Attitude Changes Reported by College Students Who Tutored Children in Reading

Abstract

This study had 2 purposes: (a) to examine the validity and reliability of a questionnaire developed to determine if college students who tutored elementary school children reported attitude changes and (b) to determine if there was attitude change along the 4 proposed dimensions of the questionnaire: attitude toward self, children, tutoring, and others. Participants were 133 college students who tutored in an America Reads Challenge program. Factor analysis yielded good reliability supporting the validity of the questionnaire, and significant positive attitude changes were observed on all 4 dimensions. The change in attitude was explained as collateral learning. These findings build on the results of previous investigations and have implications for students in college and university learning assistance centers.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Patrick P. McCabe

Patrick P. McCabe, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Literacy Methodology in the Graduate Literacy Program at St. John's University in Jamaica, New York. He teaches doctoral and master's degree students, and he has research interests in student attitude, self-efficacy, and text format as it relates to literacy development. Dr. McCabe has taught at the elementary, secondary, junior college, college, and graduate levels. Paul M. Miller, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Educational Measurement in the Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership at St. John's University in Jamaica, New York. He teaches doctoral and master's degree students, and he has research interests in judgment and decision-making with applications to decisions by professionals in the field of education. While Patrick P. McCabe taught at Nova Southeastern University, he was assisted in data collection by Helena Rozlivkova, who at the time was a Ph.D. candidate in Dispute Resolution. To her he extends his special appreciation for her work on this project.

Paul M. Miller

Patrick P. McCabe, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Literacy Methodology in the Graduate Literacy Program at St. John's University in Jamaica, New York. He teaches doctoral and master's degree students, and he has research interests in student attitude, self-efficacy, and text format as it relates to literacy development. Dr. McCabe has taught at the elementary, secondary, junior college, college, and graduate levels. Paul M. Miller, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Educational Measurement in the Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership at St. John's University in Jamaica, New York. He teaches doctoral and master's degree students, and he has research interests in judgment and decision-making with applications to decisions by professionals in the field of education. While Patrick P. McCabe taught at Nova Southeastern University, he was assisted in data collection by Helena Rozlivkova, who at the time was a Ph.D. candidate in Dispute Resolution. To her he extends his special appreciation for her work on this project.