Do Task Type and Study Program Influence Mathematics Students' Task Evaluations Regarding Values, Costs, Effort, and Self-efficacy?

Kiesel, Chia; Weber, Birke-Johanna; Rach, Stefanie; Lindmeier, Anke

Abstract

Innovative tasks that specifically address connections between school mathematics and university mathematics have increasingly been implemented in university mathematics courses. Studies indicate that such tasks can strengthen prospective teachers’ study motivation, but it is unclear whether they have the same effect on students not enrolled in a teaching program. In a study with 146 first-year students, we investigated whether students evaluated regular and innovative tasks differently regarding task values, costs, effort, and self-efficacy. We found significant moderating effects of the study program (teaching vs. non-teaching), indicating that innovative tasks were evaluated more favourably by prospective teachers, e.g., concerning utility value. These results suggest implementing specific tasks for students in different programs.

Keywords

mathematical taskslearning mathematics at universityexpectancy-value theory

Recommended citation

Kiesel, C., Weber, B., Rach, S., & Lindmeier, A. (2026). Do Task Type and Study Program Influence Mathematics Students' Task Evaluations Regarding Values, Costs, Effort, and Self-efficacy?. In Krzywacki H., Hähkiöniemi M., Haataja E., Hannula M.S., Hästö P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Volume 1 (pp. 803–810). Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME). ISSN 2790-3648.

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