T237 What Can We Do to Help Our Students Become Better Learners? Fostering the Development of Metacognition and Self-Regulation I

Wednesday, 21 October 2009
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
C124

WHAT MOTIVATIONS AND LEARNING STRATEGIES DO STUDENTS BRING TO INTRODUCTORY GEOLOGY?: GARNET PART 2, STUDENTS

Paper number: T237-12
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 10:55 AM – 11:10 AM

Authors

Abstract

We examine how demographic characteristics relate to the motivation and learning strategies of students entering introductory geology. We use the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ; Pintrich et al., 1993) to investigate how motivations and strategies vary among students entering introductory geology. As a group, students enter these courses with a range of motivations (e.g., goal orientation and control beliefs) and learning strategies (e.g., study methods, critical thinking, metacognition). Compared to non-geology students from a prior study (VanderStoep et al., 1996), entering introductory geology students are more extrinsically than intrinsically motivated, and have a lower goal orientation (task value).

Preliminary analyses indicate differences in motivation and strategies by gender, age, ethnicity, teaching style preference, reason for taking the course, and experience and interest in science. Students reporting lower interest in science upon entering introductory geology assign a lower degree of intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, elaboration, critical thinking, metacognition, effort regulation, and task value to their coursework. Students with prior experience in college science courses report more self-efficacy and control of learning. Critical thinking correlates with experience. Students who enroll in introductory geology primarily to fulfill a general education requirement report lower extrinsic motivation, critical thinking, and task value. Students who prefer dominantly lecture-style classes (in contrast with active learning classes) score slightly higher on most MSLQ subscales, indicating higher motivation and more positive attitudes towards learning introductory geology. With age, intrinsic motivation increases, extrinsic motivation decreases, and a preference for peer learning decreases dramatically. Students from under-represented ethnic groups report lower intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Compared to other factors, gender has a small influence on motivation and attitude among incoming students.

Our results indicate student motivation and learning strategies vary by demographic, implying that instructors of introductory geology should consider incoming student affect in creating effective active learning environments.