ERIC Number: EJ1033269
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Jul
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Factors Contributing to Problem-Solving Performance in First-Semester Organic Chemistry
Lopez, Enrique J.; Shavelson, Richard J.; Nandagopal, Kiruthiga; Szu, Evan; Penn, John
Journal of Chemical Education, v91 n7 p976-981 Jul 2014
Problem solving is a highly valued skill in chemistry. Courses within this discipline place a substantial emphasis on problem-solving performance and tend to weigh such performance heavily in assessments of learning. Researchers have dedicated considerable effort investigating individual factors that influence problem-solving performance. The purpose of this study is to inspect the influences of a core set of factors (prior science achievement, knowledge structures, spatial ability, gender, and ethnicity) and their overall contributions to problem solving in organic chemistry using multivariate regression analyses. Results indicate that knowledge structures are a key predictor of problem-solving performance and account for a significant proportion of the variation in students' problem-solving scores. Implications for research and practice in chemistry are discussed.
Descriptors: Organic Chemistry, Performance Factors, Academic Achievement, Problem Solving, Performance Based Assessment, Prior Learning, Science Achievement, Knowledge Level, Spatial Ability, Gender Differences, Ethnicity, Multivariate Analysis, Predictor Variables, Undergraduate Students, Problem Sets, Activity Units, Concept Mapping, Interviews, Student Attitudes, Achievement Need, Science Education
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Postsecondary Education; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A