Engineering Students' Intelligence Beliefs and Learning

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Engineering Students' Intelligence Beliefs and Learning
Language: English
Authors: Stump, Glenda S., Husman, Jenefer, Corby, Marcia
Source: Journal of Engineering Education. Jul 2014 103(3):369-387.
Availability: Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2014
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Students, Student Attitudes, Beliefs, Engineering Education, Intelligence, Educational Attitudes, Cognitive Ability, Learning Strategies, Cooperative Learning, Self Efficacy, Grades (Scholastic), Learning Motivation
DOI: 10.1002/jee.20051
ISSN: 1069-4730
Abstract: Background: Students' beliefs about their intellectual ability influence their use of learning strategies, learning effort, and response to failure or setbacks. Students with incremental views of intelligence believe that learning is possible with sufficient effort, whereas those with entity views believe that intelligence is a fixed quality and expenditure of effort reflects an insufficient amount of that quality. Purpose: This study examined the relationship between engineering students' beliefs about intelligence and their perceived use of active learning strategies such as collaboration and knowledge-building behaviors, self-efficacy for learning and performance, and course grade. The study also examined the extent of entity and incremental beliefs in a sample of engineering students. Design/Method: The correlational study analyzed data from 377 engineering students recruited from required engineering courses at a large public university. We used bivariate correlations to examine relationships between study variables and multiple regression analyses to examine predictive ability of the variables on learning strategies and course grade. Results: Our results showed that students' intelligence beliefs were correlated with active learning strategies. Self-efficacy, reported use of collaboration, and incremental beliefs about intelligence were predictive of students' reported use of knowledge-building behaviors. Intelligence beliefs were not predictive of course grade. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the utility of these motivational beliefs for understanding university engineering students' learning efforts. Our results also suggest a need for instructors to support incremental views of intelligence among engineering students.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2020
Accession Number: EJ1255750
Database: ERIC
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Abstract:Background: Students' beliefs about their intellectual ability influence their use of learning strategies, learning effort, and response to failure or setbacks. Students with incremental views of intelligence believe that learning is possible with sufficient effort, whereas those with entity views believe that intelligence is a fixed quality and expenditure of effort reflects an insufficient amount of that quality. Purpose: This study examined the relationship between engineering students' beliefs about intelligence and their perceived use of active learning strategies such as collaboration and knowledge-building behaviors, self-efficacy for learning and performance, and course grade. The study also examined the extent of entity and incremental beliefs in a sample of engineering students. Design/Method: The correlational study analyzed data from 377 engineering students recruited from required engineering courses at a large public university. We used bivariate correlations to examine relationships between study variables and multiple regression analyses to examine predictive ability of the variables on learning strategies and course grade. Results: Our results showed that students' intelligence beliefs were correlated with active learning strategies. Self-efficacy, reported use of collaboration, and incremental beliefs about intelligence were predictive of students' reported use of knowledge-building behaviors. Intelligence beliefs were not predictive of course grade. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the utility of these motivational beliefs for understanding university engineering students' learning efforts. Our results also suggest a need for instructors to support incremental views of intelligence among engineering students.
ISSN:1069-4730
DOI:10.1002/jee.20051