Contextualized Measurement of Self-efficacy and College Students’

Perceived Sources of Self-efficacy in Introductory Plant Science Courses

Lisa KeefeDoctoral Dissertation Seminar

Overview

• Introduction• Theoretical Framework• Review of Literature• Dissertation Conceptual Framework• Study #1• Study #2• Implications for Practice

Introductory Course

Early Assessment

Difficult Science

ConceptsCourse Mastery

Introduction

Science Literacy & Career

Theoretical Framework

• Bandura (1997)definition of SE: belief in personal capabilities to organize and execute tasks required to produce specific results within a specific context

• 4 Sources of SE SE

Mastery Experience

Social Persuasion

Emotional Response

Vicarious Experience

I do…

I hear…

I feel…

I see…

Review of Literature

• Self-efficacy (SE) = good predictor of academic performance.

• SE has been studied in the sciences• Need for context-specific studies• Sources of SE also important but few existing

studies

(Usher, E. L., & Pajares, F. (2008). Sources of self-efficacy in school: Critical review of the literature and future directions. Review of Educational Research, 78(4), 751-796Schunk, D., Pintrich, P. R., & Meece, J. (Eds.). (2007a). Motivation in dducation: Theory, research and applications (3rd ed.): Pearson. Klassen, R., & Usher, E. (2010). Self-efficacy in educational settings: Recent research and emerging directions. In S. Karabenick & T. Urdan (Eds.), Advances in motivation and achievement (Vol. 16a): Emerald Group Publishing Limited.Gore, P. A. (2006b). Academic self-efficacy as a predictor of dollege outcomes: Two incremental validity studies. Journal of Career Assessment, 14(1), 92-115. doi: 10.1177/1069072705281367

Conceptual Framework

Contextual Investigation of SE

Develop a Plant SE Instrument

(Questionnaire)

EFA n=248 CFA n=241

Exploring Sources of Plant SE (Qualitative)

Short-answer (initial coding)

n=200+

Interviews (Provisional Coding) n=4

Literature (Triangulation)

Study 1-Measuring Self-efficacy

• Current Instruments• Participants• Development• Data collection and analysis• Results• Limitations Measuring Plant SE

(Instrument Development)

EFA n=248 CFA n=241

Current Instruments• Science Motivation Questionnaire (Glynn, Taasoobshirazi, &

Brickman, 2009)

Baldwin, J. A., Ebert-May, D., & Burns, D. J. (1999). The development of a college biology self-efficacy instrument for nonmajors. Science Education, 83(4), 397-408.Glynn, S. M., Taasoobshirazi, G., & Brickman, P. (2009). Science Motivation Questionnaire: Construct validation with nonscience majors. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(2), 127-146. doi: 10.1002/tea.20267Dalgety, J., Coll, R. K., & Jones, A. (2003). Development of chemistry attitudes and experiences questionnaire (CAEQ). Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 40(7), 649-668Uzuntiryaki, E., & Çapa Aydın, Y. (2009). Development and Validation of Chemistry Self-Efficacy Scale for College Students. Research in Science Education, 39(4), 539-551.

• Science Literacy item ideasCBSI College Biology Self-efficacy Instrument (Baldwin

et al., 1999)

•Lab/experiment skills wordingCAEQ Chemistry Attitudes & Experiences Questionnaire

(Dalgety et al., 2003)

•Concept and skill understanding at the chemistry NOT course levelCCSS College Chemistry Self-

efficacy Scale (Uzuntiryaki et al., 2009)

ParticipantsHORT 101, BTNY 110 & AGRY 105major (M), science major (SM) and non-science major (NSM)

EFA:Spring 2012 (n=248)• M=20%• SM=32%• NSM=48%

CFA:Fall 2012 (n=241)• M=24%• SM=19%• NSM=57%

80% White/caucasian & 50% male/female ratio

DevelopmentExpert Defined Dimensions for Successful Study in Introductory Plant Science CoursesLife Science Research & Literacy Plant Sciences Future Outcomes

Experimenting/applying research Terminology/diagram use Life understanding of biology

Terminology/diagram use Genetics

Genetics Environmental Responses

Life processes

Plant Concept specific- Photosynthesis- Respiration

Plant Scientists Education Researchers

Kathryn Orvis, Horticulture Neil Knobloch

Michael Zanis, Botany Bryan Hains

Lori Snyder, Agronomy Mark Balschweid

Data Collection and Analysis

• Students told about the research before participating. Also asked if concurrently enrolled and not to fill out questionnaire twice

• 1st group factor analysis (EFA)• 2nd group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)

EFA Results

•7 items; 48% variance•Students’ beliefs in the ability to navigate core plant biology

concepts•Photosynthesis/Respiration/Reproduction ect.

PCSE•5 items; 10% variance•Students’ beliefs in their ability to perform basic skills

common to most science fields•Scientific processes/experimentation

GSSE

•6 items; 8% variance•Students’ beliefs in their ability have mastered life science

tasks and concepts well enough to use them for life. •Expertise as a life scientist

MSSE

Factor Pattern Matrix for Plant Science Self-efficacy ItemsItem PC GS MSExplain the role of water in plant respiration. .82 .06 .05Explain how weeds could become resistant to herbicides. .49 .05 .25Explain how a plant produces food and uses energy. .85 .01 .02Predict how a plant will respond to a given environmental condition. .66 .29 .14Explain the process of pollination in plants to produce fruit. .70 .05 .17Recall the anatomy of a plant. .66 .02 .19Explain the role of light in photosynthesis. .78 .01 .03Instruct a classmate on how to write an experiment report. .04 .79 .04Ask a research question that could be answered experimentally. .07 .70 .01Critique an experiment in a scientific paper. .04 .85 .05Conduct an experiment on your own after reading the experimental procedures.

.09 .46 .25

Research the scientific facts in a common news story for accuracy of the claims.

0.18 .62 .04

Achieve success in this life science course. .25 .07 .67Graduate with a life science degree. .04 .05 .59Master the plant biology skills taught in this course. .25 .00 .51Tutor another student in a 1st year life science course. .11 .11 .86Use concepts of life science in solving everyday problems at home. .05 .20 .69Use correct biological terminology to explain a concept to a scientist. .01 .25 .57Eigen Values 8.70 1.82 1.41Cronbach’s α 0.91 0.87 0.88

CFI (0.92)RMSEA (0.08) GFI (0.88)

GS

ITEM8

ITEM9

ITEM10

ITEM11

ITEM12 e12

e10

e9

e8

e11

MS

ITEM13

ITEM14

ITEM15

ITEM16

ITEM17 e17

e15

e14

e13

e16

ITEM1

ITEM2

ITEM3

ITEM4

ITEM5

ITEM6

ITEM7

PC

e1

e2

e3

e4

e5

e6

e7

.72

.83

.66

.61

.61

.82

.67

.79

.68

.68

.69

.71

.71

.75

.84

.66

.64

.67

.61

.66

PCSE7 Items

GSSE5 Items

MSSE5 Items

GSSE

MSSE

PCSE

Please rate how confident you are in your ability to perform the following tasks today.

1) Not at all confident 2) Slightly confident 3) Somewhat confident 4) Mostly confident 5) Extremely confident

PCSE• Explain how a plant produces food and uses energy.• Predict how a plant will respond to a given environmental

condition.GSSE• Instruct a classmate on how to write an experiment report.• Ask a research question that could be answered experimentally.

MSSE• Use concepts of life science in solving everyday problems at

home.• Tutor another student in a 1st year life science course.

Limitations and Recommendations

• Minimally adequate model fit• Small # of students• Demographics (High non-science majors/low

racial diversity)

For Practice

• Measures SE of core (lynchpin) plant science concepts

• Measures SE of translatable science skills • Fills a need for SE questionnaire aimed at core

plant science concepts/skills and may have use in any introductory plant science class

Study 2-Sources of Self-efficacy in an introductory plant science class

• Participants• Deductive analysis• Results• Limitations

Exploring Sources of Plant SE (Qualitative)

Short-answer (initial coding)

n=200+

Interviews (Provisional Coding) n=4

Literature (Triangulation)

Participants

Short-answer (n=>200)• 200+ students enrolled in HORT 101, AGRY 105 or BTNY

110• Spring semester 2012 and Fall 2012Interview-Fall semester 2012 (n=4)• 2 Landscape Architecture majors – Alice had taken a plant biology dual-credit course– Melinda’s parents own a landscaping company

• 2 Agricultural Education majors – Rose had little experience but parents dabbled in row crops– Adam had an interest in gardening

Deductive Analysis

Realism assumes a single, blurry reality; therefore, we made every effort to triangulate our data in order to illustrate a single, complex reality as experienced through context and perception (Sobh & Perry, 2006).

Literature

InterviewsShort-answer

Short-answer

• Please rate how confident you are in your ability to perform the following tasks as of today—1) Achieve success in another life science class 2) Receive good grades on exams in this course

• “Think about the reasons you considered when answering the question above. Describe briefly all of the reasons on which you based your confidence rating to this particular question. Include everything that comes to mind in the spaces provided.”

Hutchison, M. A., Follman, D. K., Sumpter, M., & Bodner, G. M. (2006). Factors influencing the self-efficacy beliefs of first-year engineering students. Journal of Engineering Education, 39-47.

Self reported influences SA I Bandura (1997) Sources of Self-efficacy

Studying

Mastery Experiences

Previous grade performance Completion of assignments Background knowledge/experience Conceptual understanding Class attendance

Vicarious ExperienceTeaching methods Perception of teacher

Verbal/Social PersuasionClassmate interactions Negative feelings Emotional/PhysiologicalLearning ability

OtherInterest Required for major

Results of Short-answer and Interviews

Example

Short-answer: “not a lot of previous

coursework”

Background experience

Interview: Background

experience code

“We kind of covered a lot compared to what we would have covered in high school so I guess that amount of material surprised me first and foremost. Some of it was a little more than I thought was, not necessarily that it was more than what should have been taught, it was just more coming in with no knowledge, like prior knowledge of any of this.”

Initial coding Provisional Coding

Saldana, J. (2013). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (2nd ed.). Washington D.C.: Sage.

Limitations

• Overlapping constructs - Further qualitative study focusing on the interaction of these constructs

• A narrow perspective from the limited number and diversity of interviews.

Practice

• Process of measuring sources of SE provide a framework for college departments of any field to better assess student outcomes early in a course

• Qualitative inquiry can be time consuming, but when using deductive analysis, the time commitment can be manageable.

• Sources could be studied with a rating scale

Summary of Implications for Practice

SE Plant assessment

• Plant sciences context but NOT course specific

Provide Mastery Experiences

• Allow students time to work with & use new concepts

Instructors help students achieve mastery

• Blend of planning & strategies

Acknowledgements

NIFA Grant 2010-01801: Enhancing science capacity in introductory Animal, Plant, and Food sciences courses

Committee Members:Neil KnoblochKathryn OrvisLevon EstersJon Harbor

Plant Scientist Team:Kathryn OrvisLori SnyderMichael ZanisJohn Cavaletto

Grant Team Leaders:Bryan HainsMark Balschweid

Students enrolled in HORT 101, AGRY 105 & BTNY 210 2011-2012