Graduation Term

2013

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Teaching and Learning

Committee Chair

Linda Haling

Abstract

Motivation, self-efficacy, beliefs about intelligence, and attributions about academic performance all play important roles in student success. To determine the relationships between these factors and the influence of demographics upon them, an online quantitative survey was taken of college students measuring their self-perceptions of these factors. The survey was comprised of items from three existing surveys: the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), the Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale, and the Revised Causal Dimension Scale. First- and second-year students, generally at the highest risk of attrition, were targeted in order to explore whether these factors could shed light on persistence. 153 surveys were returned, with 149 mostly completed and 116 fully completed.

Results generally, though not always, supported prior research regarding correlations between the factors measured. Additional relationships were shown between previously-uncombined factors, such as beliefs about intelligence and attributions. In numerous instances, small demographic groups made large differences in the analysis of the overall demographic, showing the need to carefully examine the different perceptions of such groups if one is to get an accurate picture of a variety of students. These and other significant findings are discussed in the context of this study, of prior research, and of professional practice, and recommendations for future research are given.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2013.Lackey.C

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