Candidate: Mary Alice Schultz-Krajenta

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology

Title: The Effects of Educational Development Plans on Motivation to Learn, and Attitudes and Behaviors Towards Learning Among Eighth Graders

Committee:
Dr. Suzanne Hedstrom , Chair
Dr. John Geisler
Dr. Tom Ray

Date: Thursday, March 8, 2001 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
3208 Sangren Hall

Abstract:
Educational Development Plans (EDP) have been utilized by school students to structure their curricular programs to meet their high school educational outcomes and to align their curriculum with their desired adult roles. The focus of this study was to examine the effects of EDPs on motivation, attitudes and behaviors towards learning.

A total of 342 eighth-grade students participated in this research which utilized a quantitative and a qualitative approach. The quantitative study used existing data obtained from a small Midwest school district. There were 151 students in the treatment group and 191 students in the control group. Scores from the Junior Index of Motivation (JIM) (Frymier, 1970) and the Educational Goal Attainment Test (EGAT) (Tuckman and Montare, 1975) were used to measure: motivation to learn (JIM),
attitudes towards achievement, self-awareness, self-worth, moral
value, learning and behaviors toward self-improvement (EGAT).
(over)
The two-factor ANOVA compared the mean differences between students with EDPs and students without EDPs on the measures and across five demographic areas: socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, gender, mother's educational level and participants' plans for further education. Statistical significance was obtained at the .05 level for main effects in SES (two assessments), ethnicity (three assessments), mother's education level (one assessment), and plans for future education (all seven assessments). There were no statistically significant differences found in interaction effects of treatment (EDPs) with any demographic grouping, nor for the main effect of EDP.

The qualitative study examined students' four periodic entries in progress logs. Students' entries were grouped into three common themes: short-term goals, long-term goals and self-evaluation comments.

Based upon this research, if the use of EDPs is to continue to be promoted, then further research is needed to determine the benefits.

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