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

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aut.relation.articlenumber15en_NZ
aut.relation.endpage25
aut.relation.issue4en_NZ
aut.relation.journalJournal of University Teaching and Learning Practiceen_NZ
aut.relation.pages25
aut.relation.startpage1
aut.relation.volume18en_NZ
aut.researcherBrown, Stephen
dc.contributor.authorBrown, Sen_NZ
dc.contributor.authorNaiker, Men_NZ
dc.contributor.authorWakeling, Len_NZ
dc.contributor.authorJohnson, Jen_NZ
dc.date.accessioned2021-11-02T02:46:40Z
dc.date.available2021-11-02T02:46:40Z
dc.date.copyright2021-07-01en_NZ
dc.date.issued2021-07-01en_NZ
dc.description.abstractBoth 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.
dc.identifier.citationJournal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 18(4). https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol18/iss4/15
dc.identifier.issn1449-9789en_NZ
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/14617
dc.publisherJournal of University Learning & Teaching Practice (JUTLP)
dc.relation.urihttps://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol18/iss4/15/
dc.rightsThis 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.
dc.rights.accessrightsOpenAccessen_NZ
dc.subjectFirst-year undergraduates; Chemistry education; Attitude
dc.titleAttitudes and Experiences Among First-Year Regional Australian Undergraduate Students Toward the Study of Chemistryen_NZ
dc.typeJournal Article
pubs.elements-id442545
pubs.organisational-data/AUT
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Health & Environmental Science
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/Faculty of Health & Environmental Science/School of Public Health & Interdisciplinary Studies
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Health and Environmental Sciences
pubs.organisational-data/AUT/PBRF/PBRF Health and Environmental Sciences/HI Interprofessional 2018 PBRF
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