1. Understanding the development of interest and self-efficacy in active-learning undergraduate physics courses.
- Author
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Dou, Remy, Brewe, Eric, Potvin, Geoff, Zwolak, Justyna P., and Hazari, Zahra
- Subjects
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PHYSICS education , *SELF-efficacy , *ACTIVE learning , *STRUCTURAL equation modeling ,UNDERGRADUATE education - Abstract
Modeling Instruction (MI), an active-learning introductory physics curriculum, has been shown to improve student academic success. Peer-to-peer interactions play a salient role in the MI classroom. Their impact on student interest and self-efficacy - preeminent constructs of various career theories - has not been thoroughly explored. Our examination of three undergraduate MI courses (N = 221) revealed a decrease in students’ physics self-efficacy, physics interest, and general science interest. We found a positive link from physics interest to self-efficacy, and a negative relationship between science interest and self-efficacy. We tested structural equation models confirming that student interactions make positive contributions to self-efficacy. This study frames students’ classroom interactions within broader career theory frameworks and suggests nuanced considerations regarding interest and self-efficacy constructs in the context of undergraduate active-learning science courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
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