Testing a weekly utility value intervention in college physics and chemistry courses

IF 3.9 1区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATIONAL

Contemporary Educational Psychology Pub Date : 2025-02-05 DOI:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2025.102348

Patrick N. Beymer , Emily Q. Rosenzweig

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Abstract

We developed, implemented, and evaluated a weekly utility-value intervention (UVI) in which college students were asked to reflect on the value of course content using a brief writing prompt for 13 consecutive weeks in two separate courses: physics (N = 631) and chemistry (N = 1,348). We used a randomized controlled trial and examined effects on weekly course importance value, weekly course interest, final course interest, STEM career intentions, and performance. Multilevel modeling and linear regression revealed that in both courses, those who participated in the weekly UVI had higher average weekly importance value (d_physics = 0.20, d_chemistry = 0.08) and weekly interest (d_physics = 0.18, d_chemistry = 0.10) compared to those in the control group. In chemistry, the weekly UVI was also found to be effective in increasing final course interest (d = 0.10) and STEM career intentions (d = 0.11). In physics, the weekly UVI increased course grades for racially marginalized students, when compared to racially marginalized students in the control group (d_{raciallymarginalized} = 0.48, d_{nonraciallymarginalized} = 0.04). Finally, in chemistry, the weekly UVI increased course grades for women, when compared to women in the control group (d_women = 0.08, d_men = 0.07). The positive effects on weekly importance value and interest in both courses demonstrate the potential of brief weekly motivational interventions that do not require extensive instructor burden for enhancing college students’ STEM interest and participation. However, mixed long-term effects, course-specific effects, and inconsistent patterns of moderation point to important boundary conditions that may constrain the effectiveness of weekly UVIs unless researchers take steps to mitigate them in future research.

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在大学物理和化学课程中进行每周效用价值干预测试

我们开发、实施并评估了每周效用价值干预（UVI），要求大学生在连续13周的两门独立课程中使用简短的写作提示来反思课程内容的价值：物理（N = 631）和化学（N = 1348）。我们采用随机对照试验，检验了对每周课程重要性值、每周课程兴趣、最终课程兴趣、STEM职业意向和绩效的影响。多水平模型和线性回归显示，在这两门课程中，参加每周UVI的学生比对照组具有更高的平均每周重要性值（d物理= 0.20，d化学= 0.08）和每周兴趣值（d物理= 0.18，d化学= 0.10）。在化学方面，每周UVI也被发现对提高最终课程兴趣（d = 0.10）和STEM职业意向（d = 0.11）有效。在物理方面，与对照组的种族边缘化学生相比，每周紫外线指数提高了种族边缘化学生的课程成绩（极端边缘化= 0.48，非种族边缘化= 0.04）。最后，在化学课上，与对照组相比，每周紫外线指数提高了女性的课程成绩（dwomen = 0.08, dmen = 0.07）。对两门课程的每周重要性值和兴趣的积极影响表明，不需要大量教师负担的每周简短动机干预在提高大学生STEM兴趣和参与方面具有潜力。然而，混合的长期效应、课程特异性效应和不一致的调节模式指出了重要的边界条件，这些边界条件可能会限制每周紫外线照射的有效性，除非研究人员在未来的研究中采取措施减轻它们。

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来源期刊

Contemporary Educational Psychology PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATIONAL-

CiteScore

16.50

自引率

3.90%

发文量

期刊介绍： Contemporary Educational Psychology is a scholarly journal that publishes empirical research from various parts of the world. The research aims to substantially advance, extend, or re-envision the ongoing discourse in educational psychology research and practice. To be considered for publication, manuscripts must be well-grounded in a comprehensive theoretical and empirical framework. This framework should raise critical and timely questions that educational psychology currently faces. Additionally, the questions asked should be closely related to the chosen methodological approach, and the authors should provide actionable implications for education research and practice. The journal seeks to publish manuscripts that offer cutting-edge theoretical and methodological perspectives on critical and timely education questions. The journal is abstracted and indexed in various databases, including Contents Pages in Education, Australian Educational Index, Current Contents, EBSCOhost, Education Index, ERA, PsycINFO, Sociology of Education Abstracts, PubMed/Medline, BIOSIS Previews, and others.