using the expectancy value model of motivation to understand the
relationship between student attitudes and achievement in statistics
michelle hood
Griffith
Health Institute, Griffith University, Australia
michelle.hood@griffith.edu.au
peter a. creed
Griffith
Health Institute, Griffith University, Australia
p.creed@griffith.edu.au
david l. neumann
Griffith
Health Institute, Griffith University, Australia
d.neumann@griffith.edu.au
ABSTRACT
We tested a
model of the relationship between attitudes toward statistics and achievement
based on Eccles' Expectancy Value
Model (1983). Participants (n = 149; 83% female) were second-year
Australian university students in a psychology statistics course (mean age =
23.36 years, SD = 7.94 years). We obtained demographic details, past
performance, attitudes, and expectancies in Week 2, and attendance records
(effort) and course marks (achievement) at the end of semester. Path analysis
was conducted via AMOS 19. The final model fit well and explained 40% of the
variance in achievement. Past performance (22%), effort (8%), and expectancies
(2%) made significant direct contributions. There
were significant indirect contributions by each attitude component. Cognitive competence
made the largest indirect contribution.
Keywords: Statistics education research; Statistics attitudes;
Statistics achievement
__________________________
Statistics Education Research Journal, 11(2), 72-85, http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/serj
(c)
International Association for Statistical Education (IASE/ISI), November, 2012
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MICHELLE
HOOD
School
of Applied Psychology and Griffith Health Institute
Griffith
University
Parklands
Drive
Southport
QLD 4222
Australia