EXAMINATION OF UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERCEIVED UTILITY VALUE FOR LEARNING ABOUT LOCAL GEOMORPHOLOGICAL PROCESSES

Many noncognitive factors impact student learning and motivation. Expectancy value theory (EVT) posits that the educational choices learners make and their motivation for learning are related to whether they think they will be successful at a task or in a domain (expectancy) and the extent to which they see the task or domain as valuable and relevant (having utility value). While expectancy is more strongly correlated with student performance, utility value is a better predictor of what students choose to learn. Cultural, peer, teacher, and familial subjective task values are associated with students’ perceived utility value for learning science. While utility value interventions benefit all students, they may have more significant impacts on learners from underrepresented groups. Much of the science education research on the utility value aspect of EVT has focused on secondary or college students, with far less attention given to younger learners. However, children’s interest in science and mathematics in elementary school has been shown to predict the courses they take in high school. Thus, investigating how children perceive the utility value of what they are learning in science is crucial.

This session describes an after-school program with 4^th and 5^th grade students at one school in a large, urban school district that serves a high population of students from underrepresented groups. The goal of the program was to positively impact students’ perceived utility value and understanding of how geomorphological processes typically studied in elementary school shape the land in the local area. Students completed a series of investigations on fluvial and coastal processes and regularly reflected on the utility value of what they were learning. We collected quantitative and qualitative data on students’ age-appropriate understanding of geomorphological processes as well as the perceived utility value of what they were learning.