The Relationship Between a Student’s Success in First-Semester General Chemistry and Their Mathematics Fluency, Profile, and Performance on Common Questions

Chemistry educator Alex H. Johnstone is perhaps best known for his insight that chemistry is best explained using macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic perspectives. But in his writings, he stressed a broader thesis, namely that teaching should be guided by scientific research on how the brain learns: cognitive science. Since Johnstone’s retirement, science’s understanding of learning has progressed rapidly. A surprising discovery has been when solving chemistry problems of any complexity, reasoning does not work: students must apply very-well-memorized facts and algorithms. Following Johnstone’s advice, we review recent discoveries of cognitive science research. Instructional strategies are recommended that cognitive studies have shown help students learn chemistry.

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Improving student success in chemistry through cognitive science

Hartman

Nelson

Kirschner

2022

Found Chem

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e-Homework and Motivation for Students’ Success in First-Semester General Chemistry

2023

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Importance of Academic Legacy on Student Success in First- and Second-Semester General Chemistry

Shelton,

Villalta-Cerdas,

Jang

et al. 2023

Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

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This investigation sought to elucidate the influence of students' academic legacy on their prior knowledge and course outcomes providing crucial insights for educators who teach general chemistry. This six-semester analysis involved 6,914 students enrolled in classes across nine Texas universities. Explored were personal circumstances associated with students' successes and failures that influenced performance in on- and off-sequence, first- and second-semester general chemistry (Chem 1 and Chem 2). Students' academic legacy based on their categorization as first generation (neither grandparent nor parent/guardian with a 4-year bachelor's degree), second generation (at least one grandparent or parent/guardian with a bachelor's degree), or third generation (at least one grandparent and at least one parent/guardian hold a bachelor's degree) was investigated. Of the students in the dataset 33.8% (<i>n</i> = 2,340) self-identified as Hispanic. Results for Hispanic and non-Hispanic students indicated that first-generation students struggled more with Chem 1 and Chem 2 than students in the other two legacy groups. As students' academic legacy extended, they were more apt to succeed in general chemistry. Second- and third-generation students demonstrated stronger prior high-school chemistry backgrounds and were enrolled in more advanced mathematics courses. As expected, students with stronger academic backgrounds in chemistry and mathematics scored higher on the diagnostic MUST (Math-Up Skills Test), had greater self-efficacy relative to their preparation to succeed, and reported fewer paid work hours. First-generation students on the average entered with lower diagnostic MUST scores, felt less prepared to succeed, and disclosed a greater need to be employed.

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The Relationship Between a Student’s Success in First-Semester General Chemistry and Their Mathematics Fluency, Profile, and Performance on Common Questions

Cited by 3 publications

References 31 publications

Improving student success in chemistry through cognitive science

Improving student success in chemistry through cognitive science

e-Homework and Motivation for Students’ Success in First-Semester General Chemistry

Importance of Academic Legacy on Student Success in First- and Second-Semester General Chemistry

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