{"id":{"repo_id":"cambridge","oai_identifier":"oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/350745"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cambridge/oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/350745","repository":{"repo_id":"cambridge","name":"Cambridge University","base_url":"https://api.repository.cam.ac.uk/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Examining the Role of Executive Functions and Motivation in Conceptual Change in a Physics Task","abstract":"The alteration of students’ ideas in favour of more scientific ones is known as conceptual change. The process might involve a combination of both higher-order cognitive skills and motivational attitudes of students, but few studies have explored all three together. The current study examines the role of executive function skills and motivation alongside conceptual change in physics understanding. The study examines a sample of 426 Egyptian students (M age = 12.5)—an underrepresented population in the literature. The participants completed a short tutorial targeting misconceptions about density. Findings from the structural equation model indicated that executive functions, especially shifting, predicted baseline density understanding (ß = .18, p < .05), but not conceptual gains. Motivational elements, particularly, self-efficacy was a significant positive predictor of conceptual gains (ß = .15, p < .05), but not baseline density understanding. However, performance goal orientation negatively predicted conceptual gains (ß = -.18, p < .05). Implications for teaching and learning are suggested in light of the present findings.","abstract_html":"The alteration of students’ ideas in favour of more scientific ones is known as conceptual change. The process might involve a combination of both higher-order cognitive skills and motivational attitudes of students, but few studies have explored all three together. The current study examines the role of executive function skills and motivation alongside conceptual change in physics understanding. The study examines a sample of 426 Egyptian students (M age = 12.5)—an underrepresented population in the literature. The participants completed a short tutorial targeting misconceptions about density. Findings from the structural equation model indicated that executive functions, especially shifting, predicted baseline density understanding (ß = .18, p &lt; .05), but not conceptual gains. Motivational elements, particularly, self-efficacy was a significant positive predictor of conceptual gains (ß = .15, p &lt; .05), but not baseline density understanding. However, performance goal orientation negatively predicted conceptual gains (ß = -.18, p &lt; .05). Implications for teaching and learning are suggested in light of the present findings.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Said, Tamer"],"institution":"University of Cambridge","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Michelle, Ellefson"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-09-15","date_published":"2022-09-15","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:33:28Z","subjects":["Conceptual change","executive functions","motivation","performance goals","science education","density","inhibition","self-efficacy","goal orientation","task value","physics education"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/bf7a137a-eaaa-40cb-9446-e6a18d43876b/download","https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.97109","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.doi"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Michelle, Ellefson"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.sponsor","label":"Sponsor","values":["Cambridge Trust International Scholarship"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Said, Tamer"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2022-09-15"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cambridge"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby.uri","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby URI","values":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/350745"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Conceptual change","executive functions","motivation","performance goals","science education","density","inhibition","self-efficacy","goal orientation","task value","physics education"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/bf7a137a-eaaa-40cb-9446-e6a18d43876b/download","https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.97109"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/49ddd689-393c-4013-9dff-547c642a20c2/download"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The alteration of students’ ideas in favour of more scientific ones is known as conceptual change. 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