The Effects of Autonomy on Motivation and Performancein the College Classroom

The goals of this study were to extend the literature about classroom autonomy in several ways. First, since previous research on autonomy has tended to focus on younger learners, we examined whether the positive effects of autonomy on motivation and performance would be replicated in a college sample. Second, we tested to see whether the well-established links between intrinsic motivation and autonomy would also be found using motivational constructs that play key roles in learning (specifically, task value, self-efficacy, and test anxiety). Third, we sought to trace the effect of autonomy on changes in student motivation over the course of a semester. Finally, we examined the role of autonomy on course performance. We found that experiences of classroom autonomy in the college classroom were more closely related to motivational factors than to performance. While the immediate experience of autonomy may not be directly facilitative of high course grades, autonomy does seem to foster intrinsic goal orientation, task value, and self-efficacy, all of which are critical components of “continuing motivation.” The data presented here lend further support for the benefits of fostering autonomy within academic settings.     

Disciplinary Differences in Self-Regulated Learning in College Students

The personal attributes of self-regulated learning are often described in terms of knowledge base, adaptive motivational beliefs, and appropriate use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies for learning. These attributes are usually assumed to apply across all disciplines and contexts, but there has been little research that has examined the disciplinary differences in these personal attributes of self-regulated learning. The present study examined college students’ knowledge, motivation, and self-regulatory learning strategies in humanities, social science, and natural science college courses. The sample included 380 college students from three different institutions. Students were given a measure of their course knowledge and a self-report measure of their motivational beliefs and use of self-regulatory strategies at the beginning and end of the semester. Three levels of achievement were created from final course grade and ANOVA's were used to examine the differences in knowledge, motivation, and self-regulation by achievement level and discipline. The results suggest that the components of knowledge, motivation, and self-regulation do distinguish high from low achievers in social and natural science courses, but not in the humanities courses. Results are discussed in terms of the generalizability of our models of self-regulated learning across disciplines and implications for measuring self-regulated learning in different disciplines.     

Attainment of skill in using science processes II. Grade and task effects

Two studies were used to examine developmental and task effects in estimation problems. Time to solution data were collected on students' performance to describe their efficiency in processing information. Study One demonstrated developmental differences in speed of processing between younger students (first grade) and older students (third and sixth grade), with younger students performing at a slower rate. Study Two demonstrated that the amount of feedback information present influenced speed of processing. Results were discussed in terms of student and task characteristics and the implications of such variables for an information processing model of learning. Implications for science teaching were also discussed in terms of diagnosing learning problems and designing science curriculum.     

Research progress of transparent conducting ZnO:Al(ZAO)films

Owing to both of its high carrier concentration and large band gap,ZnO:Al(ZAO)films which is an n-type degenerate semiconductor,exhibits low resistance and high transmittance in the visible range.This work studies the crystal structure,optical and electrical properties and preparation methods of ZAO films,and discusses the existing problems and application prospective of ZAO films.     

Simulated tennis matchplay in a controlled environment

The aim of this study was to develop an exercise protocol to simulate tennis matchplay on a 'category 2' surface. Match analyses were used to form the basis for the design of the protocol. The protocol involved playing against a tennis ball serving machine. Part A of the protocol comprised 92 min 46 s of simulated tennis matchplay; Part B consisted of continuous hitting to the point of 'volitional fatigue' or when the required hitting frequency for two consecutive ball feeds could no longer be maintained. Ten elite tennis players (5 males, 5 females) volunteered to participate in the study, which was performed on an indoor tennis court (Matchplay?, En-Tout-Cas)?. Their age, body mass and estimated maximal oxygen uptake were as follows: males, 21.7±1.0 years, 73.6±2.6 kg and 58.0±1.7 ml?·?kg^?1?·?min^?1, respectively; females, 21.9±1.3 years, 62.3±2.0 kg and 42.2±0.7 ml?·?kg?·?min^?1, respectively (mean±). Heart rate, change in body mass and time to volitional fatigue were monitored. The heart rate responses of the participants to the simulated matchplay (range: 140-157 beats?·?min^?1, 73-81% peak heart rate) were consistent with the results of previous studies, for 'actual' matchplay. This protocol was successful in simulating similar physiological responses in Part A to 'actual' matchplay on a 'category 2' surface, in a controlled environment; it was also a sensitive evaluation tool of skilled performance in Part B. The current protocol may be used as a baseline protocol for studying the influence of, for example, training and dietary intervention on performance.     

四种作用力的大统一场论已近在眼前

伟大的科学家Einstein曾说他感觉到自然界有统一性,他说“这是一种壮丽的感觉”,他首先提倡研究四种作用力的统一场论,提出过“黎曼空间几何统一场论”[1,2],未能成功。后来也有人提出“量子统一场论”[3],“规范统一场论”[4],“弱-电统一场论”[5,6,7],“三种力统一场论”[8]     

从夸饰与虚构的运用看《战国策》的文学价值

具有重要史料价值的《战国策》,因大量纵横游说之辞中对夸饰与虚构手法的运用而富有浓厚的学色彩,其夸饰与虚构的体现形式多种多样。《战国策》的学成就,在先秦史传学中,许多方面具有独创性,对后世学的发展产生过深元的影响。     

Understanding Interference and Inhibition Processes from a Motivational and Self-Regulated Learning Perspective: Comments on Dempster and Corkill

Interference and inhibition processes as discussed by Dempster and Corkill (1999) are useful on two levels: first, metaphorically in terms of general themes for educational psychology, and, second, in terms of psychological mechanisms for understanding learning. At the same time, there are a number of issues that must be addressed in future theory and research before interference and inhibition processes can be accorded a primary explanatory role in models of learning, including the operation and sequencing of interference and inhibition processes in relation to other cognitive, motivational, and self-regulation processes; the definition and construction of the relevant–irrelevant information dimension; the role of interference and inhibition in the active selection of goals, strategies, and behavior; the stability and trait-like nature of interference and inhibition; the range of generality and applicability of interference and inhibition in relation to all other aspects of learning and behavior; and the utility and power of interference and inhibition as explanatory constructs.     

Contextual differences in student motivation and self-regulated learning in mathematics,English, and social studies classrooms

Recent research on self-regulated learning has stressed the importance of both motivational and cognitive components of classroom learning. Much of this research has examined these components without consideration of potential contextual differences. Using a within-subject correlational design, the present study assessed mean level differences in students' task value, self-efficacy, test anxiety, cognitive strategy use, regulatory strategy use, and classroom academic performance by gender and across the subject areas of mathematics, social studies, and English. In addition, the relations among the motivational, strategy use, and performance measures were assessed using multivariate regressions. The participants were 545 seventh and eighth grade students (51% females) who responded to a self-report questionnaire. Results revealed mean level differences by subject area and gender in the motivation and cognitive strategy use variables, but not in regulatory strategy use or academic performance. In contrast, results indicated that the relations among these constructs was very similar across the three subject areas examined. Findings are discussed in terms of their importance for understanding the contextual nature of students' self-regulated learning.     

Avoiding Seeking Help in the Classroom: Who and Why?

Why do some students avoid seeking help in the classroom when they need it? When students do not seek the help they need, they put themselves at a disadvantage for learning. We discuss how students' personal motivational characteristics relate to their avoidance of help seeking. In particular, we discuss our work regarding perceived academic and social competence and achievement- and social-goal orientations. We also discuss how various dimensions of the classroom context relate to help avoidance. Specifically, we discuss rules and norms of classrooms as well as our work examining the achievement goal structure and social climate of classrooms. We conclude by discussing how new developments in achievement goal theory distinguishing between approach- and avoidance-goal orientations might add to psychologists' understanding of help avoidance. We also consider how students' strivings for autonomy and different aspects of the social climate might be incorporated into theories of students' help avoidance behavior.