Academic efficacy plays a critical role in student success in math learning at all levels due to its impact on persistence, motivation, and academic performance. This research aimed to connect student efficacy with key aspects of the instructional environment in six undergraduate math classes. Student surveys indicated significant differences in mean efficacy between classes, as well as significant differences in student perceptions of teacher behavior between the efficacy groups. Findings from observations of the classes revealed that key aspects of the instructional discourse varied by efficacy group. Instructors in higher efficacy classes tended to have more personal connections with students and used more positive and encouraging language, particularly in response to student errors. These findings mirror the results of similar studies at the K-12 level and have important implications for teaching practice in higher education.
","abstract_html":"<p>Academic efficacy plays a critical role in student success in math learning at all levels due to its impact on persistence, motivation, and academic performance. This research aimed to connect student efficacy with key aspects of the instructional environment in six undergraduate math classes. Student surveys indicated significant differences in mean efficacy between classes, as well as significant differences in student perceptions of teacher behavior between the efficacy groups. Findings from observations of the classes revealed that key aspects of the instructional discourse varied by efficacy group. Instructors in higher efficacy classes tended to have more personal connections with students and used more positive and encouraging language, particularly in response to student errors. These findings mirror the results of similar studies at the K-12 level and have important implications for teaching practice in higher education.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Becker, Sandra"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Teacher Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Alane Starko, PhD, Chair","Nelson Maylone, PhD","Patricia Pokay, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-06-12T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-06-12T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:06Z","subjects":["classroom discourse","efficacy","motivation","teacher caring","teaching practice","undergraduate mathematics","Educational Psychology","Science and Mathematics Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/706","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Alane Starko, PhD, Chair","Nelson Maylone, PhD","Patricia Pokay, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Becker, Sandra"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-07-12T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Teacher Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["classroom discourse","efficacy","motivation","teacher caring","teaching practice","undergraduate mathematics","Educational Psychology","Science and Mathematics Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/706"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Academic efficacy plays a critical role in student success in math learning at all levels due to its impact on persistence, motivation, and academic performance. This research aimed to connect student efficacy with key aspects of the instructional environment in six undergraduate math classes. Student surveys indicated significant differences in mean efficacy between classes, as well as significant differences in student perceptions of teacher behavior between the efficacy groups. Findings from observations of the classes revealed that key aspects of the instructional discourse varied by efficacy group. Instructors in higher efficacy classes tended to have more personal connections with students and used more positive and encouraging language, particularly in response to student errors. These findings mirror the results of similar studies at the K-12 level and have important implications for teaching practice in higher education.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Connecting teaching practice to student efficacy in undergraduate mathematics"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Alane Starko, PhD, Chair","Nelson Maylone, PhD","Patricia Pokay, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Becker, Sandra"],"dc:date.available":["2017-07-12T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Academic efficacy plays a critical role in student success in math learning at all levels due to its impact on persistence, motivation, and academic performance. This research aimed to connect student efficacy with key aspects of the instructional environment in six undergraduate math classes. Student surveys indicated significant differences in mean efficacy between classes, as well as significant differences in student perceptions of teacher behavior between the efficacy groups. Findings from observations of the classes revealed that key aspects of the instructional discourse varied by efficacy group. Instructors in higher efficacy classes tended to have more personal connections with students and used more positive and encouraging language, particularly in response to student errors. These findings mirror the results of similar studies at the K-12 level and have important implications for teaching practice in higher education.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/706"],"dc:subject":["classroom discourse","efficacy","motivation","teacher caring","teaching practice","undergraduate mathematics","Educational Psychology","Science and Mathematics Education"],"dc:title":["Connecting teaching practice to student efficacy in undergraduate mathematics"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Teacher Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:06Z"}