Lin, "The effects of self-efficacy and task values on students' commitment and achievement in Web-based instruction for Taiwan higher education," 1999

Chia-Jung Lin, Ed.D

Abstract (Summary)

Web-based instruction (WBI) has been used not only in fully distance programs but also in supporting face-to-face traditional classroom instruction (Cornell, 1998). The self-pacing benefit of asynchronous learning in WBI becomes a disadvantage when learners lack required skills or task values (Chute et al, 1999).

This study explored whether students' task value and self-efficacy would enhance their commitment and achievement in a WBI class in Taiwan. This study compared students' commitment, achievement, self-efficacy, and task value with and without a training workshop which was designed to increase students' commitment and achievement.

Subjects were 30 students enrolled in a class on educational technology at a teacher education institution in northern Taiwan. They were randomly assigned into two groups, the control and the treatment groups. A pre-intervention survey was distributed at the beginning of the semester to all subjects and a six-hour workshop was presented before conducting the first case study for the treatment group. An evaluation survey was distributed immediately after the workshop. During the following three weeks, students responded to the first case study in a WBI class page. At the end of this period, a post-intervention survey was distributed and a grading rubric was used to measure students' achievement.

The results of this study included: (a) the higher task value students' perceive, the stronger commitment they make; (b) The higher self-efficacy students hold, the easier the task is perceived; (c) The training workshop had positive impacts on students' perceived self-efficacy, interest, and importance.

Four implications of this study included: (a) teaching students necessary learning strategies and providing them more practices may increase their self-efficacy; (b) Emphasizing the importance of the task and making it relevant to students may increase students' task value; (c) Instructors need to consider the effect of students' task values on their commitment when using WBI to support their traditional courses or to deliver distance courses; (d) Training workshop can be one example for instructors who try to increase students' task values and self-efficacy in WBI.

Advisor: Kazlauskas, Edward