Document Type
Article
Department/Program
Education
Publication Date
2016
Journal
Learning and Instruction
Volume
41
First Page
11
Last Page
22
Abstract
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.
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2015.09.007
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Chen, Jason A.; Tutwiler, M. Shane; Metcalf, Shari J.; and Kamarainen, Amy M., "A multi-user virtual environment to support students’ self-efficacy and interest in science: A latent growth model analysis" (2016). Articles. 16.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/articles/16
