the third involved a professionally created movie. Using latent profile analysis we explored (a) the profiles of experiences (indicated by self-reports of immersion, interest, usefulness, and relatedness of the technology activity) that students in Grades 5–8 (n = 7774) reported regarding their participation in one of three different activities; (b) the motivational and achievement outcomes in mathematics that were evident by being a member of one of these latent profiles; and (c) the factors that predicted students’ membership into one of these profiles of technology experience. Results showed that: (1) three latent profiles emerged from the data; (2) the profiles predicted mathematics learning and motivation; and (3) grade level, prior mathematics achievement, prior mathematics interest, and students’ feelings of how autonomy supportive their teachers are predicted membership into these profiles. Results support and refine the literature in educational psychology regarding models of motivation and engagement, as well as the literature in educational technology concerning the motivational affordances of technology

EcoMOBILE: Integrating augmented reality and probeware with environmental education field trips

Positioned in the context of situated learning theory, the EcoMOBILE project combines an augmented reality (AR) experience with use of environmental probeware during a field trip to a local pond environment. Activities combining these two technologies were designed to address ecosystem science learning goals for middle school students, and aid in their understanding and interpretation of water quality measurements. The intervention was conducted with five classes of sixth graders from a northeastern school district as a pilot study for the larger EcoMOBILE project, and included pre-field trip training, a field trip to a local pond environment, and post-field trip discussions in the classroom. During the field experience, students used mobile wireless devices with FreshAiR™, an augmented reality application, to navigate the pond environment and to observe virtual media and information overlaid on the physical pond. This AR experience was combined with probeware, in that students collected water quality measurements at designated AR hotspots during the experience. We studied the characteristics of learning and instruction using measures of student attitudes, content learning gains, and opinions teachers provided via written and verbal feedback. We observed gains in student affective measures and content understanding following the intervention. Teachers reported that the combined technologies promoted student interaction with the pond and with classmates in a format that was student-centered rather than teacher-directed. Teachers also reported that students demonstrated deeper understanding of the principles of water quality measurement than was typical on prior field trips without these technologies and that students had expanded opportunities to engage in activities that resemble scientific practice. Overall, results of the students' surveys and teacher feedback suggest that there are multiple benefits to using this suite of technologies for teaching and for learning

Exploring the Relationship Between Attentional Capture and Prior Knowledge in a Science-Based Multi-user Virtual Environment: an Individual Growth Model Analysis

In this study, we investigate trends in the relationship between what students know and the types of data that capture their attention over time in a science-based multi-user virtual environment. Longitudinal analyses of the patterns of data collected by 143 middle school students (nested within 5 teachers) showed that student prior knowledge was marginally (p \u3c.10) related to variation in the attentional value (visibility and location) of data they collected over time, explaining about 2% of said variation. By contrast, accounting for the clustering of students by teacher was statistically significantly (p \u3c.05) related to variation in trends in attentional values and explained 36% of said variation

Effects of using a variety of kinesthetic classroom equipment on elementary students’ on-task behaviour: a pilot study

The ability for students to maintain attention to classroom instruction is a critical factor for learning because loss of instructional time due to off-task behaviour has negative impacts on academic achievement. Early studies suggest that use of kinesthetic equipment in place of traditional seating in classrooms can improve student on-task behaviour. To date, however, limitations of the kinesthetic classroom research literature include small sample sizes, often without controls, use of a single equipment type (e.g. standing desks or exercise balls) and lack of objective measures of student on-task behaviour. We report a pilot study of the impact of using a variety of kinesthetic equipment in elementary classrooms on objectively-measured student on-task behaviour

Engaging middle school students in scientific practice with a collaborative mobile game

Previous research using collaborative mobile augmented reality games in science education revealed that such games can be used to promote learner engagement and have found that engagement in such mobile games is related to flow. This study investigated whether player\u27s flow experience differed by achievement track, gender, or gender composition of working groups. In an urban school district, 202 students from two eighth-grade science classes participated in a collaborative mobile science game. Data included a self-report survey collected after the game that measured player\u27s flow experience. Using a regression model, the relationship of flow experience with achievement track and gender was explored while controlling for group composition and teacher effects. The study found that gender was related to flow experience; specifically, girls reported higher flow experience scores (d = 0.30). Flow experience did not have a statistically significant relationship with achievement track showing that the activity engaged all observed students similarly

Mixed-Reality Simulations to Build Capacity for Advocating for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Geosciences

We report on data collected at 3 time points during a 1-year intervention designed to teach a purposive sample of geoscience faculty members (n = 29) from 27 universities throughout the United States how to identify and address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their departments. For the intervention we used mixed-reality simulations to help participants practice specific skills to address common situations in geoscience departments. The intervention also included an intensive 3-day workshop and 3 journal clubs. Using a Bayesian analytical approach we explored: (a) general trends in participants\u27 self- and collective efficacy for identifying and addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion over a 1-year period; (b) relationships between self-efficacy and collective efficacy; and (c) demographic factors that explain variation in self- and collective efficacy. Results showed that self- and collective efficacy rose sharply from preintervention to 5 months after beginning. Although both self- and collective efficacy retreated toward baseline at the 1-year mark, only 1-year self-efficacy was still credibly higher than preintervention. Also, preintervention self-efficacy predicted 5-month collective efficacy. Efficacy beliefs varied as a function of race/ethnicity. Only collective efficacy varied as a function of academic rank. We discuss these findings in relation to social- cognitive theory and the literature regarding the use of digital learning environments to address diversity, equity, and inclusion