Faculty Mentor: Regina Frey (Chemistry, University of Utah)

As students pursue higher education in STEM degrees, fostering a social belonging within the field is crucial. General Chemistry I is a foundational course required for many pre-health and STEM-related majors. However, an issue has emerged: some students who successfully pass the course and are eligible to advance to General Chemistry II choose not to continue. To explore factors influencing students’ social belonging in the course, we conducted a survey at both the beginning and end of the semester. The survey utilized a Likert scale, and my research focuses on responses to the statement: “I feel uncertain about my belonging in CHEM 1210.”

After collecting and analyzing the survey data, several themes emerged. We further examined these themes by identifying the most common response categories and determining whether any subcategories existed within them. Additionally, we have begun analyzing demographic factors and their correlation to the identified themes. The insights gained from this research will help us develop strategies to enhance students’ social belonging in General Chemistry, ultimately supporting their persistence in STEM education.

Bibliography

Cho, J. Y.; Lee, E.-H. Reducing confusion about grounded theory and qualitative content analysis: Similarities and differences. Qualitative report 2014, 19 (32), 1-21.

Edwards, J. D., Torres, H. L., & Frey, R. F. (2023). The effect of social belonging on persistence to General Chemistry 2. Journal of Chemical Education, 100(11), 4190-4199.

Edwards, J. D., Laguerre, L.,  Barthelemy, R. S., De Grandi, C. and Frey R. F. * (2022), Phys. Rev. Special Topics – Phys. Edu. Res, 18(2), 020150:1-17 “Relating students’ social-belonging and course performance across multiple assessment types in a calculus-based introductory physics 1 course” DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.020150

Edwards, J. D., Barthelemy, R. S. and Frey, R. F.* (2022). J. Chem. Edu., 99(1), 71-82  “The Relationship between Course-level Social Belonging, comprising Sense of Belonging and Belonging Uncertainty factors, and Academic Performance in General Chemistry 1” (“Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect in Chemistry Education Research and Practice” special issue).

Fink,A. Young, J. D., Vuppala, N. K. and Frey, R. F. * (2023). Chem. Edu. Res. and Prac, 24, 327 – 352. “Mixed-Methods Exploration of Students’ Written Belonging Explanations from General Chemistry at a Selective Institution”

Hsieh, H.-F.; Shannon, S. E. Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative health research 2005, 15 (9), 1277-1288.

Merriam, S. B. Qualitative research: A guide to design and Implementation. Jossey-Bass 2009.

Walker, D. K., Bustamante, V. P., Blomgren, H. E., Edwards, J. D., & Frey, R. F. (2024). “A Mixed Methods Study Exploring Students’ Open-Ended Responses about Course Inclusivity in General Chemistry 1.”Journal of Chemical Education, 101(4), 1403-1415.