The Dynamic Association of Interest and Confusion: The Potential for Moderation by Utility Value and Gender. Issue 3 (1st May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Geerling, Danielle; Butner, Jonathan; Fraughton, Tamra; Sinclair, Sungchoon; Zachary, Joseph; Sansone, Carol
• Is Part Of: Journal of experimental education. Volume 88:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 407
• Page End: 430
• Publication Date: 2020-05-01
• Subjects: Interest -- dynamical systems -- self-regulation of motivation -- utility value -- gender in STEM; Education -- Experimental methods -- Periodicals; Educational psychology -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; Psychology, Experimental -- Periodicals; 370.15
• DOI: 10.1080/00220973.2018.1561403
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0973

Abstract

Abstract: To better understand students' experiences while learning in an online computer-science course, we adopted a dynamical systems analytic framework in which we tested linked patterns of confusion and interest over time and investigated whether and how those patterns might change as a function of students' exposure to a utility value (UV) intervention and gender. We assessed interest and confusion via event contingent experience-sampled questionnaires that displayed immediately after students had engaged with key examples or exercises. Results indicated that students' exposure to a UV intervention and gender affected the levels of confusion that students reported and the associations between interest and confusion levels over time. Implications for educators and researchers are discussed.