PREDICTING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SITUATED EXPECTANCY-VALUE MOTIVATION REGARDING FOOD SYSTEM STEM PROJECTS

Accurately assessing outcomes of students’ motivation when solving complex food system problems through integrating STEM learning can describe their learning experiences and help teachers make relevant connections. This study shows high school students self-reported that they were motivated by solving food system STEM projects.

The purpose of the study was to predict high school students’ self-efficacy (confirmed by Exploratory Factor Analysis, EFA) based on Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT) variables (confirmed by EFA). The convenience sample for this study was students from four high schools in Indiana (N = 160) who had participated in food system STEM projects at their schools. Quantitative data was collected using the Food System Motivation Questionnaire containing 41 items related to two self-efficacy variables and five SEVT variables. Quantitative data were analyzed using Principal Components Analysis, descriptive statistics, simple linear correlations, and multiple regression. Qualitative data were collected using a focus group interview protocol (Appendix D) and analyzed using thematic coding (deductive) followed by pattern coding. Quantitative and qualitative findings were analyzed using triangulation.

There were four conclusions to this study. First, the Food System Motivation Questionnaire accurately and reliably measured five variables aligned with SEVT motivation. Second, students were motivated regarding the project’s usefulness in their local contexts and reported higher cultural project self-efficacy after completing the project. Third, over 70% of high school students’ cultural project self-efficacy to complete a food system STEM project can be predicted based on their local context utility value, personal importance and usefulness, intrinsic value, and cost value. Local context utility value was the highest contributor of unique variance. Last, after completing the food system STEM projects, urban high school students shared they made connections to their families, local and global community contexts, and future careers and applications. Implications regarding how teachers can motivate high school students to solve food system STEM projects were discussed.