Exploring Factors within an Introductory Course That Influence Students' Perception of Chemistry
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| Title: | Exploring Factors within an Introductory Course That Influence Students' Perception of Chemistry |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Courtney D. Glenn (ORCID |
| Source: | Chemistry Education Research and Practice. 2024 25(3):775-785. |
| Availability: | Royal Society of Chemistry. Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK. Tel: +44-1223 420066; Fax: +44-1223 423623; e-mail: cerp@rsc.org; Web site: http://www.rsc.org/cerp |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 11 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | College Students, Self Efficacy, Student Attitudes, Science Education, Chemistry, Science Teachers, Student Motivation, Academic Aspiration, Course Content, Science Course Improvement Projects, Gender Differences, Influences |
| DOI: | 10.1039/d4rp00008k |
| ISSN: | 1756-1108 |
| Abstract: | A large number of students across the globe each year enroll in general chemistry courses as an academic requirement to obtain their degree. Although many take chemistry courses, it is not a subject sought out by many as a potential career. In some instances, chemistry hinders students from achieving their career goals. A plethora of chemical education research has focused on improving student attitude, self-efficacy, and motivation to enhance academic performance and retention in chemistry. However, only a few reports focus on the factors that affect student perception and self-efficacy towards chemistry. These factors are important as they can help us implement targeted interventions to improve perceptions and self-efficacy as we seek to increase diversity in STEM fields. In this research study, the most influential factors that affect a student's perception of chemistry are uncovered, and whether these factors are related to gender identity, letter grade, or pursuit of chemistry as a career. For our study population, the "course instructor" and "course structure" are the two most influential factors in a student's perception of chemistry. In addition, academically low-achieving students (i.e., students who earned Cs or lower in a course) are more likely to list the "course structure" as an influential factor, and high-achieving students (i.e., students who earned Bs or higher in a course) are more likely to select the "course instructor" as an influential factor. The majority (66%) of students who selected the "course instructor" as an influential factor believed that they would perform well in future chemistry courses, while 47% of those who selected the "course structure" had the same belief in their future chemistry performance. Overall, less than 11% of the study population (51 of 447 students) were interested in pursuing chemistry as a career after completing CHEM 1. However, the answer to increasing the number of chemistry majors could be held within course design and teaching pedagogy. This research study seeks to highlight the relationship between gender and letter grade with factors that influence perception of chemistry, and we hope the results can guide instructors as they consider course structure and teaching pedagogy. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2024 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1428912 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1428912 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Exploring Factors within an Introductory Course That Influence Students' Perception of Chemistry – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Courtney+D%2E+Glenn%22">Courtney D. Glenn</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0508-2573">0000-0002-0508-2573</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Oluwatobi+O%2E+Odeleye%22">Oluwatobi O. Odeleye</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0334-0268">0000-0002-0334-0268</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Chemistry+Education+Research+and+Practice%22"><i>Chemistry Education Research and Practice</i></searchLink>. 2024 25(3):775-785. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Royal Society of Chemistry. Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK. Tel: +44-1223 420066; Fax: +44-1223 423623; e-mail: cerp@rsc.org; Web site: http://www.rsc.org/cerp – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 11 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2024 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Education%22">Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemistry%22">Chemistry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Teachers%22">Science Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Motivation%22">Student Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Aspiration%22">Academic Aspiration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Content%22">Course Content</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Course+Improvement+Projects%22">Science Course Improvement Projects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Influences%22">Influences</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1039/d4rp00008k – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1756-1108 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: A large number of students across the globe each year enroll in general chemistry courses as an academic requirement to obtain their degree. Although many take chemistry courses, it is not a subject sought out by many as a potential career. In some instances, chemistry hinders students from achieving their career goals. A plethora of chemical education research has focused on improving student attitude, self-efficacy, and motivation to enhance academic performance and retention in chemistry. However, only a few reports focus on the factors that affect student perception and self-efficacy towards chemistry. These factors are important as they can help us implement targeted interventions to improve perceptions and self-efficacy as we seek to increase diversity in STEM fields. In this research study, the most influential factors that affect a student's perception of chemistry are uncovered, and whether these factors are related to gender identity, letter grade, or pursuit of chemistry as a career. For our study population, the "course instructor" and "course structure" are the two most influential factors in a student's perception of chemistry. In addition, academically low-achieving students (i.e., students who earned Cs or lower in a course) are more likely to list the "course structure" as an influential factor, and high-achieving students (i.e., students who earned Bs or higher in a course) are more likely to select the "course instructor" as an influential factor. The majority (66%) of students who selected the "course instructor" as an influential factor believed that they would perform well in future chemistry courses, while 47% of those who selected the "course structure" had the same belief in their future chemistry performance. Overall, less than 11% of the study population (51 of 447 students) were interested in pursuing chemistry as a career after completing CHEM 1. However, the answer to increasing the number of chemistry majors could be held within course design and teaching pedagogy. This research study seeks to highlight the relationship between gender and letter grade with factors that influence perception of chemistry, and we hope the results can guide instructors as they consider course structure and teaching pedagogy. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2024 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1428912 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1428912 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1039/d4rp00008k Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 11 StartPage: 775 Subjects: – SubjectFull: College Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes Type: general – SubjectFull: Science Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Chemistry Type: general – SubjectFull: Science Teachers Type: general – SubjectFull: Student Motivation Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic Aspiration Type: general – SubjectFull: Course Content Type: general – SubjectFull: Science Course Improvement Projects Type: general – SubjectFull: Gender Differences Type: general – SubjectFull: Influences Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Exploring Factors within an Introductory Course That Influence Students' Perception of Chemistry Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Courtney D. Glenn – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Oluwatobi O. Odeleye IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2024 Identifiers: – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1756-1108 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 25 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Chemistry Education Research and Practice Type: main |
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