Attribution theory discusses the different models that justify how students explain different behaviors and events in the future based on things that happened in the past. Attribution occurs in different layers. Causal attributions ( effort, ability, task difficulty, luck) are characterized either unstable or stable, internal or external, and controlled or uncontrolled to lead to a certain opinion of a task.
Attribution theory is related to expectancy-value model because it includes a similar idea that outcomes from the past will continue in the future. Students expect what has happened to continue to happen.
When you start off playing football young you play a lot of different positions. Parents usually push their kids to do as much as possible. As a kid when you see you aren't good at one position you often give up or get moved to different position. The main reason many kids make multiple position changes are the parents. After you find a position you're good at, you stick to that and are motivated to get even better at that position. This reminds me of expectancy-value models because even though you do see the value in knowing new knowledge about different positions you still don't expect to be good at it. This same experience can relate to attribution theory because you may blame that poor performance at that position to any one of the causal attributions. Depending on how you characterize those causal attributes you may or may not ever try that position again or hire a trainer to help you at that position if its something you really want to do.
Additionally, I found that the ideas around value were interesting. I think the struggle for kids to see the value in what they're doing is one of the hardest challenges. Kids always wanna know "Why I gotta do this?" As much as we even struggle to find an answer to that question, I do think it's important to have one. In one of the readings it explained that even though students don't think they will do well they will still complete a task if they see the value in it.
In my previous class we discussed how technology is helping students see the value in what they are doing in schools around the world.
Your ideas about sports positions made a lot of sense to me and made me think about how that's why many people that I knew who went to school on sports scholarships ended up committing to that one sport during all their free time. When we were younger I'd see people participating in multiple sports but it was greatly narrowed when a person was showing great aptitude for a particular sport. I remember one of my basketball teammates who went on to get an athletic scholarship would never stop playing basketball. Even though she did run track with me as well she would bring a basketball to every practice and run with it. I am guessing she saw the value in track as a way to condition herself for basketball and as a result have more stamina on the court.
ReplyDeleteI also found the Expectancy-Value model theory interesting, especially the part where it was stated that if either the expectancy or value is a zero, there will be no chance of success. It makes sense when you think about it but I found it enlightening. If students don't see a value in what you are teaching or don't feel that they have the ability to do what you are teaching, then the result will be the same. It makes me think that while many people would be annoyed at that student who says, "Why do I have to do this?" perhaps that student should be congratulated for trying to think critically about their learning and weighing the value (as long as this isn't just a delaying tactic).
Oliver,
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about kids changing their position when partaking in sports. If a kid doesn't think that he will succeed at that position then the more likely he will not continue to take reps at that position. I think this can also relate not only to positions in sports but different types of sports in general. I know for example, when i was a kid, i wasn't particulalry good at soccer and so i lost interest in playing it. On the other hand i found success in football, basketball and baseball and because of that through the years i continued to play them. This just goes to show how expectancy value theory can really play a part in athletics.
What you said about about kids completing tasks also hits home but in terms of education. In a lot of my classes throughout my undergrad, i asked myself all the time why do i have to do this, i probably won't do well when it comes to the test. But in the back of my head i knew that they wouldn't be teaching it to me if it didn't have any value, so even though i hated it i still completed the task. Attribution theory can also be related to this because in the end, if you fail or pass, a person can attribute his or her success or failure as to whether or not they did the work or didn't.
Megan commented >>It makes me think that while many people would be annoyed at that student who says, "Why do I have to do this?" perhaps that student should be congratulated for trying to think critically about their learning and weighing the value (as long as this isn't just a delaying tactic). <<
ReplyDeletehuh. This is an interesting comment... We should encourage students to ask. The "why" is about relevance (when looking back at the ARCS model).
For some things... it is easy to explain why. But for others, I imagine that there is a struggle to really explain why, at least to a students satisfaction. That may be more about the person being asked, versus the asker. It is easy to explain why students should learn basic math skills. But why calculus (unless they are majoring in something where that is a required prereq)?
Outstanding article! I want people to know just how good this information is in your article. Your views are much like my own concerning this subject. I will visit daily your blog because I know. It may be very beneficial for me. teoriprov
ReplyDelete