The Effects of Discovery-enriched Curriculum on Students' Learning Motivation and Strategy Use

Abstract

The proposed project investigates the effects of Discovery-Enriched Curriculum (DEC) on students’ motivation and use of learning strategies. There are two major aims. First, it will provide a better understanding of how our DEC influences not only learning outcomes, but also students’ motivation and use of strategies in learning. Second, it will develop a valuable data set as useful course material in SS2701 Developmental Psychology. The project will include 400 undergraduate students aged over 18 (200 students in their first year, and 200 students in their final year). Participants will complete a motivation and learning strategy questionnaire twice, at the beginning and the end of 2013/14 semester A. It is hypothesized that undergraduate students’ learning motivation and use of learning strategies will be enhanced after their experience with the DEC. Also, it is predicted that the effects will be stronger in the younger cohort because they have no prior exposure to the DEC. Results of this proposed study will reveal important benefits of DEC – enhancing not only behavioral outcomes, but also attitudinal and cognitive aspects of learning. Moreover, the materials and results will construct a valuable data set to be analyzed and discussed with students in the SS2701 Developmental Psychology course.