Browsing by Subject "Interest"
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Item A college approach to fractals in middle school(2005-08) Duke, Billy J.; Dwyer, Jerry F.; Wilhelm, Jennifer A.The algebra and geometry of complex numbers were presented to eighth and ninth grade mathematics classes. The purpose of the presentations was to determine if this college level mathematics would have an influence on the algebra and geometry skills of the K-12 students. Pre and post surveys were employed. Results showed an increase in both student mathematics skills and student interest in the ninth grade class. In the eighth grade class there was not a significant improvement. It may be conjectured that ninth grade students benefit from this kind of intervention, but that the average eighth grade student does not have the mathematical skills required to handle the college level material.Item A critical evaluation of the expectations hypothesis of the term structure of interest rates(Texas Tech University, 1965-05) Wallace, Kenneth JayNot availableItem A study of interest rates and investment policies for idle public balances of the larger cities, counties and school districts in Texas, 1968-1969(Texas Tech University, 1969-08) Marshall, Richard HaroldNot availableItem Facebook use in college students : facing the learning motivation of young adults(2012-08) Huang, Chu-Jen; Schallert, Diane L.; Falbo, ToniThis study explored college students’ perceptions of Facebook, focusing on their views of Facebook as an informal learning environment, how the features of Facebook motivate students’ learning, and the relationship between motivation and interest triggered when using Facebook. Participants were surveyed via an online survey program in order to examine whether their perceptions and experiences with Facebook (Madge, Wellens, & Hooley, 2009) and how the features of Facebook motivated users’ learning. This study provides evidence to support the idea that interest and motivated actions on Facebook are related. For example, students mostly read (click) posts that are related to things they are learning and therefore they are mostly self-motivated to reply to posts in which they are interested. In addition, in support of the four-phase model of interest development (Hidi & Renninger, 2006), students’ positive feelings, which is interest, plays a crucial role in developing individual interest which leads to self-regulated learning.Item Mediating effects of teacher enthusiasm and peer enthusiasm on students' interest in the college classroom(2011-05) Kim, Tae Hee; Schallert, Diane L.; SVINICKI, MARILLA D.; EMMER, EDMUND T.; WHITTAKER, TIFFANY A.; MOSLEY, MELISSAFor teachers and educators, developing students’ interest in the classroom has been a primary concern. Relatedly, for decades educational researchers have explored the construct of interest and the factors that influence students’ interest. However, despite the importance given to context to interest development in these theoretical descriptions, less attention has been paid to understanding teacher and classmate characteristics as contextual factors that may influence, positively and negatively, students’ interest. Therefore, with the goal of exploring the role of the teacher and classmates in students’ interest in a course throughout a semester, this study explored mediator effects of students’ perceptions of teacher enthusiasm and of peer enthusiasm on the relation between their initial interest and their situational interest at the end of the semester. Also, students’ motivation for affiliation with their teacher and with peers was added to investigate associations between these student variables and their perceptions of teacher and peer enthusiasm. Data were collected in 12 different classes with different instructors. In total, 455 students participated in the study, by filling out surveys at the beginning and end of the semester. For the main analysis, a path analysis was used in order to explore the relationships among initial interest, background knowledge, perceptions of teacher enthusiasm, perceptions of peer enthusiasm, motivation for affiliation with the teacher, motivation for affiliation with peers, and the situational interest variables of “hold interest” and “catch interest” at the end of the semester. Results indicated that the relationships between initial interest and “hold” as well as “catch” interest were mediated by perceptions of peer enthusiasm but not teacher enthusiasm. Also, perceptions of teacher enthusiasm and of peer enthusiasm had direct effects on “hold” interest as well as “catch” interest. Also, students’ affiliative motivation with the teacher and peers had direct effects on their perceptions of teacher and peer enthusiasm. Overall, this study makes a contribution to an appreciation for the importance of contextual factors as well as students’ own individual variables to understanding the mechanisms by which students’ interest in a course develops and is maintained throughout the semester.Item Museum visitors' self-efficacy and interest in contemporary art(2015-05) Wilson, Lauren Michelle; Schallert, Diane L.; Patall, Erika AContemporary art can pose a particular challenge for museum visitors to interpret, and psychological literature suggests that such challenge to self-efficacy may lower interest (Hong & Lin, 2013; Ryan & Deci, 2000; Schunk & Usher, 2008). This study sought to explore museum visitors’ interpretive strategies, feelings of self-efficacy, and interest. Factors including prior knowledge, interpretation support (e.g., labels), and challenge of artwork were also considered. Results discuss suggestions for museums when displaying works that may be perceived as challenging or unapproachable. Participants included visitors to the Blanton Museum of Art and students at the University of Texas at Austin who were pre-screened for prior knowledge of museums. Sessions occurred during the fall of 2014 and included completing questionnaires while viewing three works in the contemporary galleries. Students also participated in focus groups. Both quantitative and qualitative results confirmed predictions that interpretive self-efficacy and interest are related. Provision of labels did not show significant difference for self-efficacy or interest, but high prior knowledge of art did show increased levels of self-efficacy. A search for meaning and aesthetic observation and preference typically drove participant interpretations; most were highly personal. With low self-efficacy, participants struggled to interpret works and even considered pieces arbitrary. However, they enjoyed being challenged to interpret the work on their own before viewing the label. Participants responded particularly well to the idea of using interactive interpretive devices as a means of building understanding for works to which they may not otherwise be drawn. Overwhelmingly, low-prior-knowledge infrequent visitors wanted clear explanations of the artist's motive for creating the work and wanted the ability to visualize or even mimic the artistic process for creating each piece. Museums striving to increase interest in contemporary art for visitors should prioritize building self-efficacy through supportive interpretive strategies.Item Spotlight on cognitive autonomy support and its connection to cognitive processing and student interest(2013-08) Lee, Ji-Eun, active 2013; Schallert, Diane L.The purpose of the dissertation was to explore how students’ perceptions of different types of autonomy support can be associated with the motivational construct of student interest, differentiated into situational and individual interest, mediated by different levels of cognitive processing such as surface processing and deep processing, using SEM (structural equation modeling). It was hypothesized that 1) PCAS (perceived cognitive autonomy support) would influence students’ individual interest, the later phase of interest development, and also that 2) the relationship between these would be mediated by deep level of cognitive processing, referred to as deep processing in the study, highlighting the impact of PCAS on both cognitive processing and motivation. To this end, there were three phases to the current study: (a) a first qualitative phase using open-ended questions and a focus group interview about whether and how students perceive and experience different types of autonomy support they encounter from their instructors (Study1A); (b) a second scale development phase to develop and finalize the PCAS-K (perceived cognitive autonomy support, Korean version) and PC-K (perceived choice, Korean version) in the Korean educational context (Study1B); and (c) a third phase to investigate the relationships among students’ perceptions of various types of autonomy support, different levels of cognitive processing, and student interest (Study2, main study). The results suggested that perceived cognitive autonomy support was positively related to situational interest directly and also indirectly to both situational and individual interest, whereas perceived choice was associated with neither interest constructs. In addition, perceived cognitive autonomy support was highly correlated with other constructs such as surface processing and deep processing, whereas perceived choice was not related to any other latent variables in the study. In contrast to my expectations, perceived cognitive autonomy support was not positively related to individual interest by mediation of deep processing. Instead, perceived cognitive autonomy support was positively associated with situational interest, mediated by deep processing. In light of the findings, the study spotlights cognitive autonomy support as a significant predictor of cognitive processing and student motivation. Further research is needed with different individuals in various contexts in order to elucidate further the relationships among these variables.Item The connection between perceived teacher enthusiasm and near transfer in secondary English and Physics(2016-08) Griffin, Holly Elizabeth; Schallert, Diane L.; Butler, AndrewThe literature on teacher enthusiasm has developed broadly and rapidly over the last two decades, and it has reported correlations with several student outcomes including performance and interest. This paper applies the Keller, Goetz, Becker, Morger, and Hensley (2014) conceptualization of dispositional teacher enthusiasm, which incorporates both affect and expressivity, to hypothesize significant positive relationships between teacher enthusiasm and near transfer of knowledge. In this study, immediately after a lesson was concluded, high school students (n=67) and teachers (n=8) were surveyed on classroom emotions, experiences, and perceived enthusiasm using Kunter et al.’s (2008, 2011) adapted teacher enthusiasm scale. Participants came from four English II classes, and four physics classes. Two weeks after the lesson with associated learning objectives (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills), the students were tested on their mastery of the content with questions measuring their application level understanding. Based on correlational analysis, students who perceived teachers as enthusiastic did not perform significantly better on cumulative tests of knowledge, but all affective variables measured were significantly correlated with each other. Lastly, possible mediating factors and future directions are discussed.Item The effect of taxes on debt-financed consumption(Texas Tech University, 2001-12) Noga, Tracy JeanAn extensive body of tax literature posits that taxpayers respond to changes in tax laws, especially marginal tax rates. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 (TRA 86) reduced marginal tax rates and phased out the tax deduction for personal interest, across time eliminating the tax subsidy on personal interest available to individual taxpayers. This was done in an attempt to encourage savings. Prior research regarding the effects of these changes on debt levels of individuals is limited. As a result, conclusive evidence does not exist regarding the results of the TRA 86 in the area of debt financed consumption. Additionally, up to this point virtually all research in the area has been at a macroeconomic level. This study, through the use of panel data, links the microeconomic behavior of individual taxpayers to previous macroeconomic findings by providing evidence that taxpayers are sensitive to the changes in after tax cost of debt and subsequently on debt financed consumption. The study also finds that lasticities may change over time as well as vary by income level. In a time of increasing consumer debt and decreasing household savings, these findings are likely to have important implications in future policy changes. Lastly, taxpayer elasticity estimates have historically been subject to the methodological choices of the researchers. This study compares several methods of analysis (random coefficient regression, fixed effects model, random intercept model, first difference regression, and difference in difference regression) and provides insight into the relatively better predictor for debt levels of individuals.Item The problems involved in financing a business expansion program during a 3% economy(Texas Tech University, 1957-06) Brown, Robert CNot available