Connecting Achievement Motivation to Performance in General Chemistry
Published In
Chemistry Education Research and Practice
Document Type
Citation
Publication Date
10-1-2016
Abstract
Student success in chemistry is inherently tied to motivational and other affective processes. We investigated three distinct constructs tied to motivation: self-efficacy, interest, and effort beliefs. These variables were measured twice over the course of a semester in three sections of a first-semester general chemistry course (n = 170). We explored the connections that exist among these three constructs as well as their connections to course performance. Multiple regression and path analysis revealed that self-efficacy measured during week 12 was the strongest predictor of final course grade followed by situational interest. We also report that personal interest is a significant predictor of future self-efficacy. Our results add to the growing literature on psychological constructs within chemistry education by identifying variables related to motivation that have a significant connection to course performance among chemistry students. We briefly address how these variables could be targeted in the classroom.
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DOI
10.1039/C6RP00148C
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/18862
Citation Details
Ferrell, B.; Phillips, M. M.; Barbera, J. (2016). Connecting Achievement Motivation to Performance in General Chemistry, Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 17, 1054-1066.