Preparation for College General Chemistry: More than Just a Matter of Content Knowledge Acquisition

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of five factors that may be predictive of success in college general chemistry courses: prior knowledge of common alternate conceptions, intelligence, scientific reasoning ability, proportional reasoning ability, and attitude toward chemistry. We found that both prior knowledge and scientific reasoning ability were significantly correlated with students' performance on the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Education Examinations Institute First Term General Chemistry Examination. Given that scientific reasoning ability was significantly correlated with final exam performance and that its impact is not broadly known in the chemistry teaching community, we then discuss the implications for facilitating the development of reasoning ability in college preparatory high school chemistry courses and college preparatory chemistry courses.

Improving the Success of First Term General Chemistry Students at a Liberal Arts Institution

“…Therefore, an on-site preparatory general chemistry course taught by a full-time faculty member or science learning specialist, rather than other methods of preparation, such as an online tutorial, was determined to best fit our institutional mission, size, and the academic profile of our students. In developing a preparatory course, we agreed that placing students into our existing introductory chemistry survey course, which is populated by nutrition and exercise science majors, would not serve the intended function since this course is intended to provide only broad chemistry content [30]. Some institutions experiencing similar pass rates as our institution have simply placed at-risk students into introductory chemistry [1], but the purpose of an introductory survey course does not align with the goal of a preparatory course which is to prepare students for the mathematical rigor of a general chemistry course.…”

Belonging in general chemistry predicts first-year undergraduates’ performance and attrition

“…Extensive research has examined the factors influencing student success in undergraduate general chemistry, showing the impact of individual differences in cognitive (e.g., Cracolice and Busby, 2015), educational (e.g., Tai et al, 2005), and affective variables (e.g., Lewis et al, 2009). This introductory course has garnered ongoing attention because it is an early requirement for students planning to pursue careers in STEM or healthcare.…”

Avaliação Das Causas De Retenção Em Química Geral Na Universidade Federal Do Amazonas

“…Trabalhos realizados sobre evasão apontam a permanência prolongada em disciplinas consideradas difíceis como um dos fatores que contribuem para a desistência do curso. [2][3][4][5][6] Entre elas, tem-se a Química Geral, comumente dividida em teórica e experimental. As dificuldades provenientes dessa disciplina acabam sendo determinantes para os recém universitários pois é, frequentemente, o primeiro contato dos discentes com o universo da Química na universidade, abrindo portas para as disciplinas que a seguem, como química orgânica e bioquímica para os cursos da área de saúde e as demais químicas: analítica, inorgânica e físico-química, para os cursos de exatas, engenharias e licenciaturas.…”

“…As pesquisas na área contribuem para o avanço do conhecimento sobre o processo de permanência prolongada nessa disciplina e entre os fatores relacionados, citam-se: docentes que ministram essa disciplina em formato tradicional; dificuldades no processo de aprendizagem dos discentes; baixo nível de conhecimento básico dos alunos e a pouca aplicação dessa disciplina nos conceitos no cotidiano. [4][5][6][7] Para Cracolice e Busby, 5 essa disciplina na faculdade vai muito além da aquisição de conhecimento de conteúdo e precisa preparar o discente para o desenvolvimento da capacidade de raciocínio e para o meio científico.…”