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Investigating Divergent Outcomes in Organic Chemistry I

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Abstract

In the USA, Organic Chemistry I is a gateway course for undergraduate students seeking careers in medical- and health-related fields. Estimates of failure and withdrawal rates are approximately 40% at some large, public institutions and higher for specific segments of the student population, such as ethnic minorities, those of low socio-economic status, and non-traditional students. We applied a multi-layered contextual model of student success to investigate various factors contributing to the academic success of undergraduate students in Organic Chemistry I. Participants were 20 undergraduate students formerly enrolled in Organic Chemistry I at an urban, 4-year public institution located in the northeastern USA. Using semi-structured interviews, we examined students’ divergent academic outcomes, as well as internal, proximal, and distal variables relating to positive academic outcomes. Results suggest that at-risk students’ success in Organic Chemistry I is facilitated by support from qualified mentors, availability and utilization of academic resources, and proficiency in science. We discuss these results within a contextual framework and offer practical suggestions for educators.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their gratitude to Teresa Ober and Catherine Colleary for their support of this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Educational Psychology, Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 5th Avenue, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Milushka Elbulok-Charcape & Leigh McCallen

  2. Bard High School Early College Newark, 321 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA

    Gail Horowitz

  3. Psychology Department, Brooklyn College, CUNY, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, USA

    Laura A. Rabin

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  1. Milushka Elbulok-Charcape
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Correspondence to Milushka Elbulok-Charcape.

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Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Interview Questions (depending on group placement, students were asked about one or two/several semesters).

ID#: ______________________

Date: _____________________

Interviewer: ____________

Introduction Script: Thank you for taking the time to participate in this Organic Chemistry interview. This interview is being conducted to find out about your views on factors affecting your performance in Organic Chemistry I. Our aim is to understand how students from different backgrounds deal with expectations and requirements from a challenging course, such as Organic Chemistry. We are interested in learning about your experience and factors, which impacted your performance in the course. I hope we can speak comfortably and candidly with one another. The session will be recorded to accurately capture your responses. We will maintain your identity confidential. This means that you any information you give will be kept private and will not be shared with others. The data you provide will only be available to those authorized to view it. Additionally, your name will not be used in any written or verbal reports; any data gathered will be reported as a group finding. Do you have any questions before we begin?

Semi-Structured Interview Questions

  • What semester did you take Organic Chemistry and what was your intended major at the time?

  • What courses were you taking during that semester? Tell me about your academic workload that semester (i.e., how difficult were the other classes, how did you manage the workload)

  • Did you have a career in science planned out? Did you have an alternate plan if a career in science did not work out?

  • What obligations did you have outside of school that semester? (i.e., employment, childcare responsibilities, taking care of an elderly parent, etc.) Did this interfere with your responsibilities in school?

  • What background do you have in science courses? How comfortable were you in the course?

  • How was the course different/similar to other chemistry courses previously taken?

  • What were your expectations entering the course? (Strengths? Weaknesses?)

  • What personal or academic challenges did you face while taking the course? How did you overcome them?

  • What cultural expectations/attitudes did your family have towards education, specifically science education (if any)?

  • Did you have a mentor? Role model? What role, if any, did they play while you were enrolled in the course?

  • What college resources did you take advantage of while enrolled in the course?

  • Tell us about outside support (social and academic) you received while enrolled in the course.

  • What suggestions (academic and personal) do you have for students who will enroll in the course?

  • What short and long term goals do you have for your academic career?

Table 4 Final coding scheme questions and subcodes (sample—questions 1–5)
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Elbulok-Charcape, M., McCallen, L., Horowitz, G. et al. Investigating Divergent Outcomes in Organic Chemistry I. Res Sci Educ 51, 469–491 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-018-9803-y

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