- Title
- A case study examination of self-efficacy, motivation, and self-regulation to perform well in NSW HSC chemistry, particularly the working scientifically components of the Stage 6 syllabus, through participation in chemistry social learning groups
- Creator
- Weeding, Andrew Brian
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2024
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- The current study focused on students undertaking the Higher School Certificate (HSC) Chemistry in 2020 at Knox Grammar School, a large private boys’ school in Sydney. Knox had embraced Bandura’s social cognitive learning theory (SCLT) as the basis of its approach to teaching and learning with senior students, especially Bandura’s principle of social learning, that much of what we learn occurs via observation of and interaction with others. A Senior Centre was opened at Knox in 2015 to encourage students to work together. The aim of this this study was to investigate whether Knox’s endorsement of Bandura’s ideas was associated with high levels of students’ self-efficacy for success in HSC Chemistry, students’ motivation to learn chemistry, and students’ use of effective self-regulation strategies. A case study involving data collection from 113 Knox students undertaking HSC Chemistry in 2020 and the teachers of HSC Chemistry in 2020 was conducted. A particular focus was the operation of 27 chemistry social learning groups (CSLGs) on five occasions. CSLGs were not part of formal schooling. Students volunteered, outside class time, to join student-led groups (with minimal teacher involvement; mentoring only if requested) to work on HSC Chemistry problems that focused on “working scientifically” skills. Four students from the cohort (N = 117) chose not to participate in the study. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, some CSLGs met online instead of face-to-face in the Senior Centre. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered. Students completed the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) on two occasions: at the beginning of the study and at the end of the study (all items were adapted for HSC Chemistry). The MSLQ is divided into motivation and learning strategies sections. Some achievement goal items from the Achievement Goal Questionnaire–Revised (AGQ–R) were added to the MSLQ (all items were adapted for HSC Chemistry). At the end of each meeting of CSLGs (on five occasions), students responded to five researcher-generated single items (Likert response scales) about the operation of the CSLG and were invited to provide written comments as well. Students participating in the current study allowed the researcher to access their Year 11 and Year 12 chemistry examination marks, as well as their HSC Chemistry results. Permission was also provided for access to school-level data, collected by Knox each year, about noncognitive aspects of studying at Knox. These school-level data were collected by an independent company that collected data from similar private schools, allowing for a comparison of Knox data with the data from the other schools. Focus group interviews were conducted with students involved in CSLGs, student leaders of CSLGs, and HSC Chemistry teachers. The study provides evidence that almost all HSC Chemistry students in the study enjoyed participating in the CSLGs (led by a fellow student who was prepared for the role of group leader) and indicated that participation in CSLGs helped them to understand the working scientifically skills of the chemistry syllabus. They reported high levels of self-efficacy, high levels of motivation to learn HSC Chemistry, and high use of effective self-regulation strategies. Of course, because of the nature of a case study, causal links cannot be drawn between implementing Bandura’s principles and these results. The educational implications of the study are explored. First, students working together can enhance the group’s confidence that all members of the group can be successful in a major examination. Second, social learning groups, where students help each other, rather than compete against each other, can reduce the high levels of anxiety that come with high-stakes examinations. The way in which HSC results are calculated encourages students—within the one school—to work together rather than to compete against each other. Limitations of the study are noted, as well as avenues for future research.
- Subject
- high-stakes testing; anxiety; social learning theory; self-efficacy; self-regulation; motivation
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1512880
- Identifier
- uon:56678
- Rights
- Copyright 2024 Andrew Brian Weeding
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 2 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 215 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |