20110719

Education research: SMQ results (Cuesta College, spring semester 2011)

Student attitudes were assessed using the Science Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ), a 30-question, five-point Likert scale questionnaire that measures six attitude subscales, each scored out of a maximum of 30 points (Glynn, Taasoobshirazi, & Brickman, 2009):
  1. Intrinsically Motivated Science Learning
  2. Extrinsically motivated science learning;
  3. Personal relevance of learning science;
  4. Self-determination to learn science;
  5. Self-efficacy for learning science;
  6. Anxiety about science assessment (reversed-coded for scoring).
The SMQ was administered as a pre-test on the first day of class, and as a post-test on the last day of class.
Cuesta College
Astronomy 210 spring semester 2011 section 30674
(N = 37, matched pairs only,
excluding negative informed consent form responses)

Int. Motiv. Ext. Motiv. Relevance Self-determ. Self-effic. Anxiety Total/150
Initial 18 ± 3 17 ± 3 16 ± 4 18 ± 3 18 ± 3 15 ± 5 103 ± 14
Final 18 ± 3 18 ± 3 16 ± 3 19 ± 2 18 ± 3 14 ± 5 103 ± 13

matched-pair Hake gain:
<g> -0.06 +0.02 -0.04 +0.08 -0.10 -0.18 -0.06
stdev ±0.23 ±0.20 ±0.33 ±0.20 ±0.36 ±0.50 ±0.41

class-wide Hake gain:
<g> -0.01 +0.04 +0.02 +0.09 -0.04 -0.10 0.00

Cuesta College
Astronomy 210 spring semester 2011 section 30676
(N = 43, matched pairs only,
excluding negative informed consent form responses)

Int. Motiv. Ext. Motiv. Relevance Self-determ. Self-effic. Anxiety Total/150
Initial 19 ± 4 19 ± 3 17 ± 4 18 ± 3 19 ± 4 14 ± 4 105 ± 16
Final 19 ± 3 19 ± 3 17 ± 4 20 ± 2 20 ± 3 15 ± 4 110 ± 14

matched-pair Hake gain:
<g> -0.02 +0.02 -0.02 +0.10 +0.07 +0.03 +0.08
stdev ±0.27 ±0.20 ±0.29 ±0.24 ±0.32 ±0.29 ±0.26

class-wide Hake gain:
<g> +0.03 +0.03 +0.02 +0.13 +0.13 +0.07 +0.12
Little or no difference for all subscales and the total score from pre- to post-instruction, for both sections. This is comparable to six previous semesters' results at Cuesta College of the Survey of Attitudes Towards Astronomy (SATA), a 34-question, five-point Likert scale questionnaire that measures four attitude subscales (Zeilik & Morris, 2003). Previous semesters' SATA results:
References:
  • Glynn, S. M., Taasoobshirazi, G., & Brickman, P. (2009), "Science Motivation Questionnaire: Construct Validation with Nonscience Majors," Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46, 127-146 (*.html).
  • Science Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ) website (*.html).
  • Zeilik, M. & Morris, V. J. (2003), "An Examination of Misconceptions in an Astronomy Course for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Majors," Astronomy Education Review, 2(1), 101 (*.html).

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