Learning Contexts Matter: Having Value-Supportive Instructors Moderates the Efficacy of a Utility-Value Intervention in Community College Math

Previous research has established the benefits of utility-value interventions in improving students' motivation and achievement outcomes. However, further investigation is needed to understand the heterogeneity of intervention effects and identify the contexts within which these interventions are more effective. Accordingly, in the present study, we tested the efficacy of a utility-value intervention in contexts with varying degrees of perceived instructor support in the development of values and relevance. Participants were 2,240 community college students enrolled in one of the four math courses taught by 78 instructors. The results of multilevel models with Bayesian estimation suggested that the utility-value intervention increased students' relevance for mathematics, which in turn positively predicted their math achievement. Notably, the intervention predicted these outcomes only in contexts where students perceived less support from instructors for the development of values, highlighting its effectiveness in contexts where it was most needed. Additionally, the results revealed an unintended consequence of the utility-value intervention: a slight decrease in students' expectations for success in their math course compared to the control group. We propose that minor adjustments to the writing activities embedded within the intervention in future research could mitigate any negative effects on students' expectations for success. This study underscores the importance of examining the heterogeneity of intervention effects, highlighting that interventions do not produce uniform outcomes across all contexts. The results have implications for professional development opportunities for instructors seeking to foster value-supportive environments for their students.