Longitudinal Study of Student Attitudes in a Biology Program

Area of Science:

• Science Education
• Higher Education
• Biology Programs

Background:

• Longitudinal studies tracking student attitudes are crucial for understanding educational development.
• Student attitudes can significantly influence academic performance and learning outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To longitudinally assess the evolution of student attitudes in a university biology program over four years.
• To investigate the relationship between student attitudes and academic performance.

Main Methods:

• Tracking student attitudes across four years of a university biology program.
• Analyzing changes in overall favorable scores and specific categories like real-world connections and problem-solving.
• Correlating attitude scores with cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Main Results:

• Student attitudes became significantly more expert-like from year 1 (64.5%) to year 4 (72%), approaching expert levels (90%).
• Positive shifts were observed in real-world connections (78-85%), enjoyment (74-82%), and conceptual connections/memorization (66-74%).
• A significant positive correlation emerged between expert-like attitudes and GPA at the end of year 4, with high performers showing more expert-like attitudes.

Conclusions:

• University biology programs foster a more expert-like attitude in students over time.
• Expert-like attitudes, particularly in problem-solving, are linked to higher academic achievement.
• Findings suggest implications for pedagogical strategies to enhance student attitudes and learning.