ALE:
real world/audience, critical thinking, community of learners, and student-directed learning.
Eight randomly selected students were also interviewed in order to further clarify the students’
level of motivation after the ALE was completed. Their answers were coded and analyzed
according to the themes and trends that their answers revealed.
Survey
In order to answer whether ALE’s lead to greater motivation and thus greater engagement
for students, the survey was used to show the individual relationship of the four characteristics of
an authentic learning experiences to the ALE as a whole. The researcher assigned a value of 5 to
each survey answer that showed the best attitude toward an ALE. So if the best attitude answer
for a question was “Strongly Agree,” then that answer received a 5, if “Mildly Agree” then a 4, if
“Neutral” a 3, if “Mildly Disagree” a 2, and if “Strongly Disagree” a 1. These assigned scores of
each survey were then added together to get a total number of points for that student’s survey.
The total possible points available for the 20-question survey was 100. The researcher then
collated the answers into the four characteristics of an ALE. Each of those sections of five
questions was also totalled for each student. The researcher then had a total number for each
characteristic as well as a total number for each survey. This data was used to calculate
regression, or the relationship between each characteristic of an ALE to the ALE as a whole.
AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !23
Figures 1 thru 4 show the regression lines for each of the four characteristics. The regression is
measured using R-squared. The R-squared value for each of the characteristics are as follows:
Real World/Audience: 48.4%; Community of Learners: 38.7%; Critical Thinking: 63.3%;
Student Choice: 15.1%. The results of this analysis show how each of the characteristics of an
ALE fall in relationship to the ALE as a whole.
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Figure 2. Linear graph showing the correlation between Real World/Audience to the total sum of the
survey.
The R-squared value of 48.4% shows that having a real problem and/or a real audience
was motivating for the students. It was the second highest correlation of the four characteristics.
Su m
o f R
ea l W
or ld
/A ud
ie nc
e Sc
or es
10
13
16
19
22
25
Total Sum 55 64 73 82 91 100
R² = 0.4835
Real World/Audience
AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !24
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Figure 3. Linear graph showing correlation between Critical Thinking and the total sum of
survey.
Critical thinking had the highest R-squared value of 63.3%. This is a very strong
correlation to show that students felt motivated when they could use this skill while working on
their ALE.
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Figure 4. Linear graph showing the correlation between Community of Learners and the total
sum of the survey.
Su m
o f C
rit ic
al T
hi nk
in g
Sc or
es
10
13
16
19
22
25
Total Sum 55 64 73 82 91 100
R² = 0.6331
Critical thinking Su
m o
f C om
m un
ity o
f Le
ar ne
rs S
co re
s
10
13
16
19
22
25
Total Sum
55 64 73 82 91 100
R² = 0.3874
Community of Learners
AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !25
Though the R-squared value for Community of Learners was third highest with a value of
38.7%, it does shows a correlation between the motivation of the ALE as a whole and being able
to work in community with their classmates.
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Figure 5. Linear graph showing the correlation between Student Choice and the total sum of the
survey.
Student choice in their learning had the lowest R-squared value. The 15.1% is much
lower than the other three characteristics and indicated this was the least motivating factor in
how the students felt about the ALE. Even as a lower score, 15.4% does show that students were
motivated by being able to have choice in their learning, but the lower score suggests that having
choice in their work was not as motivating to the students as the other three characteristics.
Interviews
This study sought to answer whether authentic learning experiences lead to greater levels
of motivation thus leading to greater engagement as students realize the importance of the work
Su m
o f S
tu de
nt C
ho ic
e Sc
or es
10
13
16
19
22
25
Total Sum
55 64 73 82 91 100
R² = 0.1514
Student Choice
AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !26
they are doing for their future lives. The interview responses of the eight randomly selected
students were overwhelmingly positive in regards to answering this research question. Their
answers reflected their attitudes in the four basic characteristics of an ALE.
Real world/real audience. The interviews showed that the students enjoyed connecting
with a real audience through the newspaper unit. Student C said that reading the articles written
by other students “helped me find joy when I’m busy or find joy when life isn’t really going my
way” (Student C interview, March 1, 2018). Student H said that they received reassurance from
reading other newspaper articles from fellow classmates because they felt that “my life is kind of
hard . . . but it made me get reassured that life will get better” (Student H interview, March 1,
2018). This student also said that publishing the newspaper allowed them “to show people
reading it that joy comes in many different ways and it’s not the same for everybody” (Student H
interview, March 1, 2018).
Having a real audience changed all of the students’ perspectives in how they wrote their
article. Student A said that it “changed the way I write when it’s meant to go to everyone instead
of just the teacher” (Student A interview, March 1, 2018) Student B said, “I tried harder to make
sure I represented myself and the class well” (Student B interview, March 1, 2018).
Having a connection to the real world and real audience changed the amount of effort
students put into their work. One hundred percent of the students commented in their own words
that the real audience made them work harder to publish a well-written article. Student D said,
“I wanted more people to see that I can do better than what I probably have done in the
past” (Student D interview, March 1, 2018). Student G responded, “I knew that people I knew
were going to read it and it had to be good because I had to put my name on it” (Student G
AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !27
interview, March 1, 2018). Student B shared that she hoped “that people would know that the
sophomore class was a great class” because of their newspaper (Student B interview, March 1,
2018). On the negative side of a having a real audience, only one student, 12.5%, found a
downside of having a real audience. Student C stated “I don’t want people to know it’s from me”
(Student C interview, March 1, 2018).
Community of learners. Eighty-eight percent of the interviewed students found benefits
in working as a community to accomplish their project. Student A said that it was “fun to read
other people’s stories, where other people find joy in their lives” (Student A interview, March 1,
2018). Student B “loved seeing the creative ideas that the rest of the class did” (Student B
interview, March 1, 2018). Student G enjoyed connecting with the greater school community
through the newspaper. This student stated, “We got to interview different people and find out
about their stories of joy . . . that was really cool” (Student G interview, March 1, 2018). Student
F said that he felt “like I put a good amount of effort in for my team” (Student F interview,
March 1, 2018), and Student D said, “We each did our part and we got it done” (Student D
interview, March 1, 2018). Student H stated “It was nice to have people to hold me accountable”
(Student H interview, March 1, 2018). Two of the students agreed that they did the work because
they knew that their team was depending on them. Student F said that he “didn’t want to be the
weak link that drags everyone else down so you do your job, so I felt responsible for
that” (Student F interview, March 1, 2018) while Student E said she knew that “people were
counting on me” (Student E interview, March 1, 2018). Student B said that “Everyone did what
we assigned them to do, on time, and if someone didn’t get something done, we always helped
them. Yeah, I think we really did well together” (Student B interview, March 1, 2018). There
AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !28
were negative feelings toward working as a team in 37% of those interviewed. Student C said
that she didn’t feel like her team worked that well together “because half the people on our team
don’t care,” and when asked her least favorite part of the project she simply stated, “Some of my
team members” (Student C interview, March 1, 2018). Student G said that “there was some
people who didn’t really do a lot and some people who did like all of it so it was a mix of people
who didn’t think they had to do anything and people who knew they had to do
everything” (Student G interview, March 1, 2018). Student A shared, “Depending on others, I’m
not always sure that they will do their best work and I wonder how that will affect how well my
final project will be” (Student A interview, March 1, 2018).
Critical thinking. Many of the responses showed that through the process of
interviewing people, students critically processed the true meaning of joy. They also had to use
their critical thinking and analyzing skills to work through the writing process on their articles.
Overall, 87% of the students commented on the need to think critically on this project. The
students wanted to use their critical thinking skills to submit a well-written article to their
newspapers. Student C said that she “just enjoyed learning about joy . . . because I need to work
on that” (Student C interview, March 1, 2018). Student D liked “learning about other people and
their stories” (Student D interview, March 1, 2018). Some of the interviewees made specific
applications to their own learning needs. Student B said that she “grew from it as a writer,
learning how to write more concise how to see things clearer, like grammatically, how to set up
things, so yes, think I grew from it” (Student B interview, March 1, 2018). Student H shared
that “I don’t say I’m very good at school but when I was correcting my paper I realized . . . it’s
not that bad actually” (Student H interview, March 1, 2018). Student D said that “if you don’t do
AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !29
it right, just don’t do it at all. So I have to intentionally do as good as possible” (Student D
interview, March 1, 2018). And because of this project, Student H said, “I feel like I can do
school a lot better than I am” (Student H interview, March 1, 2018). Student D said that “At the
beginning it was a lot of work to do and at the end it wasn’t too hard.” Student D also stated that
he felt he needed to “do it right so you don’t get ridiculed for your specific article” (Student D
interview, March 1, 2018). Although Student B said that “The least thing I enjoyed would be
probably all the revisions we had to do,” she also said, “I know it is necessary” (Student B
interview, March 1, 2018). Student F shared that “I’m not a very good speller or with grammar,
so when I have to do something with a lot of spelling and grammar, it’s not my favorite because I
have to do a lot of correcting” (Student F interview, March 1, 2018).
Student-directed learning. The students had mixed reviews of being the directors of
their own learning. In regards to their ability to choose their own topic, Student G said, “I got to
know that part of their family and got to know them a lot more” because of whom she
interviewed for her article (Student G interview, March 1, 2018). Student F said, “I don’t know
my stepmom that well yet and I got to know her better” (Student H interview, March 1, 2018).
Eighty-seven percent of students said they felt personal satisfaction in their project. Student F
said, “I’m happy with my final project” (Student F interview, March 1, 2018), and Student B
said, “I can express myself through it” (Student B interview, March 1, 2018). Student E said that
he’d “never done anything like this before” (Student E interview, March 1, 2018). Only one of
the students interviewed said that he didn’t connect with his topic. Student D said that he didn’t
find personal meaning in the project because “just maybe the story I picked” (Student D
interview, March 1, 2018). Three of the students mentioned that the grade played a part in how
AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES !30
