This study tested a self-generated utility value intervention aimed at increasing undergraduate statistics students’ motivation and achievement. The intervention was based on Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (Eccles & Wigfield, 2020) and encouraged students to make relevant connections between statistics learning content and their lives, primarily emphasising the content’s usefulness to the student, or utility value. In testing a self-generated utility value intervention within the domain of undergraduate statistics, the study extended research previously conducted in high school and undergraduate sciences (psychology and biology) and replicated Hulleman et al. (2017) which tested the role of frequency of students’ connections between the learning content and their lives in their motivation and achievement. In addition to transferring a self-generated utility value intervention to the domain of statistics, the study’s main contribution was made by investigating the role of connection quality—the quality of utility value connections undergraduate statistics students made between the learning content and their lives in their motivation and achievement. The study used collected data from a blindly randomised longitudinal field experiment conducted with undergraduate business school students from a research-intensive university located in the north-eastern USA. The students were of two differing sections of the same 15-week introductory statistics course. The self-generated utility value intervention consisted of prompts, twice during the semester, which instructed stud¬¬ents to write 2-3 paragraphs in response to. Data collected was comprised of students’ gender, first-generation status, initial/final achievement assessments, pre/post self-reports on motivation (expectancy, cost, intrinsic value, utility value) and connection frequency, and researcher scaled ratings coding on student intervention responses for connection quality. Part I Results from this study suggest that the intervention significantly increased students’ achievement (d = .42)—an approximately 7-percentage point difference between intervention and control group conditions. Furthermore, the intervention was found to be especially effective at increasing at-risk, low initial achievement, students’ motivation (expectancy, d = .54) and achievement (d = .87)—an approximately 14.5-percentage point difference between group conditions. Study results also suggest that the intervention’s impact on at-risk students’ achievement was mediated via motivation increases—through students’ expectancy for success, though, not through students’ utility value. The Part I results were confirmatory of Hulleman et al.’s (2017) findings—the intervention effected students’ achievement, but the pathway of indirect effects traversed through students’ expectancy, not their utility value which Hulleman et al. (2017) and this study both hypothesised it would do instead. Part II Results attempted to explain the intervention’s pathways of effects through expectancy to achievement by creating new measures, connection quality measures. Connection quality measures were constructed to capture students’ utility value more effectively than the self-reported utility value survey measure. This study’s Part II Results suggest that the intervention was found, again, to significantly increase students’ achievement (d = 1.46), but the indirect intervention effects traversed a pathway to affecting students’ achievement, not through their expectancy, but through their utility value (as captured via the newly minted connection quality measures), to their motivation (cost and interest), and then to their achievement. The new connection quality measures, exploratorily, were found to capture students’ utility value more effectively than the self-reported utility value survey measure, enabling the self-generated utility value intervention’s effects on students’ achievement and motivation to be further explained. / Math & Science Education

Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur gymnasieelever använder matematikboken för att få en utökad förståelse för matematikboken som verktyg i undervisningen och lärandet. Vidare var syftet att synliggöra eventuella samband mellan motivationen till att studera matematik och hur matematikboken används. Både kvantitativ- och kvalitativ metod användes i undersökningen och datamaterialet samlades in via en digital enkät. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten för att undersöka gymnasielevernas motivation till matematik var förväntan-värdeteorin. Sammanlagt deltog 133 gymnasieelever från tre skolor som låg i Norrbotten och Västernorrland. Resultatet pekade på att gymnasieleverna främst arbetade med uppgifter i matematikboken, teoriavsnittet och exempeluppgifterna lästes inte lika frekvent men det förekom. Vidare använde en majoritet av gymnasieeleverna matematikboken flera gånger i veckan under lektionerna, medan det inte var lika vanligt att den användes utanför skolan. Kostnadsvärdet var den motivationstyp som korrelerade med flest aktiviteter med matematikboken. Det visade sig bland annat att de som ofta använde matematikboken utanför skolan hade högre kostnadsvärde än de som aldrig eller sällan gjorde det. / The purpose of the studie was to investigate how high school students’ use the mathematics textbook to gain an expanded understanding of the mathematics textbook as a tool in teaching and learning. Furthermore, the aim was to make visible any connections between the motivation to study mathematics and how the textbook is used. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the studie and the data was collected via a digital survey. The theoretical starting point for investigating high school students' motivation for mathematics was the expectency-value theory. A total of 133 high school students participated from three schools located in Norrbotten and Västernorrland. The results indicated that the high school students mainly worked with tasks in the mathematics book, the theory section and the example tasks were not read as frequently, but it did occur. Furthermore, a majority of high school students used the mathematics textbook several times a week during lessons, while it was not as common that it was used outside of school. Cost value was the motivation type that correlated with the most activities with the textbook. Among other things, it turned out that those who often used the mathematics textbook outside of school had a higher cost value than those who never or rarely did so.

<p>Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT) calls for motivation researchers to treat learning and motivation as inseparable from context. Previous research has examined students’ expectancies and values in specific disciplines, showing dynamic changes over time. Limited research has examined students’ processes of change, considered the influence of students’ disciplinary identities, or solicited characteristics of the disciplinary environment that influence change. Additionally, current frontiers of the field aim to race-reimage motivational constructs. By situating motivation research in the race and gender experiences of historically marginalized students (i.e., Black, Latinx, Hispanic, Indigenous, women), the field can expand motivation theories to support a diversifying population, instead of relying on theories primarily based on the experiences of White individuals. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to examine the processes of motivational and identity change and situate students' identity and motivation negotiations in their disciplines, race, and gender. Using a qualitative, single case study design, eight undergraduate students of color majoring in science or engineering and who were on academic probation were interviewed. Results identified three processes of negotiating their identity and motivation that students employed in response to being on probation. Students reported challenges to their identity and motivation negotiations situated in their race and gender experiences. However, they also shared cultural assets that supported their continued identification with, expectancies for success in, and valuing of their science and engineering disciplines. Findings propose theoretical and methodological implications considering communal values in the SEVT model. Practical implications are discussed for instructors and student success personnel to integrate students’ social identities and communal motivations into their</p> <p>disciplinary engagement.</p>

Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die Testteilnahmemotivation von Schülerinnen und Schülern in großangelegten Schulleistungsstudien. Es wurde ein theoretisches Erwartung-Wert-Anstrengung-Modell der Testteilnahmemotivation herausgearbeitet, das in drei empirischen Studien überprüft wurde. Dabei wurde das komplexe Beziehungsgefüge zwischen Erfolgserwartung, dem wahrgenommene Wert des Tests, Anstrengungsbereitschaft und Testleistung untersucht. Datengrundlage der Studie I bildete die erste PISA-Erhebung aus dem Jahr 2000, in der die Testteilnahmemotivation durch Fragen zur Anstrengungsbereitschaft und zum wahrgenommenen Wert des Tests erhoben wurde. In Studie II und III gaben die Jugendlichen, die an der Ländervergleichsstudie im Jahr 2012 teilnahmen, Einschätzungen zu ihrer Erfolgserwartung, dem wahrgenommenen Wert des Tests und ihrer Anstrengungsbereitschaft ab. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Testteilnahmemotivation zur Erklärung individueller Unterschiede in der Testleistung beiträgt (Studie I), auch wenn diverse Hintergrundinformationen der Teilnehmenden berücksichtigt werden (Studie III). Die theoretisch angenommenen Beziehungen im Erwartung-Wert-Anstrengung-Modell wurden fast vollständig bestätigt: Vor allem der wahrgenommene Wert, aber auch die Erwartungen sagten die berichtete Anstrengungsbereitschaft der Teilnehmenden vorher; die Erfolgserwartung und die Anstrengungsbereitschaft wiesen einen Zusammenhang mit der Testleistung auf (Studie II). Im Verlauf eines Leistungstests berichteten die Teilnehmenden im Durchschnitt eine Abnahme in der Anstrengung und dem Wert sowie einen stabilen Verlauf ihrer Erfolgserwartung. Zur Erklärung der Testleistung trug neben der anfänglichen Erfolgserwartung und Anstrengungsbereitschaft auch die Veränderung in der Erfolgserwartung bei (Studie III). Für eine hohe Testleistung ist es wichtig, dass die Teilnehmenden den Test motiviert beginnen und während des Tests selbstsicher bezüglich ihrer Erfolgserwartung bleiben. / The thesis investigates effects of test-taking motivation on test performance in low-stakes assessments. An expectancy-value-effort model of test-taking motivation was developed and tested in three empirical studies. The studies investigated the complex relationship between expectancy for success, perceived value of the test, test-taking effort, and test performance. The database of study I is the first PISA study. Test-taking motivation was assessed with questions about effort and the perceived value of the test. Study II and III are premised on the national assessment study in the year 2012. The students reported their expectancy for success, their perceived value of the test, and their test-taking effort. Overall, the results showed that test-taking motivation explained test performance (study I) although controlling for various students’ background characteristics (e.g., socio-economic background, study III). We found support for nearly all of the theoretically assumed relationships in the expectancy-value-effort model: Expectancy for success and perceived value of the test explained test-taking effort; expectancy for success and test-taking effort had the most pronounced effects on test performance (study II). The students reported, on average, a stable course of expectancy for success over the testing session; perceived importance of the test and test-taking effort slightly decreased within the testing session. The initial expectancy for success and the initial test-taking effort as well as change in expectancy for success explained students’ test performance. Above all, it is crucial that students begin the test with a high level of test-taking motivation and remain confident about a successful test completion to the end of the testing session.

The role of trust in social, economic, political, and organizational relations is a research topic that has received much attention during the last decade. Trust has been considered a key variable in various contexts, although it should be noted that many theorists pay little attention to empirically testing their arguments about the importance of trust. It is in the present thesis examined whether trust is an important variable in the context of risk policy.This question was addressed from different perspectives in three empirical studies, which were based on extensive survey data. The first article concerned the case of energy policy and the relationship between people’s perceptions of nuclear risks and their attitudes towards various aspects of energy policy was examined. In the second article it was studied whether trust was an important predictor of perceived risk within and across four European countries. Finally, in the third article, determinants of public trust in organizations were studied. An important finding in the thesis was that determinants of trust varied depending on the organization studied. It was also found that trust was a significant predictor of perceived risk, but the relationship was not very strong. It was suggested that the overall policy implications for risk management should be that there are limits to the possibilities to increase the level of trustworthiness and build public trust. An organization could make strong efforts to build an image of being a competent, open, fair, and credible organization, but still not gain the necessary degree of trust, because public perceptions can be based on certain organizational characteristics that are very fundamental and not easily changed. Furthermore, even if an organization succeeds in building a high degree of public trust, it was found in the thesis that it is possible to trust those responsible for risk management to be very competent and honest, yet perceive risks as high. A number of possible causes for this interesting finding are presented in the thesis. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2003</p>

Rural Ethiopia rolled-out a program for the establishment of farmers’ collective action groups known as ‘Farmers’ Development Groups’ (FDGs), in 2007, based on presumed common interest of smallholder farmers. Although the government trusts that FDGs fetch fast and widescale agricultural transformation as part of the participatory agricultural extension system, systematic study and evidence on what motivates smallholder farmers to act collectively, the group dynamics, long term impact and transformative potential of the agricultural extension groups is scarce. Using the expectancy-value theory in social-psychology, this study explores what drives smallholders to act collectively; their participation level and benefits in groups, particularly for women and the youth; and the extent to which farmers’ groups attain intended agricultural transformation goals of productivity and commercialization. The study collected a mix of qualitative and quantitative data in 2016, through 46 key informant interviews; 8 focus group discussions with farmers, and a survey of randomly selected 120 smallholder farmers (30 percent women) in four sample woredas (districts) of Ethiopia. The findings of the study are drawn through a content analysis, and descriptive and correlation analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The study findings show that social identity, and not ‘common interest’ motivates smallholder farmers to join and participate in FDGs. The study provides evidence that participation in FDGs enhances smallholder farmers’ adoption and use of agricultural technologies, where 96 and 84 percent of the farmers who received extension messages in the group on crop and livestock production, respectively, applied the message. Consequently, by 2015 more than 85 percent of the survey respondent farmers reported above 10 percent increase in crop and livestock productivity. Nevertheless, the nature of the incremental changes brought by the collective actions are not transformative, nor sustainable. Extension groups have limited contribution to commercialization of smallholders, where only 20 percent of the FDG members participate in output marketing. More so, FDGs avail limited collective opportunity for the landless youth, and married female farmers in a rural society where difference in power, status and privilege prevail. It also limits deviation of thought among the rural community. Limited access to inputs and technology; large family size; limited access to farm land; over dependence of the extension system on ‘model’ farmers and public extension agents, and poorly designed sustainability features bound the transformative potential of FDGs. The study forwards a set of five recommendations to unleash the potential of FDGs: reconsider the group design to be identity congruent; ensure inclusiveness for young and female farmers; empower and motivate voluntary group leaders; encourage collective marketing and; invest in sustainability features of the group. / Development Studies / Ph. D. (Development Studies)

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<p>  </p> <p>Food system STEM projects have the capacity to motivate high school students in urban schools. This study explored food as a context to engage students because everyone interacts with food on a daily basis and has had cultural experiences related to food. An integrated STEM approach in combination with a systems thinking approach challenged students to make transdisciplinary connections, view problems from different perspectives, analyze complex relationships, and develop 21st-century and career skills (Hilimire et al., 2014; Nanayakkara et al., 2017). The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the relevance students perceive in Ag+STEM content by measuring high school students' self-efficacy, intrinsic value, attainment value, cost value, and utility value after participating in a food system STEM project. The study was informed by Eccles and Wigfield’s (2020) Situated Expectancy Value Theory. The convenience sample of this study was comprised of high school students from metropolitan area schools. High school students completed a food system STEM project with a food system context. Quantitative data was collected using the developed Food System Motivation questionnaire. Data were collected through a retrospective pre-test and a post-test. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data including means and standard deviations. Relationships were explored by calculating correlations.</p> <p>There were four conclusions from this study. First, high school students were somewhat interested, felt it was important to do well, and agreed there were costs regarding participation in the food system STEM project. Second, high school students reported higher personal and local utility value motivation after completing the food system STEM project. Third, high school students were somewhat self-efficacious in completing the project tasks and completing the project tasks informed by their cultural identity and experiences. Fourth, intrinsic value and attainment value motivation (independent variables) were related to personal and local utility value motivation and project and cultural self-efficacy motivation (dependent variables). Implications for practice and recommendations for future research were discussed.</p>

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Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka vilka arbetssätt lärare upplever bidrar till att elever känner motivation till läsning av skönlitteratur samt att ta reda på vilka utmaningar lärare står inför i det arbetet. Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer med tio informanter. Den tidigare forskningen som ligger till grund för studien handlar om hur skönlitteratur och läsning hänger ihop, hur läsning och motivation hänger ihop samt hur lärare arbetar med läsning. Studiens teoretiska grund bygger på den sociokulturella teorin av Lev Vygotskij samt expectancy-value theory som är grundad av Jacquelynne Eccles och hennes kollegor. Det resultat som studien visade var att lärarna som deltog i studien har flera metoder för att försöka ge eleverna motivation till läsning av skönlitteratur som placering, arbete med val av böcker, använda yttre aktörer och högläsning. De utmaningar som lärare upplever beskriver de som arbetet mot hemmen, elevens sociala situation, gruppstorleken samt dynamiken i gruppen. / The purpose of this study was to explore what working methods teachers consider having a contribution to the feeling of motivation in students regarding reading fiction and also what challenges teachers face with this work. This study was conducted using a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews with ten informants. The previous research that is the foundation for this study reflects how reading of fiction and reading are connected, how reading and motivation are connected and how teachers work with reading in the classroom. The study's theoretical basis is based on the sociocultural theory of Lev Vygotsky and expectancy-value theory, which was founded by Jacquelynne Eccles and her colleagues. The result of this study showed that the teachers that were participating used multiple methods in their work trying to motivate students to read fiction. Among these are placement in the classroom, thought into choosing books, the usage of external actors and reading aloud. The challenges that teachers face are described by the informers in this study as the collaboration with the home, the students social situation, group size and the dynamic of the group.