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This article empirically tests a previously developed theoretical framework for mathematics identity based on students' beliefs. The study employs data from more than 9,000 college calculus students across the United States to build a robust structural equation model. While it is generally thought that students' beliefs about their own competence in mathematics directly impact their identity as a "math person," findings indicate that students' self-perceptions related to competence and performance have an indirect effect on their mathematics identity, primarily by association with students' interest and external recognition in mathematics. Thus, the model indicates that students' competence and performance beliefs are not sufficient for their mathematics identity development, and it highlights the roles of interest and recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how new university students in three different fields of study—arts, law and veterinary medicine—explain their own disciplinary choices (n = 536). Despite the differences between the study fields, the new students' answers often included the word “interest”. Because interest is linked to high-quality learning, the students seem to have a good starting point for their studies. On the other hand, the students use the concept of interest in several contexts, which may reflect diverse usage of the construct as well as different levels of interest development. On the basis of student expressions, five subcategories specifying the level of interest were identified. The study shows that it is possible to identify aspects of individual interest from the rather short written explanations of disciplinary choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melioration is borrowing and using an idea from another field not closely associated with your field of expertise. Using the borrowed concept to address a challenge in your field potentially provides new avenues of action and insight. I borrow the concept of boundary objects from science fields and use it to examine assignments in the college classroom. Through analysis of student-teacher discussion, I become aware that content, not assignment, is the boundary object of interest. Avenues of action and insight opened through that analysis are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between handedness and interest in night-sky watching. University students (N = 128) completed the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (Oldfield, 1971) and the Noctcaelador Inventory (Kelly, 2004). The findings indicated that mixed-handed participants scored highest on noctcaelador relative to those classified as either left or right-handed. The results and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies tested whether the possession of a mental story-bank (a set of thematically related narratives) affected the processing of a related narrative. Three competing predictions were proposed: a story-bank may lead to reduced attention, increased attention, or selective attention to a new, related story. The results of Study 1 (N = 125 undergraduates) suggested that a prior story-bank led to more efficient processing of a target narrative (as indicated by recall data), favoring a selective attention interpretation. Study 2 (N = 114 undergraduates) showed that individuals who possessed a relevant story-bank were more persuaded by a related target narrative, also consistent with the selective attention interpretation. Story-banks thus appeared to facilitate, rather than hinder, processing of new narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual interest was examined as a moderator of effects of situational factors designed to catch and hold task interest. In Study 1, 96 college students learned a math technique with materials enhanced with collative features (catch) versus not. Catch promoted motivation among participants with low individual interest in math (IIM) but hampered motivation among those with high IIM. In Study 2 (n = 145), catch was crossed with a hold manipulation, emphasizing utility. Effects of each manipulation depended on IIM. The catch results were similar to those in Study 1. Hold promoted motivation among participants with high IIM and undermined it among participants with low IIM. Discussion centers on the intersection of individual and situational interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Research has suggested that students can approach their studies with different goals, one goal being to understand material (mastery) and another to obtain better grades than others (performance). Aim. The main aim of this study was to assess whether these goals change as students progress through their degrees. Sample. 1857 students at a Scottish university. Methods. Students were asked to complete a questionnaire as they waited to register for their courses. The questionnaire was based on an achievement motivation questionnaire developed by Elliot and McGregor (2001) to assess students' mastery and performance goals; there were also questions on students' expectations about their courses. Results. Students in years 2, 3 and 4 were substantially less likely to want to master their subjects than students in year 1. They were also more concerned with grades and less likely to expect to enjoy their courses. Conclusion. The decline in students' motivation to master their subjects raises potentially important questions about whether pressures for grades undermine students' interest in their studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]