Potential Relationship of Chosen Major to Problem Solving Attitudes and Course Performance

Abstract

Introductory algebra-based physics courses frequently feature multiple student major populations in the same course section; however, different majors' requirements may impact students' motivations towards different aspects of the course material, e.g. problem solving, and hence, impact course performance. A preliminary categorization of student attitudes towards a lab group coordinated problem solving exercise, in which students individually reflect on their group-based problem attempt, is based upon students' written interpretations about the usefulness of the exercise: respectively towards intrinsic value of a problem solving framework, towards performing well in the course, and towards less specific aspects of the exercise. The relationship between choice of major and this preliminary categorization for a typical algebra-based physics course is analyzed, as are trends by major and by category type in a measure of course performance. We also discuss more in-depth development of interpretation for the categorization construct via written artifacts from the problem solving exercise.

Consideration of learning orientations as an application of achievement goals in evaluating life science majors in introductory physics

“…Achievement goals became a necessary consideration in analyzing feedback survey data from an initial study during the Spring 2014 semester. 34 The survey question that prompted further analysis in the initial studies was initially intended to investigate which steps of a problem-solving framework students felt they were most helped in developing by the problem-solving exercise. (Please see Fig.…”

Learning goals and perceived irrelevance to major within life science majors in introductory physics

“…The lack of differentiation between students in this population on FCI pre-post gains, as observed in Ref. 8, persists with regard to students' perceived relevance vs. irrelevance of physics with respect to their majors. It appears that neither learning goals nor relevance is a factor as far as Force Concept Inventory responses indicate within the scope of a single physics course.…”

“…Table 1 shows the distributions of students who saw the physics course as relevant, and students who saw the course as irrelevant. The distributions are shown in terms of the overall student pool; in terms of the subgroups based upon choice of major; and in terms of "Framework," "Performance," and "Vague" learning orientations of students towards the pre-lab problemsolving exercise [8]. Biology majors were slightly less likely to perceive irrelevance than were health science majors, and Vague-oriented students were slightly more likely to perceive irrelevance than were other learning orientations.…”

“…Learning goal orientations for life science majors in an algebra-based introductory physics course were identified via surveying students' perception of the utility of a pre-lab problem solving exercise [8]. This exercise was based upon research in "self-diagnosis" metacognition in physics [10,11] with the use of context-rich problems [12] and the assistance of the instructor and lab partners.…”

“…The topic of student mindset, primarily with regard to student beliefs about intelligence, has a very strong presence in psychology literature [4,5], and may contribute to the conversation of perceived relevance to students. Aspects of student mindset which treat relevance have recently become an explicit topic of interest by PER literature, e.g., student responses about challenge [6], establishing a STEM "identity" [7], or learning and achievement goals [8]. The latter item has been a concern with regard to recognizing achievement goals in the form of learning orientations, which were previously indicated to be a factor in the success of upper-level graduate students in physical science programs [9], but not necessarily at the introductory level [8].…”