Thesis
A case study of mathematics self-efficacy in a freshman engineering mathematics course
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2011
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/104894
Abstract
Student retention in engineering majors has become a cause for concern to the future of the science and technology industry in the United States. Researchers have since produced large bodies of evidence indicating a positive relationship between mathematics self-efficacy and students' choice of science-related educational and career pathways (Betz and Hackett, 1983; Hackett and Betz, 1989; Lent et al., 1991). This study examined the effects of an introductory math course grounded in engineering context on the mathematics self-efficacy of 27 college freshman with the intent to pursue engineering. Surveys and interviews conducted before and after the course were triangulated to identify consistent, inconsistent, and contradictory findings of efficacy change for each student. Students were grouped based on the similarities in efficacy experiences that they demonstrated in their responses to each method. Following pattern coding of interviews, group analysis was performed to identify, within each group, common mechanisms/sources of efficacy as dictated by Bandura's Self Efficacy Theory. Results of a paired t-test analysis of a modified version of the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Survey (MSES) indicated a significant increase in students' math problem solving efficacy; however, no significant change was observed for math courses efficacy. Results were congruent with previous research supporting that mastery experiences are the most powerful efficacy source; and was the only source common among students in each efficacy grouping. The most prevalent mastery experiences aggregated from the collection of group responses included: students' feeling prepared for calculus after having been exposed to introductory calculus material, learning that occurred through application of class examples to homework problems, correctly learning material that was misunderstood in previous math classes, and successful performance on the math placement test. Efficacy sources that were prevalent in each group and potential reasons for similarities and differences across groups are discussed.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- A case study of mathematics self-efficacy in a freshman engineering mathematics course
- Creators
- Jacob Rowland Burnham
- Contributors
- Shane Brown (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525105101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis