Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the narratives of 10 students who began an academic course with strong negative attitudes but finished the course with strong positive attitudes. In the beginning of the course, each student exhibited one of these three tendencies: apathetic, compliant, or disillusioned; however, by the end of the course, they exhibited a transformed disposition. This study attempts to answer the question of what the turning points were for their transformation and how they made the change. The findings of this study were that regardless of individual tendencies, the ability to exercise agency was the principal turning point for these students, followed by seeing that relevance in their own lives, and taking the initiative to approach the teacher with problems. An unexpected finding was how students with a transforming tendency tend to see learning as a spiritual activity and that through faith, acknowledging others, reverence, and humility, they can change their strong negative attitudes toward a course.

Degree

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Instructional Psychology and Technology

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/