Utility Value Trajectories and Their Relationship with Behavioral Engagement and Performance in Introductory Statistics

This study examined utility value trajectories overall and by gender, race, and underrepresented racial minority (URM) status within an introductory statistics course and tested the relationships between utility value, behavioral engagement, and performance. Data from 1108 undergraduates included three surveys integrated into their online textbook (t(1): beginning of the textbook; t(2): middle of the textbook; t(3): end of the textbook). On average, utility value declined from t(1) to t(2). There were no significant differences by gender, however, latent change models revealed significant differences between URM and non-URM students: While Black, Latinx, and racially minoritized students continued to experience a decline in utility value from t(2) to t(3), White and Asian students did not. Utility value was reciprocally related to behavioral engagement during the learning process, and both utility value (t(3)) and behavioral engagement (t(1) and t(2)) predicted final course grades. The findings highlight the need for a deeper understanding of short-term relationships between utility value, behavioral engagement, and performance as well as the ongoing concern for how best to support students who identify with underrepresented groups in STEM.