ERIC ED605696: Improving Student Outcomes in Higher Education: The Science of Targeted Intervention

2018·0.65 MB·English

by  ERIC

PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
Annual Review of Psychology
Improving Student Outcomes
in Higher Education: The
Science of Targeted
y.
views.orgonal use onl Intervention
alrepers Judith M. Harackiewicz and Stacy J. Priniski
m www.annu9/30/18. For Demepaialr:[email protected],,[email protected]–Madison,Madison,Wisconsin53706;
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ol. 201niversit AFinrnstup.uRbelvis.hPesdycahsoal.R2e0v1ie8w.6i9n:4A0d9v–a3n5ceon Kinteeyrwveonrtidosn,achievementgaps,belonging,utilityvalue,valuesaffirmation
Rev. Psychvided by U STpsehypectheAm.annbnneuruaal2lR0re,evv2ii0eew1w7so.foPrgsychologyisonlineat AMbanstyrtahcetoreticallybasedinterventionshavebeendevelopedoverthepast
nu. pro https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122216- two decades to improve educational outcomes in higher education. Based
Aness 011725 insocial-psychologicalandmotivationtheories,well-craftedinterventions
c
Ac Copyright(cid:2)c 2018byAnnualReviews. have proven remarkably effective because they target specific educational
Allrightsreserved
problemsandtheprocessesthatunderliethem.Inthisreview,weevaluate
thecurrentstateoftheliteratureontargetedinterventionsinhigheredu-
cationwithaneyetoemergingtheoreticalandconceptualquestionsabout
ANNUAL Further
REVIEWS intervention science. We review three types of interventions, which focus
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onthevaluestudentsperceiveinacademictasks,theirframingofacademic
online features:
• Download figures as PPT slides challenges, and their personal values, respectively. We consider interven-
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implicationsforinterventionsciencemovingforward.
409
PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
Contents
INTRODUCTION............................................................... 410
THREETYPESOFINTERVENTIONS......................................... 411
SCOPEOFREVIEW............................................................. 412
TASKVALUEINTERVENTIONS.............................................. 417
Course-SpecificTaskValueInterventions....................................... 418
Field-SpecificTaskValueInterventions.......................................... 419
TaskValueInterventions:SummaryandDiscussion.............................. 420
FRAMINGINTERVENTIONS.................................................. 421
College-GeneralFramingInterventions......................................... 422
y. Field-SpecificFramingInterventions............................................ 424
nl FramingInterventions:SummaryandDiscussion................................. 424
w.annualreviews.org8. For personal use o PIMERPCCVLSaoolOulIulCreeNsgAseeA-AT-SLGfIpfiOeeVrnmcNAiefiaSLrtcaiUFloVVOnEaaSlRIulnuIetINeseNsrATvTAfeEfifEnfirRtRrmimVoVanEatEsitNo:iNonSTnTuIImnIIOnOtmetNeNrarvSrveSye.nCn.at.intIoi.Edon.nN.sD.s.C.i..s.E.c...u.....s...s..i....o....n....................................................................................................................... 444442222256578
m ww9/30/1 RImepplliecmateionntatainodn:BHeyoowndan.d..W...h.e.r.e.?............................................................................................. 442380
ed fron on 0 Implementation:WhoandWhy?................................................ 431
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8.69:y of about the potential of these brief and cost-effective interventions to address important societal
ol. 201niversit ilsosnuge-sla(Wstinilgsoenff2e0ct1s1w).hReensetahrecyheardsdhraevssesfpoeucnidficthmatottaivragteitoendalinptreorvceenssteiosnastccarnuchiaavletipmoewperofiunltsanind
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v. Psyced by t(Lheazeodwusckaiti&onHalupllreomceasns.2S0o16m)eorhasoveciacla-lplesdycthhoelsoegtiacragleintetedrivnetnetrivoennst(iWonislsmonot2iv0a0t6io,nYeinagteerrv&enWtioanl-s
Revid ton 2011), reflecting their theoretical grounding. Walton (2014) has referred to them as wise
nu. pro interventionsbecausetheyaretheoreticallypreciseandaddressbasicpsychologicalprocessesthat
Aness caninterferewithoptimalacademicfunctioning.Indeed,thesethreelabelsallcaptureacritical
c
c
A feature of targeted interventions—a basis in theory that identifies the most powerful levers of

changeinacademicsettings.Thetheoriesthatunderlietheseinterventionstakeintoaccountthe
context,theperson,andperson × contextinteractionstoaddressreal-worldproblemsandare
thusinherentlysocialpsychological.Werefertothesesocial-psychologicalinterventionsastar-
getedbecausetheytargetaspecificproblem,thepsychologicalprocessunderlyingtheproblem,
thestudentswhoshouldbenefitfromintervention,andthespecificacademicoutcomesthatshould
revealthosebenefits.
Targeted interventions address specific educational problems, such as closing achievement
gapsforunderrepresentedracial/ethnicminority(URM)students;promotingscience,technol-
ogy,engineering,andmathematics(STEM)careerpursuitamongwomen;increasinginterestand
engagementingatewaysciencecourses;orhelpingfirst-yearstudentscopewiththecollegetran-
sition. With a well-defined problem, interventions can target the psychological processes most
·
410 Harackiewicz Priniski
PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
Assessment of:
problem, Intervention Targeted Targeted Recursive Distal
Intervention
population, design processes outcomes processes outcomes
context
Figure1
Conceptualmodeloftargetedinterventions.
relevanttotheproblem.Studentscanstruggleincollegeorlosemotivationinfieldsofstudyfor
manyreasons.Theymaylackastrongpreparatorybackgroundforcollegeorfinancialresources,
and we would not expect social-psychological interventions to address these structural factors.
However,studentsmayalsostruggleformorepsychologicalreasons:Theymaylackinterestin
y.
nl certain topics and become disengaged in classes, or they may lack confidence in their abilities.
w.annualreviews.org8. For personal use o TfmaorhiersIemctnyhraiemattmdiccadhay,iltboeiferoxotpnrwtehaterecoieyeaninddmecienemansyittidciiftdeyuonoituntuiitogbtcnytotathmwlhenehressoep,atrtaehmnciensidrfiacctanehlrpldetrcyatoaihnnbbeleifiberlmoeeolntdwagtsarnrgaingnveeatdcetleuowddelolbsebn.ygydAeseo.lalrncToiifaifhnlat-etnhpyeesraymsvceceaahndpyotesilymeoocxngihpc,ioecidraltoiilseigscinniiiccptmaeellirpnavpoeercrnoitustaclirnetoiustgnsrhtesao.stl
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nloaadis wouldbefieldspecific,suchascoursetaking,retentioninthosefields,orinterestinadiscipline.
wM Many interventions are even more general, targeting academic adjustmentand performancein
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69:of recursiveprocessesthatdrivelonger-termimpacts.Forexample,ifastudentgetsagoodgradein
ol. 2018.niversity acocurirtsiecsa,lagnadteewvaeyntsuciaelnlycepucrosuuresea,SthTeEyMmacyarbeeecro.mFeigmuroere1inshteorwesstoedurincothnecefipetluda,ltamkoedmelo.rescience
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ev. Psycded by THREETYPESOFINTERVENTIONS
Rvi
nu. pro Inthisreview,weconsiderawiderangeoftargetedinterventionsthathavebeentestedinhigher
Aness educationanddistinguishbetweenthreetypesofintervention:thosethatfocusonhowstudents
c
c
A perceive value in academic tasks (task value interventions), those that change the way students

frame academic challenges (framing interventions), and those that focus on students’ personal
values (personal values interventions). These interventions are all student-centered and share
somecorefeatures:Allconveysomeinformationhypothesizedtoaffectapsychologicalprocess
andengagethestudentinaprocessofactivereflectionthatofteninvolvesconversationorwriting.
Thereareimportantdifferences,however,intheirdomainspecificityandthebehaviors,thought
processes,andacademicoutcomestheytarget.Inshort,theprimarydifferenceisinwherethey
focusstudents’attentionandreflection.
Taskvalueinterventionsfocusonthetaskathand,whichcanbedefinedasaspecifictopicin
aclassorafieldofstudy,buttheemphasisisalwaysonacademiccontent.Theseinterventions
communicatethevalueorimportanceofthecontent,eitherbyprovidingexamplesoftherelevance
orusefulnessofacademictasksforpersonalgoalsorbyencouragingstudentstothinkabouttask
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PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
valueforthemselvesthroughwritingexercises.Forexample,inautility-valueintervention(atype
oftaskvalueintervention)implementedinacollegebiologyclass,studentswroteabouthowcourse
topicswererelevanttotheirownlivesorusefulforthemselvesorothers(Harackiewiczetal.2016a).
Inacommunalutility-valueintervention,Brownetal.(2015)providedstudentswithinformation
about how biomedical research could address communal goals (helping others, working with
others).Suchtaskvalueinterventionsfocusonhowstudentsperceivetheircourseworkorfieldsof
study,whichcanthenbeconnectedwithpersonalgoalsthroughaprocessofreflection.Because
oftheirtaskspecificity,theseinterventionsmaybemostrelevantforstimulatingengagementand
performanceinspecificcoursesorpromotinginterestinparticularfields.
Framinginterventionsfocusonthechallengesthatstudentsmayfaceduringacademictran-
sitionsandhelpstudentscopewithadversitybyframingchallengesascommonandimprovable.
Theyincludeabroadrangeofinterventionsdesignedtoaddressavarietyofcommonconcerns,
y. suchasdoubtsaboutbelonging,doubtsaboutability,orgroup-specificchallenges(e.g.,coming
nl
views.orgonal use o tefroxoacmmolpmlelego,erWeassaealntUoionRr&MstuCsdtouenhdteesnni’tls)l,u(b2sty0r0ah7tei)lnpsgiontcghiaesltfubadecletontnhtgsaiatndcgohpiantlltaeenrmvgeoensrteoioafndaadppjrutoisvvtemidoeeundttlsottooatkcisootlrilcemsgaiennaddrseeqtuc.ooFmtoe-rs
alrepers monandcanbeovercome.Theseinterventionsfocusoninfluencinghowstudentsthinkabout
w.annu8. For cmhaayllebnegmeso,swtrheelreevaasnttafsokrvparloumeointitnegrvaednjtuisotnmsefnotcduusroinngtchreitticaasklaactadheamndic. tFrraanmsiitniognisn,tseurcvhenatsiothnes
m ww9/30/1 tranPseitrisoonnatolvcaolulleesgein,taenrdvefnotrioancasdfeomcuiscopnersftourdmenantsc’ecoatreavgaelnueersa.lLliekveelfraacmroinssgcionuterrsveesnotriodnosm,tahinesse.
o0
ed frn on interventionscenteronthestudent,buttheyworkmoreindirectlybyreinforcingpersonalvalues
do rather than the academic tasks at hand. For example, in their seminal values affirmation inter-
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8.69:y of theycancopewithadversityincollege.Assuch,thismaybethemostgeneralofthethreetypes
ol. 201niversit orefleinvtaenrtvfeonrtipornomcoontsinidgearecaddienmtihcisadrjeuvsitemwe,natnadnpdepresorfnoarlmvaanluceesaitnategrevneenrtaiollnesveml,aaycrboesspacrotuicruselasrolyr
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v. Psyced by domainsandovertime.
ed
Rvi
nu. pro SCOPEOFREVIEW
Anss
e Inthisreview,weconsiderinterventionsthat(a)targetacademicoutcomes(e.g.,grades,majoror
c
c
A careerplans,coursetaking,retention)inhighereducation,aswellasthepipelinetocollege,and

(b)havebeenevaluatedinatleasttwostudies.1 Thosethatmeetourcriteriaaresummarizedin
Tables1–3.Manyoftheinterventionscoveredinthisreviewhavealsobeentestedinmiddleschool
orhighschoolcontexts,butbecausewefocusoninterventionsthattargeteducationalissuesin
college,wefocusourreviewonexperimentalstudiesconductedincollegeanduniversitysettings
1Severalotherpromisinginterventionshavenot(yet)beentestedinmultiplestudiesandarethereforenotincluded:Acee&
Weinstein’s(2010)andYeagerandcolleagues’(2014)taskvalueinterventions;Landauandcolleagues’(2014),Jamiesonand
colleagues’(2016),andBrowman&Destin’s(2016)framinginterventions;andKizilcecandcolleagues’(2017)intervention,
whichisahybridoftaskvalueandpersonalvaluesinterventions.Inaddition,twostudiesinourreviewalsocontaintestsof
interventionsnot(yet)testedinmultiplestudies:Yeagerandcolleagues’(2016)criticalfeedbackandculturalfitinterventions
andWaltonandcolleagues’(2015)affirmationtraininginterventionarenotincludedinthisreview.
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PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
Table1 Summaryoftaskvalueinterventionsinhighereducation
Study Problem Contextandsample Intervention Primaryfindings
Taskvalueinterventions
Coursespecific
Hulleman Promoting Onesectionof Utilityvalue:two Increasedinterestinthe
etal.(2010, engagementfor introductorypsychology writingassignments, courseandintentiontomajor
study2)a lowperformers atapublicuniversity completedas inpsychologyforstudents
(n = 318) homework withlowinitialexamgrades
Hulleman Promoting Twosectionsof Utilityvalue:two Increasedinterestinthefield
etal.(2017, engagementfor introductorypsychology writingassignments, ofpsychologyandfinalexam
study2)a lowperformers atapublicuniversity completedasanonline performanceforallstudents
(n = 357) homeworkactivity andparticularlyforstudents
y. withlowinitialexamscores,
views.orgonal use onl Heatraalc.k(i2e0w1i6caz)b Rcalcaisaslaacnhdiesvoecmiaelnt Eiingthrtodseuccttioornysboifologyfor Uwtirliittiyngvaalsusieg:ntmhreenets, Inefocsprreeaaclslieasdltluycdomeunertnsseapnedrformance
w.annualre8. For pers gaps SunTiEveMrsimtya(jnor=sat1a,0p4u0b)lic choommpelweoterdkas pgmeairnnteoicrrauittliyaorsnltyuufdnoedrnefitrsrr,setap-srweseelnltaesd
m ww9/30/1 sGtuPdAesnatsnwdistthudloewntpsrwioitrhhigh
o0 motivationtohelpothers
ed frn on Canningetal. Promoting Majoritystudentsinthree Utilityvalue:oneto Increasedcourseperformance,
wnloadMadiso (2018)a pSeTrEsiMstencein sbeioctlioognysfoofriSnTtrEodMucmtoarjyors tahssriegenwmreitnitnsg,completed ebniorloolglmyecnoturinsea,naontdheSrTEM
8.69:409-435. Doy of Wisconsin - BFsritoeulwddniesespt1ea–cl.3ifi()2c015, Pirnotmeroetsitnign Ta(whntirtae=hepuul5nab7bdl7ioec)rraugtrnoairdvyeursasttiuetydsies Uartesialhidtoybmyveaswltuuoedrk:enantsarticle Inmaccaraejoraerseeprdeirinnsitbsetireoenmscteeidnicpaulrsuing
ol. 201niversit breiosemarecdhiccaalreers f(rnom=p5u5b,l1ic40u,n1iv6e0r)s;ities dfaecsuclrtiyb’isnbgiohmowedaical research
ev. Psychded by U sainttusatdiHiteusitsi1poanannidc-2setrovoinkgplace rheeslepaorcthheprrsojectcould
Rvi
nu. pro Harackiewicz PromotingSTEM Highschoolstudentsand Utilityvalue:two IncreasedSTEMcourse
Anss etal.(2012) motivation theirparentsfromthe brochuresandawebsite takingamongtheteensin
e
cc andRozek longitudinalWisconsin senttoparentsintheir highschool,increasedmath
A
etal.(2017) StudyofFamiliesand teens’tenth-and andsciencescoresonACT
Workandafive-year eleventh-gradeyears, collegepreparatoryexam;
follow-up(n = 181 highlightingthe indirectlyincreasedcollege
families) usefulnessofSTEM STEMcoursetaking,career
coursesandstrategies aspirations,andlikelihoodof
fortalkingabout declaringaSTEMmajorin
STEMcourseswith collegethroughthehigh
theirteens schoolSTEMoutcomes
aMeasuredacombinationofcourse-specific,field-specific,andcollege-generaloutcomes.
bTestedinterventionsfromtwodifferentcategories.
Abbreviations:GPA,gradepointaverage;STEM,science,technology,engineering,andmathematics.
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PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
anddiscussstudiesfromothercontextsonlyiftheywerecriticalinthedevelopmentofinterventions
testedinhighereducationcontexts(e.g.,Cohenetal.2006,Hulleman&Harackiewicz2009)orif
theinterventionwasimplementedinhighschoolwithafollow-upincollege(e.g.,Harackiewicz
etal.2012,Yeageretal.2016).
The intervention studies we review are diverse. They range in scope from small-scale
field studies, with interventions administered in labs or single classes, to large-scale field tri-
als. Some interventions were integrated into classes, but others were administered outside of
classes, in prematriculation activities, special orientation projects, or laboratory studies. We
focus on the context and sample for the research, the educational problem targeted, the
specific intervention tested, and the outcome measures assessed, examining whether targeted
nly. Table2 Summaryofframinginterventionsinhighereducation
views.orgonal use o FramSitnugdyinterventioPnsroblem Contextandsample Intervention Primaryfindings
alrepers Fieldspecific
w.annu8. For W(2a0lt1o5n)etal. Geenngdinereegraipngin Fsitrustd-eynetasraetnagipnuebelriicng Smocaitaelribaelslofrnagminingg:reading InGcPreAassefdorfiwrsot-myeeanrienngineering
m ww9/30/1 uconmivperlesitteyd;aocnteivoitnieosnweeorer benelgoinngeeinrigncgopnrcoegrrnasmin, the mmaaljoe-rdsominatedengineering
ed fron on 0 ienngsminaelelrginrogucplassisnrooms,as saying-is-believingessay
adso aresearchstudy(n = 228)
wnloMadi Collegegeneral
8.69:409-435. Doy of Wisconsin - WL(1ii9lns8ov2inl,le&1985) Ppfsrotoeurrmdffioeorrntsmittns-aygnecaer Twurahebnirpotdehoueertrfitlgtearhrsdbateo-dbiyrrueaeiafitantorregsrstyc-wossethnumocdeeiresntseerd AbGstaotyProiiAnkblguec-ottiisnao-ncnbedearllnvieirsdve,eifnorgafmreasimsnagiyn:g InswfoecamrrsemeaimssetenepdrleoamvfteeernratltelhdGe,PiensAtpesericvnieantlhltyieon
ol. 201niversit Walton& Racial Fgirrsatd-yeesa(rns=tud3e1n;t3s7(s;e3c6o)nd Socialbelonging:reading IncreasedoverallGPAsinthe
hU
ev. Psycded by Cstuodhyen2;(22000171,) agcahpievement splaerbmivoeartsaetteourr)nyaivsteeatrtssiientlyge,citnivae mbsaeyaltoinenrggi-aiinlss-gbfrceaolminecivneingrngse,ssay swCeaomsheiemsntep2rl0eam0f7tee)nrattnehddet(ihWnrtoearultvgoehnnt&ion
nu. Rprovi (n = 37;92) andvideo senioryear(Walton&Cohen
Anss 2011)forAfricanAmerican
e
c students
c
A
Yeageretal. Promoting Highschoolseniorsfrom Socialbelonging:reading Socialbelonging:increased
(2016, persistencein fiveurbancharterschools materialsframing percentageofstudentswho
study1) college whohadbeenadmittedto belongingconcerns, stayedenrolledfull-time
two-orfour-yearcolleges saying-is-believingessays throughtheirfirstyearof
(primarilyAfrican Mindset:readingmaterials college
AmericanandFG framingintelligence, Mindset:noeffect
students);activities saying-is-believingessays Combined:increasedcollege
completedonlineinhigh Combined:both persistencetothesamedegree
schoolcomputerlabsin interventions,receivedone associalbelongingalone
Mayoftheirsenioryear weekapart
(n = 584)
(Continued)
·
414 Harackiewicz Priniski
PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
Table2 (Continued)
Study Problem Contextandsample Intervention Primaryfindings
Collegegeneral
Yeager Racial Incomingstudentsata Socialbelonging:reading Socialbelonging:increased
etal.(2016, persistence publicuniversity;activities materialsframing percentageof
study2) gap completedaspartof belongingconcerns, underrepresented(FGand
prematriculationtasks saying-is-believingessays URM)studentswhostayed
onlineinthesummer Mindset:readingmaterials enrolledfull-timethrough
beforecollege(n = 7,335) framingintelligence, theirfirstyearofcollege
saying-is-believingessays Mindset:increasedcollege
Combined:shortened persistenceamong
versionsofboth underrepresentedstudentsto
y. interventions,receivedin thesamedegreeassocial
nl onesession belongingalone
views.orgonal use o Cpuoenmrdsebisritnreeenpdcr:eeisnaecmnrteoeandsgesdtucdoelnletgseto
alrepers thesamedegreeaseither
w.annu8. For Yeager Racial Incomingstudentsata Socialbelonging:reading Ininctreeravseendtfiiornst-ayloenareGPAsfor
m ww9/30/1 esttuadl.y(32)016, agcahpievement saeclteivcittiiveespcroimvapteleutendivaesrspiatyrt; mbealtoenrgiainlsgfrcaomncinegrns, uUnRdMerr)espturedseennttsed(FGand
o0
ded fron on oonflpirneeminattrhiceusluatmiomnetrasks saying-is-believingessays
as
nloadi beforecollege(n = 1,592)
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69:of firstmonthofthesemester saying-is-believingvideo forallstudents
ol. 2018.niversity T(lwanboo=-yrae1tao6rr8fy)oslltouwdy-u(pn = 133) IsymietpaurraostivloaentdesrcfoopriFngGinstustdreensstfsutlwo
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ed
Rvi gap activitiescompletedin saying-is-believingessays forallstudents,especiallyfor
nu. pro small-grouplaboratory AfricanAmericanstudents
Aness sessions(n = 79)
c
c
A

Abbreviations:FG,first-generation;GPA,gradepointaverage;URM,underrepresentedracialminority.
outcomes are course or field specific (e.g., course grades, STEM grades) or college general
(e.g., overall GPA), as well as longer-term effects, such as course taking over time or career
choices.
Ourgoalistoassessthestateoftheinterventionresearchliterature,withaneyetotheoretical
andconceptualquestionsaboutinterventionsciencemoregenerally.Whatmakestheseinterven-
tionssopowerful?Howreplicablearetheeffectsobtainedtodate?Whenpossible,weevaluate
evidence for targeted intervention processes, i.e., whether the researchers identified processes
that help us understand how the intervention works and whether they tested for mediation
www.annualreviews.org • TheScienceofTargetedIntervention 415
PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
Table3 Summaryofvaluesaffirmationinterventionsinhighereducation
Study Problem Contextandsample Intervention Primaryfindings
Valuesaffirmationinterventions
Coursespecific
Miyakeetal. Gendergapin Twosectionsof Valuesaffirmation: Increasedperformancefor
(2010) physics introductoryphysicsfor studentswroteabouttheir womenoncourseexams
STEMmajorsatapublic mostimportantvalues, andastandardizedphysics
university(n = 399) onceasanin-classpractice test
writingexerciseandonce
asanonlinehomework
assignment
Harackiewicz Socialclass Threesectionsof Valuesaffirmation:twice Increasedcourse
y. etal.(2014a)a achievement introductorybiologyfor duringthesemester, performance,enrollment
w.annualreviews.org8. For personal use onl Hetaraalc.k(2ie0w1i6caz)b Sgaocachpiaielinvcelbamisoselnotgy ESuiingnTthirEvtoeMdsreuscicmtttyiooa(rjnnoysrb=soifaot7loa9g8py)ufbolric Vsmaedatnxuuloeurdirsinetnce-singiscmtealtsafhpsfiweosrrrpsmoteratmaanectteiatoisvbctanoeel:uruw,ttewrstihitaciesenirg Niafsnootnurdaedfinfeofroenvstcetthts-regarellnbseieormaloteigosytnecrcooGulrlPesAeg,es
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cc Tibbettsetal. Socialclass Three-yearfollow-upofan Valuesaffirmation:twice Increasedpostintervention
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(2016a) achievement interventioncompletedin duringthesemester, GPAsforfirst-generation
gap threesectionsof studentswroteabouttheir collegestudents
introductorybiologyfor mostimportantvaluesas
STEMmajorsatapublic anin-classpracticewriting
university(n = 788) exercise
aMeasuredacombinationofcourse-specific,field-specific,andcollege-generaloutcomes.
bTestedinterventionsfromtwodifferentcategories.
Abbreviation:STEM,science,technology,engineering,andmathematics.
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PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
Task value Framing Personal values
Course specific Utility-value intervention (4) X Values affirmation
e.g., engagement, intervention (3)
interest, course grades
Field specific Communal utility-value Social belonging X
e.g., course taking, intervention (3) intervention (1)
interest in field, Parent utility-value
career choices intervention (2)
School general X Attributional reframing (3) Values affirmation
e.g., enrollment rates, Mindset intervention (3) intervention (3)
retention, overall GPA Difference education
intervention (2)
Social belonging
intervention (5)
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alrepers summarizestheinterventionsthathavebeentestedineachcategoryofthisclassificationsystem,aswellas
w.annu8. For thenumberofexperimentalstudiesconducted(inparentheses).
m ww9/30/1 of intervention effects. In addition, we consider whether intervention effects extended across
o0 contextsorovertimethroughrecursiveprocesses.Figure2showsourclassificationsystem,the
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8.y Wigfield2002)expectancyvaluemodel,whichpositsthatthemostproximalpredictorsofachieve-
ol. 201niversit mareensttuanddenatcsh’ieexvpeemcteantti-orneslattheadtcthhoeiycecsa(ne.sgu.,cwceheidchacnodutrhseesetxotetanktet,ohowwhihcahrdthteoystvuadluyefotrheantaesxkamor)
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nu. pro intervention is that if educators can help their students find value in the course material, this
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e willgivestudentsareason,andthusthemotivation,toengagewiththematerialandultimately
c
c
A improvetheirperformance.Specifically,theinterventiontargetsutilityvalue,thevalueperceived

inataskortopicasaresultofitsusefulnessforachievingshort-orlong-termgoals.Forexample,
studentsmightperceiveutilityvalueinaphysiologycoursebecausetheycanusewhattheylearn
tomaketheirworkoutssaferandmoreeffective.
There are two basic strategies by which educators can promote perceptions of value: They
cantellstudentsthatcoursetopicsareusefulandimportant(i.e.,educatorscommunicatevalue
directly),ortheycantasktheirstudentswithdiscoveringthatvalueforthemselves(i.e.,students
generate value), most often through a writing exercise in which students relate course topics
to their own lives (Canning & Harackiewicz 2015, Durik et al. 2015, Gaspard et al. 2015).
Both strategies were tested first with several laboratory studies and then in the field, although
self-generated utility-value interventions are more common in the field (for a review, see
Harackiewicz&Hulleman2010,Harackiewiczetal.2014b).Becausetheseinterventionstarget
www.annualreviews.org • TheScienceofTargetedIntervention 417
PS69CH17-Harackiewicz ARI 14November2017 8:28
valueinparticularcontent,mostarecourse-levelinterventions.However,itisimportanttonote
thatengagingstudentswiththecontentofacoursealsoengagesthemwiththecontentofthat
field.Thisisoneavenuebywhichtheseseeminglygranular,content-focusedinterventionscould
havefar-reachingconsequences,suchasimpactingstudents’educationalandcareerchoices.
Course-SpecificTaskValueInterventions
Thecourse-specifictaskvalueinterventionstestedtodatehavebeenself-generatedutility-value
interventions.Inaprototypicalself-generatedutility-valueintervention,studentscompleteaseries
of course writing assignments in which they choose a topic covered in the current unit of the
courseandeitherdiscusstherelevanceandutilityvalueofthetopic(theinterventioncondition)
orsummarizethetopic(thecontrolcondition).Thisinterventionprovidesstudentsopportunities
tomakeconcreteconnectionsbetweenwhattheyarelearningandthingsthattheycareabout,
y.
nl fosteringperceptionsofvalueaswellasengagementwiththecoursecontent.Thefirstfieldtest
alreviews.orgpersonal use o ouiSmftinipltcihrteyoist-vhviinanislgtuienterhiviteeniiantrletghirorviagnedhnwetssiacoishnnoitwnohlaehssitsgpuchaiderynts,icccthehuoelcaooirlnulytrsecseerifevfaneennccdettiiviocnenlcafrshoesareassssibtn(ueHgednuethnltleteesismrtweiandintthein&rleoasHwtvaianerrxiasepccteyikecionteafwcteciioocmznllose2gro0eef0bcs9rou)o.ucacrTdseelhsysse.,,
m www.annu9/30/18. For wofitthHhepurslleoemmmeiassnitneegrtirnaelso.un(l2tes0.l1a0rg)eadsemcitnioisnteorfeadcaoullteiglietyi-nvtarloudeuicnttoerryvpensyticohnoltowgiycecoduurrsien.gAtmheonsegcostnuddehnatlsf
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nloaadis foundthatthemechanismdrivingtheseeffectswasthetargetedprocessofperceivedutilityvalue.
wM Inotherwords,forstudentswhowereinitiallystruggling,theinterventionincreasedperceptions
409-435. DoWisconsin - oanfdvAatnlhuoeetirhfeoinrrtstethunedtiyom,ncaotteonrdmiaulacjttoherdeyiinnwptwesryoeclhlaeoraglroengsiyen.cgt,iownhsiocfha,ninintturrond,uicntcorreyapsesydcthhoeliorgiyncteoruersste,infotuhnedfitheladt
69:of theutility-valueinterventionincreasedfinalexamscoresandinterestinpsychologyforallstudents
hol. 2018.University o2fo0nr1a7tvh)e.erIansgtuaeddadennidttisofonwr,htshotuedwyeefnorteusnmwdhotsohtapatettrhfroeisrkumtiienlidttyph-ovisoalrculoyenoitnentxeitnr,vimteinaaltlieeosxnawmhhasodintpheperafsrottrrimcounelgadersp(tHopouorlsllyietmiovneaneifnefiettciaatlsl.
ev. Psycded by eexaarlmyse.xTamhes,ytehxeaminitnerevdeinnttieornveinnctiroenasmedecthheainricsmonsfiadnednfcoeu(ni.de.t,hpaetr,ffoorrmsatundceenetxspwecitthatlioownsg)raanddesthoant
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nu. pro thisconfidence,inturn,explainedhigherfinalexamgrades.
Anss Hullemanandcolleagues’(2010,2017)workinlargeintroductorypsychologycoursesdemon-
e
cc stratesthattheutility-valueinterventioncanbeeffectiveforstrugglingstudents,includinggroups
A
ofstudentswhotendtounderperform.Thisraisesthepossibilitythattheutility-valueinterven-
tion can address achievement gaps. Harackiewicz and colleagues (2016a) tested this possibility
withalarge-scalefieldtrialineightsectionsofanintroductorybiologycourseforSTEMmajors
(overfoursemesters).Theirapproachwasnovelintwoways.First,theyusedanintersectional
analysis to examine achievement gaps for first-generation (FG) college students (i.e., those for
whomneitherparenthasafour-yearcollegedegree)andURMstudents,aswellasstudentsat
theintersectionofthesegroups,whoarebothFGandURM(FG-URM).Second,theyexamined
students’ motivational profiles to understand the characteristics of different groups that might
influencetheirreceptivitytotheintervention.
Harackiewiczandcolleagues(2016a)foundthatFG-URMstudentshadauniquemotivational
profile:Theywereleastconfidentabouttheirbackgroundinbiologyandwereuncertainabout
theirbelongingincollegemoregenerally.However,theywerealsohighlymotivatedtoperform
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