New Publication – Exploring the Predictive Relationship Between Perceived Instrumentality, Interest, and Transformative Experiences in Online Engineering Courses

Published by Murat Turk on September 26, 2019September 26, 2019

Dr.Heddy and MOVElab member John Chancey, and Jacqueline Goldman have published an article in Educational Psychology titled Exploring the Predictive Relationship Between Perceived Instrumentality, Interest, and Transformative Experiences in Online Engineering Courses, along with Katherine Nelson, Katherine Cheng, and Jenefer Husman of University of Oregon.

Abstract

Our aim was to explore the usefulness of Use, Change, Value (UCV) discussions to facilitate Transformative Experiences (TE) in online engineering courses. We investigated the predictive relationship between perceived instrumentality (PI) and interest on TE. We also investigated gender differences in the predictive relationships between the variables. In a quasi-experimental study with 74 students, we investigated two teaching approaches (UCV discussions and traditional) on TE, PI, and interest. Students’ interest positively predicted higher TE in both groups, however, PI did not predict TE in the treatment. Interest and PI predicted TE in the control. Furthermore, male students TE was predicted by PI and interest, whereas female students TE was predicted by interest but not PI. PI is only a predictor of TE in female students and students who do not receive the intervention, suggesting that TE may generate an in the moment instrumentality experience, while PI is future-oriented.