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Attitudes and Experiences Among First-Year Regional Australian Undergraduate Students Toward the Study of Chemistry

Brown, S; Naiker, M; Wakeling, L; Johnson, J
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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/14617
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Abstract
Both attitude and previous experiences play a large role in shaping a student’s approach to and achievement in a given subject. Similarly, students’ enjoyment of their learning experiences is an important factor in determining their retention in their course of choice. Here, we explore the attitudes toward the study of chemistry amongst a cohort of first-year undergraduate students at a regional Australian university, including assessing these parameters at the beginning of their first term, the end of the first term and the end of their second term. In addition, metrics on the students’ experiences of studying chemistry were collected at the latter two timepoints. Generally, student attitudes toward chemistry were positive, as were student learning experiences in most instances. Two-step cluster analysis revealed the presence of two distinct clusters of students within the data, differing significantly in their overall attitude toward the study of chemistry. Students who had studied chemistry in Year 12 did not show any significant differences in their attitudes toward chemistry, when compared to students who had not studied Year 12 chemistry; however, their learning experiences in first-year chemistry were rated as being significantly more positive. We attribute this to their increased ability to engage with and successfully learn from the topic material presented in lectures and tutorials, as their previous exposure to the ‘language’ of chemistry may provide them with an advantage over chemistry-naïve students.
Keywords
First-year undergraduates; Chemistry education; Attitude
Date
July 1, 2021
Source
Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 18(4). https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol18/iss4/15
Item Type
Journal Article
Publisher
Journal of University Learning & Teaching Practice (JUTLP)
Publisher's Version
https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol18/iss4/15/
Rights Statement
This journal provides open access to its content thereby sharing capability in research and education effectively with global partners and stakeholders. By facilitating exposure, sharing, comparison and critique of research, Open Access supports the generation of new knowledge applied to solve complex problems and deliver social benefits.

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