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:

• Education research: SATA results (Cuesta College, fall semester 2010).
  
• Education research: SATA results (Cuesta College, spring semester 2010).
  
• Education research: SATA results (Cuesta College, fall semester 2009).
  
• Education research: SATA results (Cuesta College, spring semester 2009).
  
• Education research: SATA results (Cuesta College, fall semester 2008).
  
• Education research: SATA results (Cuesta College, spring semester 2008).
  
• Education research: SATA results (Cuesta College, fall semester 2007).

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).