The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry. Catherine Tarantine and Kateryna Kolesnikova. University of Rochester

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1 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry 1 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry Catherine Tarantine and Kateryna Kolesnikova University of Rochester

2 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry 2 Introduction Learning through group work is promoted in a variety of settings throughout the University of Rochester campus. The workshop program allows for a more structured time where students can meet and work on problems together. This allows for an optimal time for students to critically analyze and digest course material. Additionally, students also may meet outside of class time and workshop time to work together in groups. At the University of Rochester, group work is actively encouraged in both workshops and outside groups for exam preparations. The encouragement of group work is based on the results of numerous studies conducted on cooperative learning. Cooperative learning is a teaching strategy in which students form small groups and attempt to solve problems through their interactions. Such groups combine students of a variety of levels of ability and learning styles. The group can only be successful and solve the problems presented to them by working together and using the unique knowledge and experience of each person to arrive at a solution. Recent studies have shown that such learning provides a variety of educational benefits and has advantages over more traditional instructional models (Haller et al., 2000). These advantages include development of problem-solving skills, expansion of logical reasoning, and formation of skills needed for continued intellectual development. These skills are not developed through a one-way transmission process such as one that occurs in a lecture setting. In order for students to more fully understand and interpret new material, lecture discourse should be supplemented with group work.

3 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry 3 Additionally, similar results have been found by de Jesus et. al in Organizing the Chemistry of Question-Based Learning: A Case Study and by Felder et. al in A Longitudinal Study of Engineering Student Performance and Retention. Based on this research, it was proposed that studying in groups, outside of workshop, would be extremely beneficial for students. This group study would result in a deeper understanding of the material and thus better test performance. Methods This hypothesis was tested by providing a survey to students in two workshops of CHM 203. These surveys asked students to state the grade they received on Exam 2 and to calculate the number of hours and percentage of total study time spent working in groups outside of workshop, doing practice problems, reading the textbook, and individual study time. The results of the survey were analyzed to see if there was a correlation between time spent working in groups and the performance on the exam. Results The main hypothesis of the project was that group study would be positively associated with test performance. The first task was to divide all the data into groups. The data was divided based on test performance. The goal of the project was to understand how the study skills affected test performance. This could only be done by stratifying the data by test performance. Second, the number of hours spent in group study was averaged for each group. The results are included in the chart. These results do not show any pattern. There is no correlation between

4 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry 4 group study and test performance on the exam. Additionally, the students who earned an A had the least amount of group study. Average Number of Hours Spent Studying in Groups Compared with Grade Received Grade Average Number of Hours A 3.00 B C 4.50 However, the researchers also thought it would be very important to understand the role of group study compared to a student s other study skills. Therefore, for each student, his or her total study time was summed. Then, the percentage of a specific study time out of all of his or her study time was determined for each study skill. The results for the group study skill are included below. This also did not show any pattern or correlation. Average Percentage of Hours Spent Studying in Groups Compared with Grade Received Grade Average Percentage of Time A 0.11 B 0.53 C 0.14 This did not yield any conclusions based on the importance of group study and test performance. This will be discussed further later.

5 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry 5 Since there was no correlation based on group study and test performance, the researchers were interested in understanding whether any other study skill would yield an increased test performance. In order to do this, pie charts were made that displayed how, on average, students studied for the exam. A pie chart was made for each grade. The pie chart was based on the average percentage of time spent on each study skill. Students Who Earned an "A" 67% 22% 11% Textbook Homework Group Work Individual Work The data can also be presented in the following table: Average Percentage of Study Time Based on Study Skill and Grades Grades A B C Textbook Homework Group Work Individual Work There was no correlation found between any of the study skills and performance on the exam, except for reading the textbook. It was found that there is a negative correlation between reading the textbook and test performance. Students who earned an A did not read the

6 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry 6 textbook at all. Students who earned a B read the textbook, and students who earned a C read the textbook the most. This result will be discussed later. An addition aspect that the researchers were interested in is whether there was a correlation between the total time a student studied and the test grade. The mean amount of time a student studied for an exam was calculated. There was no correlation found. Mean Amount of Time Spend Studying Compared to Performance on Exam Grade A B C Hours Limitations of the Study There were several limitations of the study. First, the sample size of the study was very small. It should be repeated with a larger sample size. Additionally, the survey should be done after each exam for the entire course. This would allow for more information and analysis. Second, the study should try to evaluate baseline knowledge of organic chemistry before one studied for an exam. For example, if a student (before beginning to study for an exam) already knew the information very well (either through lectures or workshops), that student may not need to study that much for an exam. It would be interesting to see which combinations or which study strategy allows for the largest difference between the baseline and the exam. This could be done either through quizzes, lecture attendance, and/or workshop attendance. Conclusion

7 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry 7 The results were very interesting. The most interesting aspect to the researchers was that there was no correlation between amounts of time studied and test performances. It was believed that students who studied the most would be earning the highest grades. However, that was not the case. Additionally, through looking at some of the individual data, it could be seen that there were students, who earned C s, studying more than students earning an A. This was slightly shocking. This really speaks volume about the importance of study skills. It did not matter as much how long one studied but rather how one studied Additionally, the study could not conclude with any firm or real recommendations for students. There was not one study skill that was found to be correlated with positive test scores. The only conclusion is that reading the textbook is negatively correlated with student s test performance. This could be that since students are reading the textbook, they are taking away time that could be diverted to other study skills. However, the study cannot conclude to which study skill that time should be diverted. There is no perfect study skill. The perfect study strategy is one that is specific to each student. It should be an intricate combination of numerous study skills, and it should be based on how one learns the best. Students should be exposed to numerous study skills so that they learn different ways of studying and can choose the best for themselves. Additionally, students should strive to study and practice how they will be tested. For example, it is not helpful for students to review notes in organic chemistry solely, because students are tested through problems that require critical thinking. Students should study by practicing problems. Based on the study, it is recommended that another study is done in the future taking into consideration the limitations discussed before. Additionally, this study should be discussed and

8 The Effect of Group Work on Performance in Organic Chemistry 8 perhaps explained to students in organic chemistry. It is a way to highlight that organic chemistry requires not only a large amount of studying but also study strategies that enable students to critically analysis the material. References de Jesus, H.P, de Souza, F.N., Teixeira-Dias, J., & Watts, M. (2005). Organizing the chemistry of question-based learning: a case study. Research in Science Technological Education, 23, Felder, R.M., Felder, G.N, & Dietz E.J. (1998). A Longitudinal Study of Engineering Student Performance and Retention. V. Comparisons with Traditionally-Taught Students. Journal of Engineering Education, 87, Haller, C., Gallagher, V., Weldon, T., & Felder, R. (2000). Dynamics of Peer Education in Cooperative Learning Workgroups. Journal of Engineering Education, 89,

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