Utility value interventions in a college biology lab: The impact on motivation

• Published in: Journal of research in science teaching Vol. 57; no. 2; pp. 232 - 252
• Main Authors: Curry, Kevin W., Spencer, Dan, Pesout, Ondra, Pigford, Kimberly
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-02-2020; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Biology; College Students; Comparative Analysis; educational intervention; expectancy‐value; Intervention; Introductory Courses; Motivation; postsecondary education; Pretests Posttests; Reflection; science; Science Instruction; Science Laboratories; Scientific Concepts; Students; Teaching Methods; Universities; utility value; Value; Writing; Writing (Composition); Writing Assignments
• ISSN: 0022-4308; 1098-2736
• DOI: 10.1002/tea.21592

Science writing, such as lab reports, allows students to form a meaningful understanding of scientific concepts. However, students often view scientific writing as unimportant and utilize surface level approaches when completing writing assignments. The current study implemented three experimental interventions (directly‐communicated, self‐generated, and hybrid) aligned with prior literature and designed to improve the utility value of lab reports in college settings. Participants (n = 1,002) were recruited from 43 lab sections of an introductory biology course at a large southeastern university. Measures of subjective task value (utility value, attainment value, cost, and intrinsic value) were collected pre‐, mid‐, and post‐intervention. The self‐generated and hybrid groups exhibited higher self‐reported utility value by posttest compared to the control group. Requiring students to generate their own utility value toward a task, followed by a written reflection, increases students' maintained and situational interest for biology laboratory reports.