Do Assignments Improve Honors Student Perceptions of Addressing Poverty?
Conference Tracks
Academic/ Professional Development - Research
Abstract
This research identifies differences in student perceptions in addressing poverty when assigned to an intervention group versus a control group. Both the intervention group (n=39) and control group (n=54) were enrolled in one-hour Honors sections of a transition course at a four-year public institution. The assigned text for the course was Soul of a Citizen by Paul Rogat Loeb, which emphasizes social engagement. Students were assigned select readings and time was spent discussing the text. Students attended a presentation about a local safety net non-profit organization and were informed about volunteer opportunities. The intervention group completed three assignments related to poverty whereas the control group did not. Both groups completed a survey near the beginning and end of the course to examine perceptions of poverty, including how effective students could be at addressing it (range = 1 very ineffective to 5 very effective). Researchers will share the results of a paired t-test from pre-to-post survey for both groups to show whether there were statistically significant differences during the course. Researchers will share Pearson chi-square test results that showed whether there were statistically significant differences in perceptions at post-measure between the two groups. Further statistical analyses results will also be shared.
Session Format
Presentation
Location
Rooms 113 & 115
Publication Type and Release Option
Image (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Tallant, April and Townsend, Colin, "Do Assignments Improve Honors Student Perceptions of Addressing Poverty?" (2015). SoTL Commons Conference. 36.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2015/36
Do Assignments Improve Honors Student Perceptions of Addressing Poverty?
Rooms 113 & 115
This research identifies differences in student perceptions in addressing poverty when assigned to an intervention group versus a control group. Both the intervention group (n=39) and control group (n=54) were enrolled in one-hour Honors sections of a transition course at a four-year public institution. The assigned text for the course was Soul of a Citizen by Paul Rogat Loeb, which emphasizes social engagement. Students were assigned select readings and time was spent discussing the text. Students attended a presentation about a local safety net non-profit organization and were informed about volunteer opportunities. The intervention group completed three assignments related to poverty whereas the control group did not. Both groups completed a survey near the beginning and end of the course to examine perceptions of poverty, including how effective students could be at addressing it (range = 1 very ineffective to 5 very effective). Researchers will share the results of a paired t-test from pre-to-post survey for both groups to show whether there were statistically significant differences during the course. Researchers will share Pearson chi-square test results that showed whether there were statistically significant differences in perceptions at post-measure between the two groups. Further statistical analyses results will also be shared.
