An Investigation of the Role of Goal Setting during Vicarious Learning of Physics

• Other Authors: Twyford, Jessica Brooke (Author)
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Educational psychology; Educational technology; Cognitive psychology; goal orientation; goal setting; multimedia learning; observational tutoring; vicarious learning; virtual humans
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.26875

abstract: Observational tutoring has been found to be an effective method for teaching a variety of subjects by reusing dialogue from previous successful tutoring sessions. While it has been shown content can be learned through observational tutoring it has yet to been examined if a secondary behavior such as goal-setting can be influenced. The present study investigated if observing virtual humans engaging in a tutoring session on rotational kinematics with embedded positive goal oriented dialogue would increase knowledge of the material and perpetuate a shift an observer's goal-orientation from performance avoidance goal orientation (PAVGO) to learning goal orientation (LGO). Learning gains were observed in pre to post test knowledge retention tests. Significant changes from pretest to posttest occurred across conditions for LGO. Additionally, significant changes from PAVGO pretest to posttest were observed in the control condition however PAVGO did not significantly change in the experimental condition. === Dissertation/Thesis === Masters Thesis Applied Psychology 2014