Homework style,homework environment,and academic achievement

The study examined the preferred and actual homework styles of 272 seventh graders (134 males and 138 females) who were characterized by (1) three levels of selfperceived homework achievement, (2) three levels of academic achievement, and (3) three levels of homework achievement. Consistencies and differences in the distinguishing components were found within and between the different types of achievement. Although different patterns of distinguishing components emerged between preferred and actual homework styles, there were remarkable consistencies between them that distinguished the achievement levels. In general, high achievers were more self, parent, and teachermotivated and persistent, organized their homework in some order, preferred or did homework in a bright home environment and by themselves, and did better with specific instructions, when compared with low achievers. However, neither preferred nor actual perceptual preferences distinguished the levels of achievement. In both preferred and actual situations, students in the high homework achievement group were more parent-motivated than those in the low homework achievement group, demonstrating the importance of parental involvement in the home learning environment.     

英语专业学生自我效能和成就动机的相关性研究

采用定量研究中的问卷调查方法对学生自我效能的含义、特征及其在学习环境中的作用和意义进行探讨,对大学英语专业学生的自我效能感与他们的成就动机之间的关系进行实证研究,结果表明学生的自我效能和成就动机存在显著相关,因此有必要制定出提高英语专业学生自我效能和维持成就动机的策略。     

Parental support and homework emotions in Chinese children: mediating roles of homework self-efficacy and emotion regulation strategies

The goal of this study was to evaluate a complex multiple mediation model linking parental support, homework self-efficacy, emotion regulation strategies (i.e. cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), and homework emotions among Chinese children. Participants were 832 fourth and fifth grade students attending public primary schools in urban China. Measures of parental support, homework self-efficacy, emotion regulation strategies, and homework emotions were collected using self-report assessments. Results from multiple mediation analyses demonstrated that parental support indirectly predicted homework emotions through its positive associations with homework self-efficacy and cognitive reappraisal strategy. However, homework self-efficacy and expressive suppression strategy did not mediate the relation between parental support and homework emotions. Results are discussed with regard to the roles of homework self-efficacy and emotion regulation strategies in the links between parental support and children’s homework emotions. Educational implications are also considered.     

Online homework impact in undergraduate mathematics and business statistics courses

This evaluation examines the impact on student success rates related to changes in instructional programmes in undergraduate mathematics and statistics courses. Success for students taking courses with a computer-based homework component was compared with success of students who took the course in prior semesters without the computer-based component. Graphical and analytical tools are used to compare results. Results come from multiple semesters of each type of homework application, for both pre-calculus algebra and business statistics courses. Students whose performance is utilised in this study are undergraduate students taking introductory level college mathematics or business statistics courses, with mostly no prior instruction at this level. Comparing the success of the intervention group with the success of the baseline control group, findings support that the students using the computer-based homework instruction are just as successful as those using the traditional method of homework instruction. Utilising the online homework applications, provide several important advantages in today’s universities, including the reduced time for faculty grading, consistency of graded assignments across all sections of a course and most importantly, immediate feedback for students.     

普通高校体育教育专业大学生成就动机与自我效能感的关系研究

采用《社会自我效能感量表》和《成就倾向个体差异问卷》,对随机抽取的284名体育教育专业学生进行测量,探讨成就动机与自我效能感的关系．结果发现自我效能与成就动机呈显著正相关;成就动机中追求成功变量与自我效能感存在显著相关;成就动机中避免失败变量与自我效能感存在显著负相关．本研究所调查的自我效能感在性别、学历以及生源地上差异无统计学意义．     

Self-regulation of homework behaviour: relating grade,gender, and achievement to homework management

Abstract

The present investigation linked grade, gender, and maths achievement to homework management strategies using data from 305 Chinese students in grades 7, 8, and 9. These strategies included arranging the environment, managing time, handling distraction, monitoring motivation, and controlling potentially interfering emotion. A three-way MANOVA examined the effects of grade, gender, and maths achievement on homework management strategies. Grade or gender was not related to homework management strategies. Meanwhile, high-achieving students (compared with low-achieving students) were more likely to arrange the environment, manage time, handle distraction, monitor motivation, and control negative emotion.     

The role of achievement goals in online test anxiety and help-seeking

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of achievement goals in online test anxiety and help-seeking while controlling for self-efficacy and potential demographic differences. A total of 150 online students participated in the survey. Separate hierarchical regression analysis results suggested the differential roles of achievement goals in online test anxiety and help-seeking. Avoidance goals were found to be predictive of online test anxiety, whereas only students with performance-avoidance goals unexpectedly reported more online help-seeking. Further, while self-efficacy predicted both test anxiety and help-seeking, undergraduate students reported more help-seeking than their graduate counterparts. Implications and future directions of the study are discussed.     

英语阅读动机与阅读成绩、性别之相关性实证研究

大学生英语阅读过程中的阅读动机与阅读成绩、性别的相关性研究表明:(1)大学生具有较强的英语阅读动机。(2)学生的阅读动机总体水平与阅读成绩呈正相关,并且达到了统计学意义上的非常显著水平;效能信念、成就价值分别与阅读成绩相互正相关,相关程度达到显著水平;高、低分组的阅读成绩呈现显著差异。高分组的效能信念平均值高于低分组,其差异达到统计学上的显著水平。(3)女生阅读成绩高于男生,但两者无显著性差异。女生效能动机、成就价值和社会因素的平均值均高于男生,且差异均达到显著水平。因此,有效地激发学生阅读动机,针对男女性别差异的特点区别对待,可以更好地促进学生阅读能力的提升,这对外语教学的有效开展具有启示作用。     

Towards a unified theory of task-specific motivation

This study aims to integrate the current proliferation of motivation theories in a Unified Model of Task-specific Motivation (UMTM). According to this model readiness for action results from an interaction between four relatively independent types of valences that can be classified as affective or cognitive, and positive or negative. Affective valences are expectations about feelings while doing an activity; cognitive valences are expectations about the value of the consequences of an activity. In current theories these types of valences are designated as intrinsic, respectively extrinsic motives. Valences, furthermore, can be positive, but also negative. Positive valences give rise to approach motivation, negative valences to avoidance motivation. Important factors that influence valences are autonomy, feasibility expectation, and relatedness, each of which can be distinguished in a personal and a contextual facet, and subjective norm. In conclusion, some theoretical and practical implications are suggested and some issues for future research are proposed.     

Changes in self-efficacy and task value in online learning

This study was designed to investigate whether course content self-efficacy, online technologies self-efficacy, and task value change over the course of a semester. Sixty-nine participating students from four classes provided data through two instruments: (1) the self-efficacy instrument and (2) the task value instrument. Students’ self-efficacy and task value measures were collected three times during the semester (i.e., beginning of semester, mid-term, and final). Data were analyzed using repeated measures of variance. Findings of repeated measures indicate that course content self-efficacy and online technologies self-efficacy fluctuated, but task value remained unaffected during the course of the semester. Educational implications of the results and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

The relationship between homework time and achievement is not universal: evidence from multilevel analyses in 40 countries

Although homework is generally believed to be an important supplement to in-school learning, research has not yet fully clarified the relationship between homework and achievement. This cross-cultural study analyzed the relationship between homework time and mathematics achievement drawing on data from 231,759 students in 9,791 schools and 40 countries who participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003. Multilevel analyses found a positive association between school-average homework time and mathematics achievement in almost all countries, but the size of the association decreased considerably once socioeconomic background and school track were controlled. At the student level, no clear-cut relationship was established between homework time and achievement across the 40 countries. The results highlight the need to use multilevel analyses and to control for confounding variables in homework research.     

Motivational and cognitive test-taking strategies and their influence on test performance in mathematics

A structural equation model of relationships among testing-related motivation variables (test value, effort, self-efficacy, and test anxiety), test-taking strategies (test tactics and metacognitive strategies), gender, and math test performance were examined with a sample of 10th graders (N = 438; 182 males and 256 females). In general, motivation variables influenced the use of test-taking strategies and demonstrated stronger impacts on math performance than did test-taking strategies. Gender differences were found in self-efficacy and test anxiety. With a few surprising but culturally relevant results that warrant further investigation, the current study extended previous works on antecedents of academic achievement to testing situations within the self-regulated learning theory.     

A case study on mathematics anxiety for mathematics of finance course

The DIIA （Diploma in Investment Analysis） students from the FBM （Faculty of Business Management） were required to undertake several MOF （Mathematic of Finance） courses. The passing rates for all of the MOF courses were good except for one course. There are many factors for this low passing rate phenomenon for this particular MOF course. One of the factors is mathematics anxiety as suggested by Richardson in 1971. As a result, this paper is carried out in order to measure the undergraduates＇ level of mathematics anxiety in general and between genders in this one particular course. The outcome is expected to fill in the gap as study of anxiety in MOF is still lacking. A 30-item MARS （Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale） is adapted and used in this study, because this course is predominant by complex computations. The Ss （samples） of the study are 119 students who undertook this MOF course during the study semester of December 2008 to April 2009 in UiTM （Universiti Teknologi MARA）. It is expected that the findings will show that the Ss have a considerably high mean for mathematics anxiety; and female students have a higher mean of mathematics anxiety as compared to their male counterparts. The study confirms the expectation of the researchers. In terms of the final and overall results, it was expected that the passing percentage be dominated by the male students. However, at the end of the study, the overall performance of the female students was much better compared to their male counterparts.     

网络课程对高职差生英语学习动机的影响

学习动机是外语学习成功与否的关键因素之一。网络课程可以提供不同于传统课堂的学习情境,因而可能作用于学习动机。本文用问卷调查的方式研究高职差生的英语学习动机类型以及网络课程对学习动机的影响。研究发现：高职差生的英语学习动机类型与本科生有所区别;高职差生喜欢通过网络课程学英语;网络课程能有效提高差生对英语的内在兴趣一一学习情境的改善增加了学习乐趣,而且使学生感到更自在。     

The relative strength of relations between different facets of teacher motivation and core dimensions of teaching quality in mathematics - A multilevel analysis

Teacher self-efficacy and teacher interest are two key facets of teacher motivation that are important for high-quality teaching. Little is known about the relative strength of the effects of teacher self-efficacy and interest on teaching quality when compared with one another. We extend previous research on teacher motivation by examining the relations linking mathematics teacher self-efficacy and interest with several relevant dimensions of teaching quality as perceived by teachers and students. Participants were 84 mathematics teachers (61.2% female) and their students (1718 students; 48.5% girls). Based on doubly latent multilevel models, we found that teacher-reported self-efficacy in instruction was positively related to teacher-reported cognitive activation, classroom management, and emotional support in mathematics classrooms. Teacher-reported educational interest showed positive associations with both student- and teacher-perceived emotional support. Future research is advised to focus more strongly on the unique relations between different teachers’ motivational characteristics and relevant dimensions of teaching quality.     

The bright and dark side of writing motivation: Effects of explicit instruction and peer assistance

The authors investigated the impact of explicit instruction and peer-assisted writing on students' writing motivation and self-efficacy for writing. Eleven teachers and their 206 fifth- and sixth-grade students participated in a 2 (explicit instruction vs. writing opportunities without explicit instruction) × 2 (peer-assisted writing vs. writing individually) experimental intervention study with a pretest-posttest design. The four experimental conditions were compared with a business-as-usual (BAU) condition. The five-week interventions were implemented in authentic classes by regular class teachers, who received a prior professional development training. Multilevel analyses showed that students who wrote with a peer were more autonomously motivated at posttest than BAU students. Additionally, BAU students and students receiving explicit instruction were more controlled motivated than students who were offered ample writing opportunities while practicing individually. Theoretical and educational implications are discussed in view of realizing a bright pathway towards autonomous writing motivation.     

Effects of reviewing annotations and homework solutions on math learning achievement

Previous studies have demonstrated that making annotations can be a meaningful and useful learning method that promote metacognition and enhance learning achievement. A web‐based annotation system, Virtual Pen (VPEN), which provides for the creation and review of annotations and homework solutions, has been developed to foster learning process among students. In order to explore the effects of reviewing annotations and homework solutions on learning achievement, a quasi‐experiment was conducted with VPEN in a math class over a period of 4 months. It was found that reviewing own text annotations has a significant influence on learning achievement; while on the contrary, reviewing peers' text annotations has no significant influence on learning achievement. Our results show that students gain more from reviewing their own annotations than from reviewing the annotations made by peers, a contrast which reveals that annotations hold additional meaning for their creators. Further investigation revealed that only the quantity of text annotations among all other variables can significantly predict students' learning achievement. This finding may suggest that text annotations play more important roles to learning achievement than other variables, like homework. The reason is because text annotations are created by learners actively on voluntary base whereas homework is usually assigned by the teachers. Based on our findings, we suggest that teachers may consider incorporating learning activities that can foster metacognitive development into the learning process, like making annotations, solving homework and reviewing them, whereas peer learning should be encouraged only for reviewing the homework solutions of their peers with good learning achievement.     

Effects of an emotion control treatment on academic emotions, motivation and achievement in an online mathematics course

We designed and developed an emotion control treatment and investigated its effects on college students’ academic emotions, motivation, and achievement in an online remedial mathematics course. The treatment group showed more positive emotions of enjoyment and pride than the control group. The treatment group also showed a higher level of motivation than the control group but there was no difference between the two groups in achievement. Implications for the design and development of interventions or systems for students’ emotion control are discussed.     

Family and motivation effects on mathematics achievement: Analyses of students in 41 countries

This study examines family and motivation effects on student mathematics achievement across 41 countries. The Rasch estimates of PISA mathematics test scores and questionnaire responses of 107,975 15-year-old students were analyzed via multilevel analyses. Students scored higher in richer or more egalitarian countries; when living with two parents, without grandparents, with fewer siblings (especially fewer older siblings); with higher family SES, more books, cultural possessions, or cultural communication; or when they had greater interest in mathematics, more effort and perseverance, and higher self-efficacy or self-concept. Family structure effects were stronger in individualistic or richer countries. Richer countries showed stronger family cultural communication effects, suggesting stronger, intangible resource effects.