Learning beyond the classroom: using text messages to measure general chemistry students' study habits

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 869-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Ye ◽  
Razanne Oueini ◽  
Austin P. Dickerson ◽  
Scott E. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
General Chemistry ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Study Habits ◽  
Participant Recruitment ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Chemistry Education Research

This study used a series of text message inquiries sent to General Chemistry students asking: “Have you studied for General Chemistry I in the past 48 hours? If so, how did you study?” This method for collecting data is novel to chemistry education research so the first research goals were to investigate the feasibility of the technique and the evidence for validity of the data collected. The results showed that text messages provide ample data on students' study habits though initial participant recruitment may pose a challenge. This study also explored evidence for validity and found that the percent of students reporting studying peaked with each exam date matching the expected trend (content validity) and participants in the study had only small departures from the population of students at the setting (generalizable validity). Second, students' study habits were characterized using cluster analysis finding three clusters: students that knowingly do not study, students who describe mandatory course components as studying and students who study in addition to the mandatory course components. These student groups were compared on a common exam in the course with the last group out-performing those who knowingly do not study. Finally, student study habits were charted across the semester and show signs of adapting, possibly as a result of course expectations or course content.

Can they succeed? Exploring at-risk students' study habits in college general chemistry

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 878-892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Ye ◽  
Constantine Shuniak ◽  
Razanne Oueini ◽  
Jenay Robert ◽  
Scott Lewis
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
General Chemistry ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
At Risk Students ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Study Habits ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
The Difference

A well-established literature base identifies a portion of students enrolled in post-secondary General Chemistry as at-risk of failing the course based on incoming metrics. Learning about the experiences and factors that lead to this higher failure rate is essential toward improving retention in this course. This study examines the relationship between study habits and academic performance for at-risk students in General Chemistry. Students who were in the bottom quartile of SAT math scores were identified as at-risk students. The study habits of General Chemistry students, both those identified as at-risk and those not identified were measured by text message inquiries. The text message asked ‘‘Have you studied for General Chemistry I in the past 48 hours? If so, how did you study?” twice a week throughout a semester. Student responses to the messages were used to calculate the frequency of studying throughout the term. The results from a multiple regression analysis showed that high frequency of studying could mitigate the difference between at-risk and non-at-risk students on final exam scores. Additionally, the quality of studying for six at-risk students was analyzed by student interviews in concert with their text message responses. The results indicated that the quality of studying is not necessarily linked to frequency of studying and both quality and frequency can play a role in at-risk students' academic performance. The results presented offer a path for at-risk students to succeed in General Chemistry and the methodology presented offers a potential avenue for evaluating future efforts to improve student success.

Towards a theoretically sound measure of chemistry students’ motivation; investigating rank-sort survey methodology to reduce response style bias

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Scott E. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Education Research ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Academic Motivation ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Likert Scale ◽  
Response Style ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Chemistry Education Research

Prior research has demonstrated the important role of chemistry students’ affect in academic performance. Likert-scale surveys are the most prevalent tools to measure students’ affect within chemistry education research, however, data collected through a Likert-scale survey may exhibit response style bias which can hinder accurately measuring students’ affect. This study investigates the utility of a novel survey methodology, termed rank-sort survey, in understanding students’ academic motivation in a general chemistry course. Informed by Q methodology, in a rank-sort survey participants rank a set of statements in terms of level of agreement with limits in place on how many items can be assigned a particular rank. In this investigation, a rank-sort survey was developed by using statements from an existing Likert-scale instrument, the Academic Motivation Survey in Chemistry. Data collected from the rank-sort surveys, compared to Likert-scale surveys, showed a better alignment with self-determination theory, the underlying theoretical framework, and a better ability to predict students’ academic performance in chemistry. The study also discusses which surveys in chemistry education research are likely to benefit from adopting a rank-sort approach.

Connecting achievement motivation to performance in general chemistry

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1054-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent Ferrell ◽  
Michael M. Phillips ◽  
Jack Barbera
Keyword(s):  
General Chemistry ◽  
Achievement Motivation ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Situational Interest ◽  
Course Performance ◽  
Psychological Constructs ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Affective Processes

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.

Analysing the impact of a discussion-oriented curriculum on first-year general chemistry students' conceptions of relative acidity

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 543-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Shah ◽  
Christian A. Rodriguez ◽  
Monica Bartoli ◽  
Gregory T. Rushton
Keyword(s):  
Organic Chemistry ◽  
General Chemistry ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Item Analysis ◽  
First Year ◽  
Chemistry Students ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Primary Determinant ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Relative Acidity

Instructional strategies that support meaningful student learning of complex chemical topics are an important aspect of improving chemistry education. Adequately assessing the success of these approaches can be supported with the use of aligned instruments with established psychometrics. Here, we report the implementation and assessment of one such curriculum,Chemical Thinking, on first-year general chemistry students' conceptions of relative acidity using the recently-developed concept inventory,ACIDI. Our results reveal that, overall, students performed significantly better onACIDIfollowing instruction, with scores consistent with those previously reported for students who had completed one semester of organic chemistry. Students performed equally well on a delayed post-test administered ten weeks after final instruction, which suggests that instruction promoted a stable conceptual reprioritisation. Item analysis ofACIDIrevealed that students generally made conceptual gains on items where inductive effects were the primary determinants of conjugate base stability and relative acidity. However, students overwhelmingly struggled on items where resonance was the primary determinant. Analysis of student–student arguments in active learning settings provided evidence for how the quality of student arguments impacted their conceptions. Overall, these findings suggest that students were able to avoid several superficial misconceptions cited in the literature about relative acidity, and that this topic, traditionally taught exclusively in organic chemistry, may be introduced earlier in the sequence of curricular topics. Implications for future studies on the role of argumentational aspects of student–student conversations and facilitation strategies in promoting or hindering meaningful learning are discussed.

Postsecondary chemistry curricula and universal design for learning: planning for variations in learners’ abilities, needs, and interests

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 1216-1239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Scanlon ◽  
Tamra Legron-Rodriguez ◽  
Jillian Schreffler ◽  
Elijah Ibadlit ◽  
Eleazar Vasquez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Chemistry ◽  
Curriculum Development ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
Literature Base ◽  
Chemistry Education Research ◽  
Curricular Materials

Federal legislation requires equitable access to education for all students at all levels, including in the postsecondary setting. While there have been a few studies in the chemistry education research literature base focused on how to support students with specific disabilities, this work seems to exist as a separate stream of research without direct impact on curriculum development and the overall community. This study focused on investigating how well three sets of general chemistry curricular materials support variations in students’ abilities, interests, and needs. To accomplish this, we compared the curricular materials with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, which describes steps to account for variations in ability among learners during curriculum development. The UDL framework is organized into three guidelines (multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement), further delineated by nine principles and thirty-one finer-grained checkpoints for designing courses. We looked for examples of enactment of the UDL checkpoints in a representative sample of activities. Across all three sets of curricular materials, only four of the thirty-one checkpoints were enacted in at least 75% of the activities, indicating high enactment. On the other hand, eleven of the checkpoints were enacted in less than 25% of the activities, indicating low enactment. Overall, there is much room for improvement in consistently providing support for learner variation within these general chemistry curricular materials. We argue that some of the burden of making curricular materials supportive of all students lies with curriculum developers and provide recommendations for improving support and accessibility.

A Pilot Study of Mobile Telephone Message Interventions with Suicide Attempters in China

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Chen ◽  
Brian L. Mishara ◽  
Xiao Xian Liu
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Mobile Telephone ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Quick Method ◽  
Suicide Attempters ◽  
To Receive

Background: In China, where follow-up with hospitalized attempters is generally lacking, there is a great need for inexpensive and effective means of maintaining contact and decreasing recidivism. Aims: Our objective was to test whether mobile telephone message contacts after discharge would be feasible and acceptable to suicide attempters in China. Methods: Fifteen participants were recruited from suicide attempters seen in the Emergency Department in Wuhan, China, to participate in a pilot study to receive mobile telephone messages after discharge. All participants have access to a mobile telephone, and there is no charge for the user to receive text messages. Results: Most participants (12) considered the text message contacts an acceptable and useful form of help and would like to continue to receive them for a longer period of time. Conclusions: This suggests that, as a low-cost and quick method of intervention in areas where more intensive follow-up is not practical or available, telephone messages contacts are accessible, feasible, and acceptable to suicide attempters. We hope that this will inspire future research on regular and long-term message interventions to prevent recidivism in suicide attempters.

Text Messaging as a Mental Health Treatment Intervention: A Corpus-Based Study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Partch ◽  
Cass Dykeman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Text Messaging ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Treatment Session ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Health Treatment ◽  
Emotional Tone

Mental health treatment providers seek high-impact and low-cost means of engaging clients in care. As such, text messaging is becoming more frequently utilized as a means of communication between provider and client. Research demonstrates that text message interventions increase treatment session attendance, decrease symptomology, and improve overall functioning. However, research is lacking related to the linguistic make up of provider communications. Text messages were collected from previously published articles related to the treatment of mental health disorders. A corpus of 39 mental health treatment text message interventions was composed totaling 286 words. Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software, messages were analyzed for prevalence of terminology thought to enhance client engagement. Clout, demonstrating the writer’s confidence and expertise, and positive Emotional Tone were found to be at a high level within the corpus. Results demonstrated statistical significance for five linguistic variables. When compared with national blog norms derived from Twitter, Clout, Emotional Tone, and use of Biological terminology were found to be at higher rates than expected. Authenticity and Informal terminology were found at significantly lesser rates.

Efficacy and Impact of an mHealth Intervention to promote Mental Wellness for American Indian and Alaska Native Teens and Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the BRAVE Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Craig Rushing ◽  
Allyson Kelley ◽  
Sheana Bull ◽  
David Stephens ◽  
Julia Wrobel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Alaska Native ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Culturally Relevant ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Mental Wellness

BACKGROUND Culturally-relevant interventions are needed to help American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) teens and young adults navigate common risky situations involving family and friends, including drug and alcohol misuse, dating violence, and suicidality. We R Native – a multimedia health resource for Native teens and young adults – designed an intervention for Native youth, delivered via text message, that includes role model videos, mental wellness strategies, and links to culturally-relevant resources (hotlines, chat-lines, websites, etc.) and social support. OBJECTIVE This study aims to test the efficacy of BRAVE to improve participant’s physical, mental, and spiritual health, their use of mental wellness strategies, their help-seeking skills, and associated factors, including cultural resilience, identity, and cultural pride. METHODS The randomized controlled trial was carried out by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and the mHealth Impact Lab. The team recruited 2,334 AI/AN teens and young adults nationwide (15-24 years old) via social media channels and text message and enrolled 1,044 to participate. AI/AN teens and young adults enrolled in the study received either: 8 weeks of BRAVE text messages designed to improve mental health, help-seeking skills, and cultural resilience; or 8 weeks of STEM text messages, designed to elevate and re-affirm Native voices in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEM); and then received the other set of messages. Primary and secondary outcomes were tested using linear mixed-effect models and linear regressions. RESULTS A total of 833 AI/AN teens and young adults were included in the analysis. Individuals in the BRAVE and STEM arms showed significant positive trends over the course of the study for all primary outcomes except cultural identity and help seeking behavior. Mean scores were significantly different for health (P<.001), resilience (P<.001), negative coping (P=.027), positive coping (P<.001), self-efficacy (P=.021), and self-esteem (P<.001). Changes in help-seeking self-efficacy were significant for those exhibiting risky behavior at baseline to exit (P=.01). Those who reported positive coping scores at baseline also reported better health on average, but no difference in risky drug and alcohol use (P<.001). The number of participants that used text messages to help themselves increased from 69% at 3-months (427/618) to 75% at 8-months (381/501) (P<.001). Similarly, the number of participants that used text messages to help a friend or family member increased from 22% at 3-months (138/616) to 55% at 8-months (272/498). CONCLUSIONS This is the first nationwide randomized controlled trial for AI/AN teens and young adults to test the efficacy of an mHealth intervention on mental wellness. The findings suggest that culturally-relevant multimedia, mHealth interventions can improve help-seeking behavior. Lessons learned from this study may help other AI/AN-serving organizations, prevention programs, policymakers, researchers, and educators as they support the next generation of AI/AN change-makers.

Shared-Task Worklists Improve Clinical Trial Recruitment Workflow in an Academic Emergency Department

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (02) ◽  
pp. 293-300
Author(s):  
Kevin S. Naceanceno ◽  
Stacey L. House ◽  
Phillip V. Asaro
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Text Message ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Shared Task ◽  
Clinical Research Coordinators

Abstract Background Clinical trials performed in our emergency department at Barnes-Jewish Hospital utilize a centralized infrastructure for alerting, screening, and enrollment with rule-based alerts sent to clinical research coordinators. Previously, all alerts were delivered as text messages via dedicated cellular phones. As the number of ongoing clinical trials increased, the volume of alerts grew to an unmanageable level. Therefore, we have changed our primary notification delivery method to study-specific, shared-task worklists integrated with our pre-existing web-based screening documentation system. Objective To evaluate the effects on screening and recruitment workflow of replacing text-message delivery of clinical trial alerts with study-specific shared-task worklists in a high-volume academic emergency department supporting multiple concurrent clinical trials. Methods We analyzed retrospective data on alerting, screening, and enrollment for 10 active clinical trials pre- and postimplementation of shared-task worklists. Results Notifications signaling the presence of potentially eligible subjects for clinical trials were more likely to result in a screen (p < 0.001) with the implementation of shared-task worklists compared with notifications delivered as text messages for 8/10 clinical trials. The change in workflow did not alter the likelihood of a notification resulting in an enrollment (p = 0.473). The Director of Research reported a substantial reduction in the amount of time spent redirecting clinical research coordinator screening activities. Conclusion Shared-task worklists, with the functionalities we have described, offer a viable alternative to delivery of clinical trial alerts via text message directly to clinical research coordinators recruiting for multiple concurrent clinical trials in a high-volume academic emergency department.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document