| Popis: |
Generally, a positive attitude towards the process of learning has been correlated with enhanced achievement and engagement in the university setting. However, regarding the study of chemistry-related content, conflicting results from existing studies make it ambiguous as to the role of attitude in this subject area. Furthermore, the limited research on this topic has focused on students studying by face-to-face mode, rather than distance education. In this study, we investigated this relationship between attitude and achievement amongst students studying introductory chemistry online at Central Queensland University, Australia. The validated Attitude toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory (ASCI) instrument was delivered online via Qualtrics, with 59 responses received. Cluster analyses were performed and relationships between attitudes towards chemistry and achievement (student grades) were examined. High-achieving students' grades were positively correlated with their subscale responses for the "Interest and Utility" and "Intellectual Accessibility" of chemistry. However, this relationship did not hold true for lower-achieving students (those who achieved an overall grade of credit or lower). Students who had studied chemistry at a Year 12 level showed a significantly more positive attitude towards chemistry-particularly for the "Affective" component-compared to those who had not. However, the difference in grades between those two groups was not significant. Our findings indicate that promotion of a positive attitude towards online tertiary studies in introductory chemistry would have a moderate, positive benefit on students' overall achievement. This could be facilitated by the provision of clear, engaging lecture material and pro-actively engaging with students through online platforms. Furthermore, routine monitoring of students' attitude toward chemistry could be a useful technique for distance educators to better understand engagement and achievement levels across various student cohorts. |
