Comparison of student attitudes and performance in an online and a face-to-face inorganic chemistry course

Abstract

Despite recent interest in online learning, systematic comparisons of online learning environments with traditional classroom environments are limited, particularly in the sciences. Here, we report on a systematic comparison of an online and face-to-face classroom for a sophomore-level, lecture-only introductory inorganic chemistry course that is designed for students pursuing a chemistry major or minor. The online group consisted of three sections of students enrolled in Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry during two 8 week summer terms and one 4 week winter term. The face-to-face group consisted of two sections of students enrolled in Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry during two 15 week semesters. Both groups of students completed ten common exam questions, and a validated and reliable measure of their attitudes toward chemistry (Attitude toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory Version 2: ASCIv2). Students in the online course and face-to-face course did not differ in their performance on the common exam questions, course grade distribution, or attitudes toward chemistry. Although few studies have compared online and face-to-face learning environments in the physical sciences, our results are consistent with the idea that students who complete an online course fare just as well as those who attend face-to-face classes.

From Face-to-Face to Online Modality: Implications for Undergraduate Learning While the World is Temporarily Closed in the Age of COVID-19

“…When asked about future plans, student comments did not point to any major changes (Table 2). These results mirror previous studies where student attitudes regarding online and F2F did not differ at the University of Wisconsin (Nennig et al, 2020).…”

“…2). Nennig et al (2020) compared student attitudes in online and F2F inorganic chemistry courses. No significant differences were found in performance, grade distribution, and student attitudes.…”

Transitioning to Online Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic: Case Study of a Pre-University Centre in Malaysia

“…Additionally, online examination help institutions to reach remote students [50]. Overall, the online examination may produce an equal level of students' performance [51] and also helps to boost the students' results [52] as compared to the paper-based examination.…”

Student Engagement Declines in STEM Undergraduates during COVID-19–Driven Remote Learning

“…These constructs can be combined for an overall "attitude toward science/biology" that indicates how closely a student's views of science align with expert views. One of the most important influences on student attitude toward a course is the method of delivery of information, or modality, for example, in-person versus online learning (34)(35)(36)(37). Because the way in which science is taught often shapes how students perceive science (33), we predict there will be a negative shift in students' attitudes due to the mid-semester shift in the learning environment in spring 2020.…”