The achievement gap between the well-represented and underrepresented students continues to be one of the most urgent and intractable problems in higher education. One of the reasons students leave STEM majors is their poor experience in first-year courses such as general chemistry, which is a foundational course for STEM majors. Our analysis show that a disproportionate number of underrepresented students perform poorly in foundational courses. We hypothesize that poor performance in general chemistry is not necessarily a reflection of their cognitive abilities and gaining self-confidence can make the experience better which in turn is reflected in their performance. We have designed a program where we apply aspects of metacognition and growth mindset to make them more successful. This intervention program is called ‘Roar in Chemistry’ (RIC). Based on the high school GPA, ACT/SAT scores when available, chemistry placement exam scores and/or a grade from a prep course for first semester general chemistry, we have developed an algorithm that identifies students who have the potential to be left behind. These students were invited to participate in weekly sessions that focus on growth mindset, study skills, and belongings along with solving chemical problems. This presentation will discuss the outcomes and challenges of this intervention program.

An approach to increase students’ self-confidence to improve retention in general chemistry

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ACS Fall 2022

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