MOTIVATIONAL BELIEFS AND LEARNING STRATEGIES IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY |
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Authors: | Douglas Jay Lynch Hernando Trujillo |
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Institution: | 1. University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME, 04005, USA 2. Wilkes University, 84 West South St., Wilkes Barre, PA, 18766, USA
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Abstract: | Students enter college chemistry courses with different sources of motivation, appropriate or inappropriate assumptions about
their probability of success and how to study. This study is theoretically aligned with self-regulated learning research.
Clearly, academic performance is closely related to student motivational beliefs and learning strategies. This study investigated
the motivational beliefs and learning strategies of 2 years of college students in the second semester of organic chemistry.
Responses to the Motivational Beliefs and Learning Strategies Questionnaire indicated that student self-efficacy was highly
correlated with academic performance (semester grades). Gender differences were quite pronounced. Male academic performance
was associated with intrinsic motivation as well as the importance placed on the learning task. Test anxiety was negatively
associated with male grades. Extrinsic motivation was negatively correlated with female grades. Responses to students’ sense
of control over learning, the value of the learning task, and self-efficacy were significantly higher for males compared to
females. Faculty who attend to these different patterns may influence beliefs as well as learning strategies. Correcting erroneous
assumptions about how to learn chemistry may help students shift both their attitudes and their learning practices. The notable
gender difference suggests that female chemistry students may especially profit from focused faculty intervention. |
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