ERIC Number: EJ752644
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Sep
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0047-231X
EISSN: N/A
Factors Influencing College Science Success
Tai, Robert H.; Sadler, Philip M.; Mintzes, Joel J.
Journal of College Science Teaching, v36 n1 p52-56 Sep 2006
In this paper, the authors report some of the salient findings of a large-scale, four-year national study, conducted at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, entitled "Factors Influencing College Science Success" (FICSS), which surveyed college students who enrolled in first-year biology, chemistry, and physics courses throughout the United States. The purpose of the study is to compare and contrast the relative importance of two types of factors: (1) demographic/educational factors; and (2) high school experiential factors, that potentially affect achievement in science courses. The data were collected in 128 first-semester introductory college science courses taught in fall 2002 and fall 2003 at 55 four-year colleges and universities located in 34 states. Using a regression analysis that seeks to find the linear combination of weighted independent variables(demographic/educational and experiential factors) that explains as much variation in some dependent measure (final course grade), the findings reveal that approximately 21-22% of variation in final course grades can be explained by a combination of demographic/educational and high school experiential factors, and another 13% is explained by differences in grading policies and practices among colleges and universities. This analysis of representative college students from across the United States offers a strong case that students approach science teachers with a diverse set of preexisting factors that strongly influence their success in college science courses. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: College Science, Undergraduate Students, Science Achievement, Success, Influences, Student Surveys, Introductory Courses, Student Experience, Student Characteristics, Grades (Scholastic), Grading, Teacher Influence
National Science Teachers Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: http://www.nsta.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A