Education research: SMQ results (Cuesta College, fall semester 2013)

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 fall semester 2013 sections 70158, 70160
(N = 52, matched pairs only, excluding negative informed consent form responses)

	Int. Motiv.	Ext. Motiv.	Relevance	Self-determ.	Self-effic.	Anxiety	Total/150
Initial	19 ± 4	18 ± 3	16 ± 4	20 ± 3	20 ± 4	14 ± 3	108 ± 14
Final	19 ± 4	18 ± 3	16 ± 4	18 ± 3	18 ± 4	15 ± 4	105 ± 16
matched-pair Hake gains:
<g>	-0.06	-0.09	-0.07	-0.21	-0.22	0	-0.17
stdev	±0.31	± 0.34	±0.32	±0.37	±0.41	±0.24	±0.53
class-wide Hake gains:
<g>	-0.03	-0.03	-0.02	-0.14	-0.16	+0.03	-0.08

Little or no difference for all subscales and the total score from pre- to post-instruction, for both sections combined. This is comparable to a previous semester's SMQ findings, and 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' SMQ, SATA results:

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