Can Engagement in a Research Project Increase Online Undergraduate Students' Science Self-Efficacy? : A Quasi-Experimental Study of Online Students in a Research Methods Class / Marina Klimenko, Kyle W. Williams.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Klimenko, Marina, author.

Williams, Kyle W., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Science--Study and teaching.

Science.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

London, England : SAGE Publications Ltd, 2025.

Summary:

The authors conducted a quasi-experimental study to assess the effectiveness of engaging college students in a research project within a research methods lab course, with the goal of increasing science self-efficacy. This study can also be called a natural experiment because the manipulation of the independent variable was accomplished naturally, by virtue of students taking the class. As part of the class procedures, students chose one of the three conditions: conducting a research project (condition 1), taking the final exam (condition 2), or completing both assignments (condition 3). While on one hand, following the course procedures strengthens the external validity of the study, on the other hand, self-selection to conditions weakens its internal validity. The findings supported our prediction that engagement in a research project can raise students' science self-efficacy, however, the issues of self-selection as well as conducting the study within only one classroom taught by the researcher of the study raises the question of whether the findings can be applied to other classrooms with different instructors and of different disciplines. An improvement on this method can be to expand the sample to multiple classrooms; in addition, this study can span multiple semesters, during which students would either complete a research project, take the final exam, or do both assignments.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

1-03-621564-4

9781036215644

OCLC:

1523168983