Mindset, Academic Motivation, And Academic Self-Efficacy As Correlates Of Academic

139 Pages·2017·2.75 MB·English

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Dissertations Graduate Research
2017
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Heather Loraine Ferguson
Andrews University, [email protected]
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations
Part of the Communication Commons, and the Higher Education Commons
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Ferguson, Heather Loraine, "Mindset, Academic Motivation, And Academic Self-Efficacy As Correlates Of
Academic Achievement Among Undergraduate Students in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Programs" (2017). Dissertations. 1648.
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1648
This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @
Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital
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ABSTRACT

MINDSET, ACADEMIC MOTIVATION, AND ACADEMIC
SELF-EFFICACY AS CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS IN COMMUNICATION SCIENCES
AND DISORDERS PROGRAMS

by

Heather Loraine Ferguson

Chair: Elvin Gabriel
ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH

Dissertation

Andrews University

School of Education

Title: MINDSET, ACADEMIC MOTIVATION, AND ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY
AS CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN COMMUNICATION
SCIENCES AND DISORDERS PROGRAMS

Name of researcher: Heather Loraine Ferguson

Name and degree of faculty chair: Elvin Gabriel, Ed.D.

Date completed: September 2017

Problem
Higher education serves many stakeholders including students, parents, faculty,
staff, university administrators, and other contributors. Those stakeholders are all linked
with one purpose: the success of the student. That success or failure is most commonly
measured by achievement through grade point average (GPA). The academic demands
within the college/university setting is high. Limited academic achievement can result in
academic failure, being placed on academic probation, even losing scholarships and
grants. Students enter college, progress through college, and often graduate without
having a real understanding for what it truly takes to be academically successful and what
factors may contribute to that success. The study examined the extent to which types of
mindset, academic motivation, and academic self-efficacy correlated with academic
achievement among undergraduate communication sciences and disorders students.

Method
Undergraduate communication sciences and disorders students in the Great Lakes
States of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois completed a 75-item survey to determine
the correlation between academic achievement and mindset, academic motivation, and
academic self-efficacy. Descriptive analysis, Spearman Rank correlation, and categorical
regression (CATREG) were used to analyze the data.

Results
Results of this current study indicate that undergraduate communication sciences
and disorders students report average to higher than average GPAs. Undergraduate
communication sciences and disorders students have very high extrinsic motivation (M =
5.90), high intrinsic motivation (M = 5.22), and very low amotivation (M = 1.62).
Fifty-four percent of undergraduate communication sciences and disorders
students have high self-efficacy and higher growth mindset than fixed mindset. The
results of this study indicate that amotivation is negatively correlated to academic
achievement. Therefore, the higher the academic achievement, the lower the
amotivation. Academic self-efficacy is also correlated to academic achievement. Hence,
the higher the academic self-efficacy, the higher the academic achievement.
Conclusions
Undergraduate communication sciences and disorders students, who are “average
to higher than average” in their academic achievement are more extrinsically motivated.
They present with almost no amotivation, and have generally high self-efficacy. The
undergraduate communication disorders student has more of a growth mindset than a
fixed mindset. This population is resilient, motivated more by externally contributing
factors, and demonstrates learning-based development and changeability. They have
positive feelings about their academic skills which are found to be directly related to their
average to high-average academic achievement.
Andrews University

School of Education

MINDSET, ACADEMIC MOTIVATION, AND ACADEMIC
SELF-EFFICACY AS CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS IN COMMUNICATION SCIENCES
AND DISORDERS PROGRAMS

A Dissertation

Presented in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

by

Heather Loraine Ferguson

September 2017
© Copyright by Heather Loraine Ferguson 2017
All Rights Reserved
MINDSET, ACADEMIC MOTIVATION, AND ACADEMIC
SELF-EFFICACY AS CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS IN COMMUNICATION SCIENCES
AND DISORDERS PROGRAMS

A dissertation
presented in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Philosophy

by

Heather Loraine Ferguson

APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE:

_______________________________ _________________________________
Chair: Elvin Gabriel Dean, School of Education
Robson Marinho

_______________________________
Member: Jimmy Kijai

_______________________________
Member: Gustavo Gregorutti

_______________________________ _________________________________
External: Rhonda Tomenko Date approved
TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... vi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... viii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................... ix

Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1

Background .......................................................................................... 1
Rationale for the Study ........................................................................ 5
Statement of the Problem ..................................................................... 7
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................ 9
Conceptual Framework ........................................................................ 9
Linking Mindset and Academic Achievement .................................... 14
Linking Academic Motivation and Academic Achievement............... 14
Linking Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement ............................ 14
Linking Academic Achievement, Self-Efficacy, Mindset,
and Academic Motivation .............................................................. 15
Research Questions .............................................................................. 16
Significance of the Study ..................................................................... 16
Definition of Terms.............................................................................. 18
Limitations of the Study....................................................................... 20
Delimitations of the Study ................................................................... 21
Organization of the Study .................................................................... 21

2. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................. 22

Purpose of Literature Review .............................................................. 22
A Historical Overview of Academic Achievement ............................. 23
A Historical Overview of Mindset ....................................................... 25
A Historical Overview of Academic Motivation ................................. 26
A Historical Overview of Academic Self-Efficacy ............................. 27
The Relationship Between Mindset and Academic Achievement ....... 29
The Relationship Between Academic Motivation and Academic
Achievement .................................................................................. 34
The Relationship Between Academic Self-Efficacy and
Academic Achievement ................................................................. 41
iii
Brief Summary of Literature ................................................................ 44

3. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................... 45

Introduction .......................................................................................... 45
Research Questions .............................................................................. 45
Research Design................................................................................... 46
Population and Sample ........................................................................ 47
Instrumentation .................................................................................... 48
Procedure ............................................................................................. 51
Data Analysis ....................................................................................... 52
Summary .............................................................................................. 53

4. ANALYSIS OF DATA..................................................................................... 54

Description of the Sample .................................................................... 54
Demographic Information .................................................................... 55
Research Questions .............................................................................. 57
Research Question 1 ...................................................................... 57
Mindset .................................................................................... 57
Academic Motivation............................................................... 60
Academic Self-Efficacy ........................................................... 63
Research Question 2 ...................................................................... 68
Summary of Major Findings ................................................................ 74

5. SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, AND IMPLICATIONS .................................... 76

Introduction .......................................................................................... 76
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................ 76
Summary of Literature ......................................................................... 76
Summary of Methodology ................................................................... 81
Summary of Major Findings ................................................................ 81
Demographic Information .................................................................... 82
Research Question 1 Discussion .......................................................... 83
Research Question 2 Discussion .......................................................... 86
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 88
Implications for Practice ...................................................................... 90
Implications for Future Research ......................................................... 92

Appendix

A. IRB APPROVAL DOCUMENTS .................................................................... 94

B. SURVEY INVITATION .................................................................................. 97

C. INFORMED CONSENT .................................................................................. 99
iv