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Assessment of students’ affective characteristics in general chemistry

Assessment of students’ affective characteristics in general chemistry. Julia Chan and Christopher F. Bauer Department of Chemistry University of New Hampshire Feb 4, 2013 A/P/ Chem Ed Lunch Talk. Affective Characteristics and Student Learning. Prior knowledge & background. Chemistry

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Assessment of students’ affective characteristics in general chemistry

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  1. Assessment of students’ affective characteristics in general chemistry Julia Chan and Christopher F. Bauer Department of Chemistry University of New Hampshire Feb 4, 2013 A/P/Chem Ed Lunch Talk

  2. Affective Characteristics and Student Learning Prior knowledge & background Chemistry Achievement College General Chemistry • Self-concept • Attitude • Motivation • Metacognitive abilities Affective experiences Zusho, A. Int. J. Sci. Educ. 2003, 25, 1081-1094.

  3. Part I: Self-concept and Attitude

  4. College Chemistry Outcomes PLTL vs. non- PLTL learning groups? Prior experiences & background Chemistry Achievement College General Chemistry • self-concept • attitude Affective experiences • Lewis, S.E. et. al. J. Chem. Educ. 2009, 86, 744-749. • Nieswandt, M. J. Res. Sci. Teach. 2007, 44, 908-937.

  5. Research Questions To what extent does PLTL participation affect: • students’ academic achievement? • 2) students’ self-concept and attitude toward chemistry? • 3) students’ self-concept and attitude toward chemistry over the course of the semester? • In addition: • 4) To what extent are students’ self-concept and attitude toward chemistry influenced by disaggregation of by sex (F, M) or class status (Freshmen, non-freshmen)?

  6. Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) • Structured form of small group learning (approx. 6-8 people) • Guided by a leader, meet weekly to work on assigned problems • practice thinking and talking about chemistry • Reduce attrition rates, enhance motivation, engagement • Improvements in students’ academic performance • Greater persistence throughout course • Increase success in chemistry

  7. Design Setup • Fall 2008 and Fall 2009 (General Chemistry) • Participation in PLTL or alternative study activities (non-PLTL) • About 2/3 freshmen students • Majors : Bioscience, health sciences, chemistry, liberal arts • Taught by same instructor who used same curriculum and gave common exams • Academic achievement assessed via 3 monthly exams and final exam • Self-concept and attitude to chemistry assessed at beginning (PRE) and end of semester (POST)

  8. Students randomly assigned either to… Control for Time on task

  9. ASCI/CSCI Surveys ASCI/CSCI Data Sets • CSCI (Chemistry Self-Concept Inventory) • 40-item Likert-style assessment • measures student self-concept as a learner of chemistry • Subscales: math, chemistry, academic, academic enjoyment, and creativity self-concept • ASCI (Attitude to Subject of Chemistry Inventory) • 20-item semantic differential assessment • measures student attitudes toward chemistry • Subscales: Interest and utility, anxiety, intellectual accessibility, emotional satisfaction, fear of chemistry Bauer, C.F. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82, 1864-1870. Bauer, C.F. J. Chem. Educ. 2008, 85, 1440-1445.

  10. CSCI Survey

  11. ASCI Survey

  12. Exam Performance • No differences in exam results between PLTL and non-PLTL groups Math SAT groups 1: low (426-525) 2: med (526-625) 3: high (626-725)

  13. Attitude & Self-Concept vs. PLTL (Fall 2008) Attitude Self-Concept Negative mean difference: decrease in attitude/ self-concept over the course of semester Positive mean difference: increase in attitude/ self-concept over the course of semester

  14. Attitude vs. Class Status (Fall 2009) • 41 freshmen, • 50 non- freshmen • Beginning of semester, non freshmen showed: • Higher anxiety • Lower emotional satisfaction • Lower intellectual accessibility • End of semester, all subscales were tested significant • Similar results found in Fall 08 worthwhile, beneficial, interesting, exciting Simple, clear, easy, comprehensible Pleasant, comfortable satisfying

  15. Self-Concept vs. Class Status (Fall 2009) • Only chemistry self-concept differed throughout semester • Freshmen students reported higher chemistry self-concept do well in courses involving chemistry, good at dealing with chemical ideas, participate confidently in discussions about chemical topics

  16. Attitude vs. Gender (Fall 2009) • 27 males, 64 females • Beginning of semester, no difference in attitudes found • End of semester, males showed: • Higher emotional satisfaction • Higher intellectual accessibility • Consistent with Brandriet et. al. findings (Miami U) • ASCI instrument is reliable and robust across different populations

  17. Self-Concept vs. Gender(Fall 2009) • No differences in self-concept found for gender throughout semester

  18. Conclusions- Part I • No differences in exam performance between PLTL vs. non-PLTL groups • Change in attitudefound for sex and class status • Males and freshmen reportedmore positive attitude throughout semester • Change in chemistryself-concept found only for class status • Freshmen students reported higher chemistry self-concept throughout semester • No differences in attitude and self-concept found between PLTL vs. non-PLTL groups

  19. Part II: Motivation, metacognitive abilities, learning strategies

  20. Research Questions 1) How do motivation and learning strategies correlate with academic performance? 2) How do motivation and learning strategies change in chemistry over the semester? 3) How does motivation and learning strategies differ between male and female groups?

  21. Format of the MSLQ Pintrich, P. R. et. al. J. Ed. Psych. 1990,82, 33-40.

  22. Sample MSLQ statements

  23. Design • Approx. 200 students (General Chemistry) • Fall 2008 • About 2/3 freshmen students • Majors: Bioscience, health sciences, chemistry, liberal arts • Motivation and learning strategies assessed at 3 time points during the semester (before each term exam)

  24. Correlations of MSLQ scales with exam performance (p < 0.003) Everyone r = 0.6 r = 0.2

  25. Sex differences in motivation and learning Time 1 *p<0.05, **p<0.01, *** p<0.001 Cohen’s d effect size: d > 0.2 small; d > 0.5 medium; d > 0.8 large outlining, making diagrams, going over class notes Questioning, looking for evidence, playing with ideas, thinking about alternatives Time 2 Time 3

  26. Motivation and learning throughout the semester **p<0.01, *** p<0.001 2 effect size: 2 > 0.01 small; 2 > 0.04 medium; 2 > 0.14 large

  27. Conclusions- Part II • Correlations with exam performance: • All 6 scales on motivation section • 2 scales on learning strategies section • self-efficacy most correlated with exam performance • Females: better organizers • Males: better critical thinkers • Goal orientation, task value, learning beliefs, and effort decreased over the semester • Self-efficacy decreased at beginning of semester and increased again by end of semester

  28. Implications Implications • instructors should facilitate positive motivational beliefs and attitudes • maintain high levels of self-efficacy and positive attitude throughout semester • relate importance and utility of chemistry to daily lives of students

  29. Current Project • Extend study to look at sophomore organic chemistry classes • Chem 545 (Harris), Chem 548 (Johnson), Chem 652 (Miller) • How does self-concept, attitude, motivation, and metacognitive abilities change longitudinally over the two years as students progress from general to organic chemistry?

  30. Effect of various aspects of students’ affective characteristics on academic performance (via content exams) • Mixed-methods study • Track changes in affective factors • Identify “at-risk” students • In-depth student interviews • Assist instructors to develop more effective interventions to help students be more successful

  31. Acknowledgements • Advisor: Prof Chris Bauer • Chem Ed Journal Club

  32. Does initial attitudes and self-concept predict chemistry achievement in gen chem and organic chem? • Does prior knowledge predict chemistry achievement because of attitude/self-concept differences? • Are initial attitudes predictive of achievement in courses taken beyond first year college?

  33. Definitions • Self-efficacy: • Judgments about one’s ability to succeed in a specific task (context specific) • “I’m certain I can understand the basic concepts taught in this course” • Self-concept: • Beliefs one makes about themselves in general or specific areas of knowledge • Not as specific as self-efficacy (more global/less context dependent) • “I have trouble understanding anything based on chemistry” • Self-esteem: • General feelings about self-value and self-worth • Self-confidence: • Combination of self-esteem and self-efficacy • Attitude: • Predisposition to respond positively or negatively to things, people, places, or ideas

  34. Terminology • Effect size: • The magnitude of difference between 2 different populations • How big of a difference there needs to be in order to detect an effect on the treatment variable • Significance level (α) • The nominal significance level is usually set at 0.05 (traditionally) • If p<α, then reject Ho; if p>α, then fail to reject Ho • p-level • Given that Ho is correct, what is the probability of the observed result

  35. Appendix

  36. Other studies with MSLQ • Zusho et. al. (U of Michigan) • PALS (Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey), MSLQ used to assess motivation and cognition in gen chem • Motivation decreased over time • High-achievers’ self-efficacy and interest increased over time while low-achievers decreased over time • Lynch et. al. (U of New England) • Used MSLQ to assess motivation and cognition in organic chem students • Self-efficacy highly correlated with academic performance • Males: higher intrinsic motivation, task-value, self-efficacy correlations with exam scores • Females: higher test anxiety with exam Zusho, A. Int. J. Sci. Educ. , 2003, 25, 1081-1094. Lynch, D. J. Int. J. Sci. and Math. Educ., 2011, 9, 1351-1365.

  37. Post-hoc comparisons • Intrinsic goal orientation • Extrinsic goal orientation • Task value • Learning beliefs • Self efficacy • Effort • Study environment Time 1 –Time 3 Time 1 –Time 2 Time 1 –Time 3 Time 1 –Time 2

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