Abstract
Utility-value (UV) writing interventions help students find the personal relevance of course material to promote interest and performance. However, little is known about how best to frame the intervention, particularly in the 2-year college context where students have more varied backgrounds than the samples previously studied. Using a randomized field experiment, we tested two ways of framing a UV writing intervention (student-framed vs. instructor-framed examples of UV), against a control assignment. Contrary to previous research, we found that students struggling in the course became less interested and perceived less utility value overall in UV conditions, compared to the control. The student-framed UV intervention made the course more interesting for students who were doing well in the course, but decreased grades for students struggling in the course, compared to the instructor-framed UV intervention. We examine psychological (e.g., confidence, engagement) and cognitive (linguistic indicators of cognitive processing) variables as mechanisms.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
