Past research has revealed that both people’s beliefs and situational factors affected people’s goal orientation. This study investigated the interactive effects of competition and theories of intelligence on people’s goal orientation. A 2x2 between-subject factorial design was adopted. Seventh graders (N = 132) were primed with either incremental or entity theory of memory. The students were randomly assigned to either competitive or non-competitive condition. Motivational outcomes were measured after all the four groups received failure feedback. Findings showed that the effect of competition marginally overrode the effect of theories of intelligence in the entity condition. There were no statistical significant changes in self-efficacy and interest on the task before and after the setback in the groups. / published_or_final_version / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The present study examined the relations between incentive, engagement and task value with reference to the Regulatory Engagement Theory (Higgins, 2006).With two incentive interventions (reward and utility), contribution of engagement on task value was tested through a mediation analysis. Significant results were obtained in the utility intervention group. Participants demonstrated higher task value and stronger engagement after intervention, a significant mediated effect also revealed that engagement explained the effects of intervention on task value. Results in the reward intervention group did not yield statistical significance but were in expected direction. The mediating effect of engagement in the relation between incentive and task value was generally supported, but the strength of effect varied upon the choice of incentives. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. / published_or_final_version / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

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This study supports the development of the Attributions for Scholastic Outcomes Scale--Latino (ASO-L). Previous research has shown that people believe that it is important to close the achievement gaps that exist between racial/ethnic minorities and Whites (Rose & Gallup, 2004). Despite the fact that the general public has taken an interest in this area, there are currently no instruments for measuring how people reason about these issues. Consequently, there is little knowledge as to why people continue to support policies that have been unsuccessful in bringing racial/ethnic minority academic performance up to the level of Whites. This study takes steps in that direction by providing educators and school reform advocates with a useful instrument for understanding how people reason about the causes for the Latino-White achievement gap. The ASO-L measures the extent to which people believe in two different explanations for the Latino-White achievement gap. I have termed the explanation that I believe is most pervasive in US society "culture-blaming." It is consistent with the dominant racial story about Latino underachievement, which focuses primarily on the presumed limitations of Latino families and Latino culture. I refer to what I believe to be the second most common explanation as "structure-blaming." It challenges the dominant racial story because it places blame on schools and the schooling system rather than the limitations of Latinos. Confirmatory factor analyses provide evidence for the factorial validity of the ASO-L. In addition, structural equation modeling performed on sample data indicates that the two primary explanations--culture-blaming and structure-blaming--are meaningfully related to attitudes towards resource redistribution, English-only initiatives, parent education, and standardized testing above and beyond what can be accounted for by measures of attributional complexity (G. Fletcher, Danilovics, Fernandez, Peterson, & Reeder, 1986) and political orientation (Kerlinger, 1984). Finally, a comparison of latent means revealed that Latinos are more likely than Whites to endorse structure-blaming attributions, but no less likely to endorse culture-blaming attributions. Recommendations for further research and academic activism are included. / text

The purpose of this study was to examine whether gender-based mathematics classes have a positive impact on the achievement levels of males and females. The study was conducted in order to give insight into the differentiated approach to teaching males and females separately and the effects the separate instruction has on mathematics achievement while closing the achievement gap. This study examined gender-based instruction as a strategy along with other variables that are perceived as having an impact on student achievement. The independent variables in the study were instructional leadership, teacher certification level, teacher content knowledge, teacher knowledge of primary gender learning styles, teacher expectations, gender-based instruction, teacher demographics, and student demographics. The dependent variable was student achievement in mathematics. The study was conducted in an elementary school in Atlanta, Georgia among third, fourth, and filth grade students and teachers. The 2007 Georgia Criterion Reference Competency Test (GCRCT) data were used as pretest data prior to teachers teaching students in a gender-based selling. Eleven teachers were given professional development in male/female primary learning styles. differentiated instruction, culturally responsive teaching, and data analysis. Anonymous surveys were completed by teachers and students. In addition, student demographic data were analyzed. The study was conducted in a Title I elementary school. Ninety-nine percent of the school’s students are on free or reduced lunch. The school serves 85% African- American students and 15% Hispanic, Latina/Latino. The school’s enrollment, K-5 is approximately 550 students. The results of the study indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between a teacher’s content knowledge. years of experience, and his/her expectations relative to student achievement in mathematics. A regression analysis found that the most impacting variables on student achievement in gender-based classrooms were teacher expectancy, teaching experience and instructional leadership. A regression analysis was used to further determine which independent variables had the strongest impact on student achievement in mathematics. The regression showed that the strongest impacting variables again were teacher expectancy, teacher experience and instructional leadership; however, these variables are mediating at best. Those variables found to be the most significant in relationship to student achievement in mathematics were: gender-based instruction, teacher knowledge of student learning styles, and discipline.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.