Browsing by Subject "motivation"
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Item Associations among a Set of Motivational Variables, Self-Management Behaviors and Glycemic Control in a Sample of African-Americans with Type 2 Diabetes(2008-02-05) Gemmell, Leigh Anne; DiClemente, Carlo; Psychology; PsychologyThe purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the associations among a set of motivational variables (readiness, importance, and self-efficacy), self-management behaviors (diet, exercise/physical activity) and glycemic control in a sample of adults with diabetes. Participants were 76 African-American adults with type 2 diabetes. The following information was collected via orally administered questionnaires: demographics, comorbidities and complications, self-management behaviors, readiness to change each self-management behavior, self-efficacy for each self-management behavior, importance of each self-management behavior. Participant's body mass index was measured and a blood sample was collected in order to assess hemoglobin A1C level (A1C). There was a unique effect of physical activity/exercise on A1C (Beta-weight = -.242, p=.04). The full set of motivational variables for each self-management behavior predicted level of glycemic control for diet (Chi-square = 13.83, p<.01), but not for physical activity/exercise or medication adherence. Readiness mediated the relationship between importance and diet behavior, and importance and medication adherence behavior. The results indicate that the motivational variables measured in this study are important and related to self-management behaviors. These motivational variables may be useful to assess in future self-management interventions in order to see how changes in these variables over time may lead to behavior change and self-management regimen adherence.Item Athletics and the Classroom: The Effect of Participation in School-Sponsored Sports on Academic Achievement and Perception of Classroom Work Habits(2016-05-12) Straub, Lauren; Waynant, Louise; Woods, Rebecca; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this research was to determine whether participation in school-sponsored sports was related to academic achievement, classroom work habits and students’ perceptions related to their courses and achievement. A survey was completed by 126 high school students whose second marking period grade point averages were accessed from school records. The investigator, a high school teacher and coach, compared self-report data regarding students’ decisions to play or not play a winter sport, athletes’ beliefs about whether their participation in sports affected their academic achievement, and all students’ perceptions of their classroom work habits and academic choices. The results indicated that student athletes’ mean grade point average was statistically significantly higher than that of the non-athletes. Student athletes also rated some of their classroom work habits as more diligent or rigorous than did non-athletes on average. Future research might inquire further about the motivations of student athletes in terms of course selection and work habits and how these further affect their options to participate in other activities, and how such participation affects their course selection and work habits.Item Developing Positive Attitudes Toward Reading in Kindergarten Students Through Growth Mindset Activities(2018-07) Lum, Veronica; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine if a six-week intervention on fostering a growth mindset in 19 kindergarten students would improve their attitude toward reading. The measurement tool was The Elementary Reading Attitude Survey. This study involved the use of a pre-test/post-test design to compare data. Results showed no significant changes in attitude from pre- to post-test, though results could be attributable to many intervening factors. Research in early reading motivation and growth mindset should continue given the increased attention to the importance of early interventions and the positive impact of growth mindset for all ages.Item The Effect of Evidence Based Interventions on the Achievement of Middle School Students Living in Poverty(2018-07) Redmond, Nicole; Rhoades, Thomas; Waynant, Louise; Beard, Kay; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine whether or not evidence-based one-on-one supports affect the academic achievement of students living in poverty. The measurement tool was a series of teacher-created comprehension quizzes given at intervals during novel units in the language arts classroom. During this study, students categorized as living in poverty were provided with one-on-one support and interventions in the classroom. Students’ quiz scores were assessed and compared to scores students achieved prior to the implementation of the study to determine whether or not achievement was impacted by the interventions provided. The results of the study indicated that several students improved academically, but there were fluctuations in their improvement over time. The results were not conclusive enough to suggest that there is a direct correlation between one-on-one interventions and the academic performance of students living in poverty.Item The Effect of Formative Assessment on Achievement and Motivation(2020-05-05) Ashdale, Martin; Brager, Gary; Quinton, Jan; Masters of EducationFormative assessments are teaching strategies used to gauge student understanding and make in class adjustments to improve a lesson. Formative assessments can also improve student achievement and motivation. While there is enough evidence that formative assessment significantly improves these student measures, there is insufficient evidence on specific formative assessment tools and strategies that are commonly used in the classroom by teachers. This study seeks to better understand the effect of a specific formative assessment strategy, Progress Trackers, by comparing a control group that did not receive the Progress Tracker with a treatment group that did receive the formative assessment. The study showed that there was no significant difference between the treatment and control group based on the means of a pretest and posttest score. While not statistically significant, the treatment group did show a larger increase of students with at least a 60% improvement in achievement. The lack of statistical significance between the control and treatment group could be caused by the ineffectiveness of the formative assessment or the inability to exclude other variables in the classroom setting. This could include the use of other formative assessments used in both groups, content delivery and implementation of the formative assessment. Adjustments to the Progress Tracker itself, implementation and use with other demographics would be needed to accurately determine the effectiveness or lack thereof of the Progress Tracker.Item The Effect of Self-Assessment Questionnaires on Student Achievement in High School Science(2020-07-20) Rex, Michael; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the impact of a self-assessment questionnaire of behavior on the science achievement of students in a general education high school class. The study compared the percent correct on a unit vocabulary assessment of 43 high school students varying from ninth to eleventh grade that received a traditional warm-up/closure lesson design and 44 high school students varying from ninth to eleventh grade that received the lesson design with an added self-assessment questionnaire. For seven class periods, spanning approximately three weeks, the questionnaire was implemented to the 44 students. The questionnaire had students analyzing their behaviors throughout the lesson and was provided at the end of each lesson. After taking the vocabulary assessment, the mean percent correct of the control group (mean = 77.78, SD = 24.40) did not differ statistically different from the mean percent correct of the experimental group (mean = 84.73, SD = 16.21) [t(85) = 1.57, p = .120 ]. The results of the study failed to reject the null hypothesis, however the study had significant alterations due to the COVID-19 pandemic occurring approximately halfway through the study. The study suggested possible benefits to increasing student motivation and engagement. The exploration of the relationship between motivational techniques and academic achievement is essential to further the improvement of student success.Item The Effect of Self-Selected Inquiry Projects on the Perceptions of Students’ Literacy Engagement and Motivation(2017-07-13) Dunphy, Nanette; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of literacy engagement and motivation before and after the introduction of self-selected inquiry projects. The participants in this study were twenty-five second grade students from one class in a public elementary school in Maryland. This descriptive research design used a researcher-designed pre-and post-survey. After participating in self-selected inquiry through Genius Time, pre-and post-intervention data were compared and changes to students’ perceptions were noted. The findings of this study indicate that there is a positive effect on literacy engagement and motivation when students participate in self-selected inquiry projects.Item The Effect of Self-Selected Text on Student Motivation to Read(2017-12-12) Orrico, Rachel; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine if student-selected texts would effect the motivation for students to read independently. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design with a pre-survey. The twenty-six students who participated in this study were members of a the grade class in suburban Maryland during the 2017-2018 school year. The study hypothesized that the self-selection of books and use of Good Fit Book Boxes would not have a statistically significant effect on student motivation to read. The results of this study showed no statistical significance for the first four weeks of the study; however, by the fifth week there was a statistically significant decrease in the number of student-recorded pages read. Observations made during this intervention as well as students’ self-assessment of reading are discussed in Chapters II, IV and V.Item Impact of Choice on Student Motivation to Read(2021-05) Wiggins, Kelly; Rhoades, Thomas; Brennan, Sarah; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the impact text choice on adolescent students’ motivation to read. This study involved the use of descriptive design to understand the impact of allowing student text choice on student motivation to read. Two questionnaires were developed. The first questionnaire was given to the target population and depending on responses; a smaller sample group – a purposive sample was created for the final study. Purposive sample group was made of twenty sixth-grade students. Findings of this study suggests that student choice of text alone did not impact student motivation. Results suggested interest in the reading material demonstrated a greater impact on motivation than choice alone.Item Interaction in Post-Secondary Web-Based Learning(Educational Technology Publications Inc., 1999-01) Berge, Zane L.Distance education in the industrialized nations has seen dramatic changes in delivery technologies over the past few decades. Computer-mediated communication and the World Wide Web allow significantly faster interaction between student and faculty and among students during teaching and learning compared with the correspondence or mass communication models of distance education. Questions like the following are under increasing scrutiny: What does "interaction" mean in the context of teaching and learning? Why is interaction perceived as so important in post-secondary education? How can technology be used to promote the types of interaction that facilitate learning at a distance? The answer is often "It depends" - based on the motivation, individual capabilities, and learning style of the student, the subject matter, and a dozen or more other factors that affect the type and level of interaction needed for learning. This article will discuss the more salient dimensions of interaction in the context of Web-based instruction and hopefully provide a useful framework for thinking about interaction in a Web-based learning environment. Interaction is typically thought of as "sustained, two-way communication among two or more persons for purposes of explaining and challenging perspectives" (Garrison, 1993, p. 16). If done in a formal, educational environment, then, interaction is usually between a student(s) and instructor, or among students. It is, and will continue to be, the strength of this ongoing interaction with faculty and other students which distinguishes the university experience from independent learning or one-way, mass communication educational programs (Rogers & Wells, 1997).Item Motivating Senior Native Spanish Speakers learning English through an Educational Game(2021-02-01) Worrest, Michelle; Summers, Kathryn; Walsh, Greg; University of Baltimore. Division of Science, Information Arts, and Technologies; University of Baltimore. Master of Science in Interaction Design and Information ArchitectureMany people believe that the younger you are, the easier it is to learn a second language. This project explores methods for motivating senior native Spanish speakers learning English. Current literature was surveyed with a concentration in language acquisition and literacy, cognition, cultural and motivational factors, and sensory-motor characteristics for older adults. The majority of existing literature focuses on younger populations, so further research into older generations learning English as a foreign language is needed. Moreoever, with regard to basic literacy research, the focus has been on people in their native languages, not English as a second language (Bigelow, & Schwarz, 2010). I sought to test the theory that senior native Spanish speakers would be more motivated to learn English through narrative-based learning as opposed to standard translation learning. I tested both education methods as used in Duolingo, a languagelearning app, on my sample of participants and gauged their satisfaction and motivation rates. I learned that subjects were more satisfied with the narrative-based lessons than the standard translation lessons. Higher satisfaction levels are likely to correlate with the participants likelihood to continue using Duolingo. Repeated and regular involvement in language learning activities has been shown by other researchers to increase retention and may ultimately lead to a higher likelihood of learning English as a second language. Roughly 6% of the U.S. population, or 18.5 million people, are Spanish speakers who assess their English proficiency as inadequate. As the baby boomer generation grows exponentially each year, there is a growing market for second language education geared toward older adults, and current free tools can be optimized for this specific audience.Item Progress In Learning: A Review Of Catania's 4th Edition(Wiley Online Library, 1998-12) Mace, F. Charles; Borrero, John C.; Connell, James E.; Connelly, Melissa; Delaney, Beth A.; McLaughlin-Cheng, Elissa; Nocera, Rocco L.; Progar, Patrick R.; Ringdahl, Joel E.; Sierp, Barbara J.; Yoon, Jin HoItem Resident Assistant Workplace Motivation: A Mid-Atlantic Regional Study(2016) Boone, Katherine Bennett; Thompson, Glenn E.; Department of Educational Professions; Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)Minimal research has been conducted relative to the sources of work motivation for resident assistants (RAs) over the last decade. As more challenges and responsibilities are added to the expectations of the RA position, determining what current factors motivate students to apply for the RA position is essential. By identifying and better understanding the motivational factors of students who accept the RA role, housing professionals may focus their energies more appropriately in order to staff the position with highly qualified individuals. The literature review traces the evolution of the RA position and cites relevant research on motivation. The study included 231 respondents from 46 different institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region. The research found that helping behaviors was the most prominent factor for seeking the RA position. The desire to meet financial obligations was also a significant consideration. RA cohesiveness also was a factor of prominence. There were no significant differences in motivational factors when looking at demographic characteristics (gender, race/ethnicity) or work characteristics (type of residential community, semesters in the RA position, class standing of population RA was serving, number of students the RA served on floor/wing, and type of institution) In addition, there were no work or demographic characteristics that could predict high levels of motivation for current RAs. This finding can allow housing professionals to focus more clearly on one recruitment strategy.Item The reward integrator(American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2020-10-02) LeGates, TaraRewards are powerful stimuli that drive and reinforce goal-directed behaviors. There are a variety of factors that contribute to this process—such as motivation, anticipation, and contextual information—that are encoded in different brain regions. As a result, normal reward-related behaviors require proper functional integration of signals from multiple brain regions, but the essential pathways and underlying mechanisms of integration remain elusive. We have found that a critical mediator of this behavior is the connection between the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens (NAc)Item Testing theories of performance: measuring effectiveness at the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General Office of Audit(2010) Sharkey, Mimi Alejandra; Henderson, Lenneal J.; University of Baltimore. Yale Gordon College of Public Affairs; University of Baltimore. Doctor of Public AdministrationA qualitative design and case study method was used to examine the theories of performance and to measure the effectiveness of the United States Postal Service (USPS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Audit (OA). The most important finding of this research was the impact of having employees engaged in the mission of the organization; having a clear assessment and determination of progress towards that mission defined as a composite of interrelated performance measures and key indicators of success; and assuring that employees can translate and utilize these tools of performance. Herzberg‟s two-factor theory distinguishing extrinsic and intrinsic motivators, and his position that the most important were “recognition, work, responsibility, and advancement” (Accel, 2009) served as the theoretical framework for the research in this study, particularly the analysis of performance motivation in the work place. In addition, a central hypothesis in the study is derived from Frankl‟s belief that individuals want and need meaning in their lives. This proposition best summarizes how the mission of an organization, and the role that an individual plays in that organization, can lead to the most productive and engaged employees and a better performing organization. This hypothesis is confirmed by the USPS OIG OA performance data analysis in the study and is consistent with the findings of the Office of Personnel Management Federal Human Capital Survey and the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board Merit Principles Survey results. Frankl‟s premise best explains how a federal audit organization can achieve its intended results by having a workforce that is primarily focused on the mission of the organization, and by having individual performance measures related to the success of that organization. The study findings have significant implications for theories linking individual performance to organizational, policy and program performance; as well as for agencies seeking to link incentives for individual performance to overall agency performance.