Chemistry Self-concept Research Articles

Secondary school students’ attitudes towards chemistry: a cultural comparison between Germany and China

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the attitudes towards chemistry of male and female secondary school students from Germany and China to understand the role of collectivism and individualism in attitudes towards chemistry, comparing Germany, a relatively individualist country, with China which is rather collectivist. Literature suggests that the gender gap in attitudes towards science is larger in collectivist countries. Beyond that, the data base is insufficient. 1468 secondary school students (China: 883, Germany: 585) responded to a survey. Results of ANOVAs suggested that students from China show more negative attitudes towards chemistry and a more pronounced gender gap in favour of males regarding chemistry self-concept, persistence in chemistry, sense of belonging in chemistry, and perception of linguistic abilities in chemistry. This conforms to theories of collectivism and individualism. However, this trend was not found for the need for the cognition in chemistry and perceived student and teacher support in chemistry. The paper discusses societal aspects that might explain the deviances from collectivism/individualism research. It shows that (a) individualism and collectivism impact students’ attitudes towards chemistry but (b) more nuanced analyses are required considering specific sociocultural and economic factors to understand attitudes towards chemistry in cross-cultural comparisons.

Impact of a Low-Stakes Assessments Model with Retake in General Chemistry: Connecting to Student Attitudes and Self-Concept

Across a variety of fields, the use of low-stakes assessments has led to reductions in achievement gaps and improved student success. Here, we probe the use of a low-stakes assessment model with a retake option for failed quizzes in a two-semester general chemistry sequence. We find that the quiz-retake rate in general chemistry II was significantly higher for students who had completed a retake in a general chemistry I section, and the percentage of students who failed at least one quiz in general chemistry I but passed all quizzes in general chemistry II was significantly higher for students who had retaken at least one quiz in general chemistry I. However, across both semesters only 40% of students who failed a quiz and were offered a retake completed one. To examine this trend, we probed a connection to student attitudes and self-concept. As instruments, we used version 2 of the Attitudes towards Chemistry Subject Inventory (ASCIv2) and the Chemistry Subject Concept Inventory (CSCI), which were administered across all sections of our general chemistry I course in the fall 2021 semester, and the results subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. Two sections employed low-stakes assessments (quizzes), with one section offering a retake option, while the remaining two used a traditional assessment pattern of five exams. The instruments were applied again for the quiz-retake section of general chemistry II, affording a longitudinal comparison of students common to both sections. In a pairwise comparison, we find significant increases in factors corresponding to Intellectual Accessibility and Chemistry Self-Concept for students in the quiz-retake sections across semesters, with the former more pronounced for men and the latter for women. We take these results to provide additional data supporting the benefit of low-stakes assessments with a retake option, that may be particularly impactful for women in chemistry.

Effect of case-based learning, team-based learning and regular teaching methods on secondary school students’ self-concept in chemistry in Maara sub-county, Tharaka Nithi county, Kenya

Abstract The use of case-based learning and team-based learning may help increase students’ self-concept in chemistry. The purpose of this study was to fill this gap by finding out the effects of case-based learning, team-based learning and regular teaching methods on secondary school students’ self-concept in chemistry in Maara Sub-County, Kenya. The study employed a 3 × 2 × 2 pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental factorial design. The study targeted 18,611 students in 52 secondary schools. Purposive sampling was used to choose three co-educational secondary schools with similar characteristics in Maara Sub-County. A total of 106 form two chemistry students were selected for the study using simple random sampling method. The experimental groups were taught using case-based learning and team-based learning while the control group was taught by regular teaching methods. The three groups were compared two-by-two to find out groups in which the differences in self-concept in chemistry would occur. Student’s self-concept questionnaire was administered to the students in the three groups. The validity of the instrument was ascertained by experts from Egerton University. Pilot testing was done in Meru South Sub-County in schools with similar characteristics. Reliability of the instruments estimated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.81. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis at α = 0.05. The mean differences in self-concept in the post-test were statistically significant among the three groups. The results of this study may offer valuable knowledge to policy makers as well as chemistry teachers so as to give greater attention to chemistry self-concept among students. The study findings fill a knowledge gap of effectiveness of methods of teaching chemistry.

Students’ interactive engagement, academic achievement and self concept in chemistry: an evaluation of cooperative learning pedagogy

This study evaluated the effectiveness of interactive engagement pedagogy, specifically, cooperative learning pedagogy in improving students’ academic achievement and academic self-concept in chemistry. A pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent, control group quasi-experimental design was adopted. The study was in senior secondary schools in one of Nigeria's North-central states. The focus was on senior secondary school class two (SS2) students of comparable academic abilities and a mean age of 15.42 years. The sample was 244 students. The chemistry achievement test on water (CATOW) and students’ academic self-concept questionnaire (SASQ) were the instruments used in data collection. The CATOW was validated by experts while the SASQ was an adapted instrument that was already validated. The reliability coefficients were 0.82 determined with Kuder–Richardson's formula 20 for the CATOW and 0.78 determined with Cronbach's alpha for the SASQ. Mixed methods of data analyses were employed in the study, involving mean, standard deviation, analysis of variance, independent sample t-test, analysis of covariance, and Pearson's correlation statistics. The results show that interactive engagement pedagogy (cooperative learning strategy) improved the academic achievement and academic self-concept of the students in chemistry more than the conventional (lecture) method. The study also found a positive linear relationship between academic achievement and the academic self-concept of the students in chemistry. The implication was for the chemistry teachers in developing nations to structure the learning environments to be more learner-centered, and activity-based by creating cooperative and collaborative learning platforms that will help in improving students’ academic achievement and self-concept. The study recommended that chemistry teachers desist from using teacher-centered pedagogies for lack of provisions for students’ active engagement in the teaching–learning process. This study is novel because it evaluated the effectiveness of interactive engagement pedagogy (cooperative learning) in improving students’ academic achievement and self-concept in chemistry in a developing nation and also identified some of the reasons for the lack of implementation of innovative pedagogies and possible remediation in developing nations, especially in Africa.

Effects of Computer-based Simulations Teaching Approach on Chemistry Self-Concept among High School Students in Kenya

The role of Chemistry education is to help in the development of scientific attitude in the learner. The students’ performance in Chemistry at the national examinations in Kenya has remained poor, despite the importance attached to the subject. Many factors influence this performance, one being learners' chemistry self-concept. Computer-Based Instruction may help address the problem of student’s negative chemistry self-concept as most educational institutions take learning online due to COVID -19 pandemic. In an attempt to address this, this study aimed at finding out the effects of Computer-Based Simulations (CBS) on students’ chemistry self-concept. The study involved quasi-experimental research using Solomon Four Non- Equivalent Control Group Design. Sample size was 175 students. Instrument of data collection was Chemistry Self-Concept Questionnaire (CSCQ). Results revealed that there is statistically significant difference in the chemistry self-concept of students taught through CBS and those taught through Regular Teaching Methods (RTM). Students taught through CBS acquired a higher level of chemistry self-concept than those taught through RTM.

Examining the Psychometric Properties of the Chemistry Self-Concept Inventory Using Rasch Modeling

The Chemistry Self-Concept Inventory (CSCI) is a widely used instrument within chemistry education research. Yet, agreement on its overall reliability and validity is lacking, and psychometric analyses of the instrument remain outstanding. This study examined the psychometric properties of the subscale and item function of the CSCI on 1140 high school chemistry students in the midwestern United States. Using exploratory factor analysis, we found that a five-factor model, distinct from previous studies’ models, fit our data best. Using this model in Rasch analysis, we found several items within the Mathematics subscale that showed unusual item difficulty, significant misfit, and low item discrimination. Implications for future use of the CSCI are discussed.

How the home environment shapes students’ perceptions of their abilities: the relation between chemistry capital at home and students’ chemistry self-concept

ABSTRACT Participation in science is unevenly distributed among secondary school students, depending on gender, social class, and ethnicity. In the present study, the influence of the home environment on students’ chemistry self-concept is investigated as a factor for explaining participation in science. For this, the sociological lens of chemistry capital is employed. A mixed methods study (N=48) was conducted using quantitative data about self-concept and related variables (need for cognition, incremental theory, perception of language) and qualitative interview data on chemistry capital. The data suggest that chemistry self-concept is not related to chemistry capital in quantitative terms. However, the investigation of the qualitative dimensions suggests that chemistry capital in the home environment might change the frame of reference against the backdrop of which students interpret their abilities. We propose the interpretation that students compare their abilities in chemistry with significant others at home. If parents possess chemistry capital, this might lead to more negative evaluations of their abilities which can be counterbalanced by comparisons with classmates. If parents do not possess chemistry capital, the students might perceive themselves as more competent. Further investigations are needed to test this hypothesis. The results and the integrative mixed method approach will be discussed.

Secondary school students’ chemistry self-concepts: gender and culture, and the impact of chemistry self-concept on learning behaviour

While science self-concepts of secondary school students have received considerable attention, several important aspects of chemistry self-concepts have not yet been understood: gender relations, the impact of students' cultural backgrounds, and the impact of chemistry self-concept on learning processes. In the present study, (i) we could confirm our hypothesis that chemistry self-concept is strongly related to learning goal orientations. This part of the study built upon knowledge from educational psychology. Our results open the field for practical interventions designed to influence chemistry self-concepts. (ii) We investigated the gender relations in chemistry self-concept with a special focus on students’ cultural backgrounds. The results show that chemistry self-concept differs from science self-concept: the gender gap traditionally described in the literature could not be found. Instead, the study suggests that an interaction of gender and cultural background might influence chemistry self-concepts. (iii) We were interested in the influence of the context of chemistry classroom and language on self-concept. In line with the literature, we found that a good relationship with the chemistry teacher seems to have a positive impact on chemistry self-concept. Also, the perception of chemistry language and chemistry self-concepts were strongly correlated. Suggestions are made for practical interventions based on these findings.

Mobile Learning to Development of Students' Self-concept of Chemistry

The study aims to develop students’ chemistry self-concept in learning electrolyte solution and oxidation-reduction reaction by using mobile learning. The research method used was the qualitative method. Research data were obtained through observation during learning, questionnaires chemistry self-concept, reflective journal, and interviews. Chemistry Self-concept observed amounts to four indicators: Chemistry Self-concept, Academic Enjoyment Self-concept, Academic Capability Self-concept and Problem Solving Self-concept. The results showed that four indicators tend to awaken and develop learning with mobile learning. Based on the results of chemistry self-concept which shows positive self-concept chemistry because in mobile learning there is a compact content, easy to understand, thus causing students to prefer to learn. There are images, music and color variation so as students are interested in learning. There are tests simulation that is used to try students' learning abilities, and there is video content that can be used as a reference for students in solving a problem.

A Mixed Methods Approach to Culture-Sensitive Academic Self-Concept Research

(1) Background: In self-concept research, Likert scales are still relied upon despite the fact that they pose methodological difficulties for research in culturally diverse societies. This calls the validity of the data into question. In the present study, we develop a mixed methods design for culture-sensitive academic self-concept research. We test it in a study about chemistry self-concept with secondary school students; (2) Methods: Interview (N = 43) and questionnaire (N = 116) data were collected; (3) Results: The mixed methods approach allowed connecting self-concept with culturally shaped narratives: in the quantitative data, we found the well-documented gender gap in favor of boys. However, among the students with a Turkish migration background, the girls showed stronger chemistry self-concepts. The interviews suggested that girls with Turkish migration background find it easier to connect their chemistry learning to their personal life than the boys with Turkish migration background; (4) Conclusion: Based on further literature, we hypothesize that these differences might be due to a less masculine conception of science in the Turkish society. The mixed methods approach allows detecting measurement bias, which increases the validity of science self-concept data in culturally diverse contexts.

The dimensional structure of students’ self-concept and interest in science depends on course composition

Both academic self-concept and interest are considered domain-specific constructs. Previous research has not yet explored how the composition of the courses affects the domain-specificity of these constructs. Using data from a large-scale study in Germany, we compared ninth-grade students who were taught science as an integrated subject with students who were taught biology, chemistry, and physics separately with regard to the dimensional structure of their self-concepts and interests. Whereas the structure of the constructs was six-dimensional in both groups (self-concept and interest factors for biology, chemistry, and physics), the correlations between the domain-specific factors were higher in the integrated group. Furthermore, the pattern of gender differences differed across groups. Whereas male students generally showed higher self-concept and interest in physics and chemistry, a small advantage for male students in biology was only present in integrated science teaching group. We conclude that aspects of the learning environment such as course composition may affect the dimensional structure of motivational constructs.

Improving the interest of high-school students toward chemistry by crime scene investigation

Improving the interest of high-school students towards chemistry (and science in general) is one of the goals of the Italian Ministry of Education. To this aim, we designed a context-based activity that actively involved students in six different laboratory experiences interconnected by a case study of the murder of Miss Scarlet, from the famous game Clue. Key points of the activity were: the interest aroused by the subject of crime scene investigation; the direct involvement of the students in all stages of the work (from the realization of the experiments to the resolution of the case); the use of a multidisciplinary approach for addressing a complex scientific problem; the work in chemical laboratories with modern instrumentation; the team work and the supervision by young tutors. To verify the hypothesis that such a multidisciplinary activity could foster the interest for the discipline, an evaluation was performed using a self-report questionnaire designed to assess changes in the situational interest raised by the internship. It was found that the activity significantly increased interest and attitude toward chemistry, mainly for students with lower scores in pleasure for the study of chemistry, self-efficacy and self-concept in chemistry.

Gender Disparities in Self-concept, Attitude and Perception in Physics and Chemistry

This study sought to determine disparities and associated factors in students’ performance in Physics and Chemistry at the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) ex- amination in Nandi North District. The research objectives included determining differences in students’ performance at KCSE in Physics and Chemistry, self-concept (perception) of, attitude toward, and perception of the usefulness of Physics and Chemistry as subjects. Students were classified accord- ing to gender, using a causal-comparative design. Majority of the students aged between 15 and 19 years. Three ques- tionnaires were administered to the form four students, and KCSE results for the years 2000 – 2004 were obtained from the District Education Office. These were analyzed using de- scriptive and inferential statistics. We concluded that boys reflected better academic achievement as compared to the girls in both physics and chemistry. The boys and girls had comparable self-concept in physics. The girls had a higher self-concept in chemistry than the boys. This may suggest that self-concept does not influence performance in chemistry since boys still out-performed the girls in spite of the girls’ higher self-concept. With regard to attitude towards chemistry and physics, the boys and girls had the same attitude, mixed and single-sex school students had comparable attitude to- wards physics and chemistry. An intervention regarding the level of preparedness of primary school pupils in dealing with the challenges of learning Physics and Chemistry at sec- ondary is recommended.

Does Everyone's Motivational Beliefs about Physical Science Decline in Secondary School?: Heterogeneity of Adolescents' Achievement Motivation Trajectories in Physics and Chemistry.

Students' motivational beliefs about learning physical science are critical for achieving positive educational outcomes. In this study, we incorporated expectancy-value theory to capture the heterogeneity of adolescents' motivational trajectories in physics and chemistry from seventh to twelfth grade and linked these trajectories to science-related outcomes. We used a cross-sequential design based on three different cohorts of adolescents (N = 699; 51.5 % female; 95 % European American; M ages for youngest, middle, and oldest cohorts at the first wave = 13.2, 14.1, and 15.3 years) coming from ten public secondary schools. Although many studies claim that physical science motivation declines on average over time, we identified seven differential motivational trajectories of ability self-concept and task values, and found associations of these trajectories with science achievement, advanced science course taking, and science career aspirations. Adolescents' ability self-concept and task values in physics and chemistry were also positively related and interlinked over time. Examining how students' motivational beliefs about physical science develop in secondary school offers insight into the capacity of different groups of students to successfully adapt to their changing educational environments.

Beyond academic tracking: using cluster analysis and self-organizing maps to investigate secondary students' chemistry self-concept

Academic tracking, placing students in different classes based on past performance, is a common feature of the American secondary school system. A longitudinal study of secondary students' chemistry self-concept scores was conducted, and one feature of the study was the presence of academic tracking. Though academic tracking is one way to group data for analysis, since students are naturally grouped in their classes, we aimed to uncover other groupings characterized by their self-concept scores. A cluster analysis was performed using scores from the chemistry and mathematics subscales of the chemistry self-concept inventory. The analysis yielded five clusters, four of which demonstrate a positive relationship between chemistry and mathematics self-concept scores. One cluster, however, was composed of students with low chemistry self-concept scores and high mathematics self-concept scores. Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs), new to chemistry education research (CER), were used to identify smaller groupings of students within the clusters to better understand students' self-concept. This technique was also used to explore longitudinal trends in students' chemistry self-concept data. This work has important implications for tracking in chemistry, the value of considering the affective characteristics of chemistry students, and the prospect of SOMs as a new CER tool.

Learning and studying strategies used by general chemistry students with different affective characteristics

Students in general chemistry were partitioned into three groups by cluster analysis of six affective characteristics (emotional satisfaction, intellectual accessibility, chemistry self-concept, math self-concept, self-efficacy, and test anxiety). The at-home study strategies for exam preparation and in-class learning strategies differed among the three groups. Students in the high group (strongly positive affective characteristics) were more autonomous learners, reporting they understood the notes they took in lecture more frequently than the group with low (more negative) affective characteristics. The high group also relied less on tutors and teaching assistants for help when preparing for exams. Participating in explanatory behavior (with self or other students) was correlated positively with stronger exam performance, whereas rapt attention or assiduous note-taking in lecture was negatively correlated. The high and low affective groups were indistinct in their reports of amount of quality time spent studying, but did differ in their approach to using a practice exam as a resource.

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY ANALYSES FOR CHEMISTRY SELF-CONCEPT INVENTORY

Self-concept, one of affective introductory behaviours, is one of the most frequently studied issues especially in social sciences. Since it is a strong mental structure which psychologists and social psychologists say to be related with learning, this research aims to adapt Chemistry Self-Concept Inventory developed by Bauer (2005) so as to evaluate students’ self-concept into Turkish, and analyse its psychometric properties. The data were collected by applying the inventory to 530 prospective teachers attending the chemistry education, primary school education and science education departments of three different Universities. Following the translation work, Turkish form of the inventory was given the final shape. The construct validity of the inventory was tested by confirmatory factor analysis. McDonald’s Omega (ω) and Cronbach Alpha (α) coefficients were calculated for the reliability study of the inventory. Fit indices were found to be lower in the first confirmatory factor analysis conducted than the ones expected, and 11 items with the fewest factor loads and with the highest modification indices were removed from the inventory. The sub-dimensions apart from creativity were found to have ω and α coefficients above 0.70. Key words: academic enjoyment self-concept, academic self-concept, chemistry self-concept, creativity self-concept, mathematics self-concept

Exploring the Structure and Function of the Chemistry Self-Concept Inventory with High School Chemistry Students

Though the Chemistry Self-Concept Inventory (CSCI) was developed to study one aspect of the affective domain in college chemistry students, the instrument on which it was based, the Self-Description Questionnaire III, was developed for use with late adolescents. As such, we explored data generated from administering the CSCI to high school students in seven teachers’ classrooms in four schools. This paper presents findings which describe the validity and the reliability of the data obtained from the CSCI when used with high school students. The validity of the data is supported by the results of an exploratory factor analysis, relationships between subscales and chemistry knowledge, and comparisons among different groups of students. Evidence supporting the reliability of the data is provided by internal consistency values for each of the subscales. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the usefulness of the CSCI with a high school population. This instrument may be used by teachers to better un...

Identifying At-Risk Students in General Chemistry via Cluster Analysis of Affective Characteristics

The purpose of this study is to identify academically at-risk students in first-semester general chemistry using affective characteristics via cluster analysis. Through the clustering of six preselected affective variables, three distinct affective groups were identified: low (at-risk), medium, and high. Students in the low affective group reported lower scores on intellectual accessibility, emotional satisfaction, math self-concept, chemistry self-concept, and self-efficacy and a higher score on test anxiety. Significant differences were found on exam performance between the high and low affective groups with the high affective group performing significantly better than the low affective group. In terms of value beliefs, expectancy beliefs, and metacognitive self-regulation, differences were found between the high and low groups as well. These findings provide instructors an efficient way of identifying and reaching out to at-risk students early in the semester, as well as gaining a better understanding ...

Academic self-concept in science: Multidimensionality, relations to achievement measures, and gender differences

Students' academic self-concept is a good predictor of academic achievement and a desirable educational outcome per se. In this study, we take a closer look at the nature of the academic self-concept in the natural sciences by examining its dimensional structure, its relation to achievement, and gender differences. We analyzed data from self-concept measures, grades and standardized achievement tests of 6036 German 10th graders across three science subjects – biology, chemistry, and physics – using structural equation modeling. Results indicate that (a) a 3-dimensional, subject-specific measurement model of the self-concept in science is preferable to a 1-dimensional model, (b) the relations between the self-concept and achievement are substantial and subject-specific when grades are used as achievement indicators, and (c) female students possess a lower self-concept in chemistry and physics even after controlling for achievement measures. Therefore, we recommend conceptualizing the self-concept in science as a multidimensional, subject-specific construct both in educational research and in science classes.