A multi-user virtual environment to support students' self-efficacy and interest in science: A latent growth model analysis

Jason A Chen,M Shane Tutwiler,Shari J Metcalf,Amy Kamarainen,Tina Grotzer,Chris Dede

doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2015.09.007

Jason A Chen, M Shane Tutwiler + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2015.09.007

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Abstract

Using latent growth models, we explored: (a) The effect of middle school students' (n = 189) pre-intervention 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.

Highlights

Model 1 shows that students in the class of the reference teacher had an initial interest in Ecosystems Multi-User Virtual Environment (EcoMUVE) of 5.23 (p
Students in the class of the other teacher had an initial interest in EcoMUVE that was 0.45 points higher (p
Science self-efficacy predicted maintained situational interest (SI) in EcoMUVE (β=0.11, p=.009), which is modeled as the rate of decline for interest in EcoMUVE. These results suggest that, for students who are less self-efficacious in science, EcoMUVE triggers their interest in EcoMUVE to a lesser degree than those who are more selfefficacious in science

Summary

Introduction

A Multi-User Virtual Environment to Support Students’ Self-Efficacy and Interest in Science: A Latent Growth Model Analysis. 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. Other studies have shown that technology-rich activities, especially highly immersive ones, can even distract students from the salient academic content, thereby interfering with students’

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