Browsing by Author "Wang, Yuanhua"
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Item Enhancing students’ motivation in learning mathematics: The mediating effects of perceived value(2019-12) Wang, Yuanhua; Lan, William; Kaumau, Siwatu; Flores, RaymondNational education policies have focused on improving U.S. student performance in areas related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Among all the STEM subjects, mathematics plays an important role of success in learning other STEM subjects. Therefore, researchers have paid increasingly attentions to examining the factors that motivate students to engage and improve learnings in mathematics. Drawing on the expectancy-value theory, this study examines the effect of cognitive activation on student motivational behaviors and their actual learning performances. In particular, this study investigates the mediating effect of student perceived value on the relationship between cognitive activation and their motivational behaviors. The data of this study were drawn from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the group of 2012 with a sample of 1,017 high school students from the United State. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the measurement model fitness. Structure Equational Modeling (SEM) was used to examine the effect of cognitive activation on student motivational behaviors (effort and choice), and the mediating role of student perceived value (intrinsic value, utility value, and psychological cost) on the relationship between cognitive activation and motivational behaviors. Results from this study indicate cognitive activation positively affects student choice and effort in mathematics learning. In addition, the relationship between cognitive activation and choice is fully mediated by student perceived value. The relationship between cognitive activation and effort is partially mediated by student perceived value. Both student choice and effort can enhance their mathematics learning performances. Theoretical implications and future research directions are discussed.Item Investigating learning assistants' use of questioning in online courses about introductory physics(2023) Wang, Jianlan (TTU); Wang, Yuanhua; Wipfli, Kyle; Thacker, Beth; Hart, StephanieLearning assistants (LAs) play an important role in inquiry-oriented physics instruction in large classrooms. LAs increase the teacher-student ratio and provide timely support to student exploration. Questioning is believed to be an advantageous strategy for LAs to scaffold student learning and maintain students as the agent of knowledge construction. Unfortunately, there are few instruments for the measurement and preparation of LAs' competency of questioning. It remains obscure how LAs use questioning in their interaction with students and how their questioning contributes to students' conceptual understanding. In this study, we developed two instruments that included a coding scheme to assess LAs' practice of questioning from class videos and written questions to assess LAs' knowledge of analyzing various situations that they may encounter while teaching introductory physics. We used the two instruments to measure performed and narrated pedagogical content knowledge of questioning (PCK-Q) of four LAs in two inquiry-based physics courses taught online. We examined the validity and reliability of both instruments, gauged LA-student interaction in online settings, delineated the LAs' PCK-Q, and suggested how the LAs' questioning contributed to students' physics learning. We also discussed the use of the two instruments for the purposes of both LA assessment and preparation.