Trust, Growth Mindset, and Student Commitment to Active Learning in a College Science Course

Area of Science:

• Higher education
• Science education
• Pedagogy

Background:

• Active learning strategies are increasingly recognized for their effectiveness in college science education.
• However, the influence of student-level factors on outcomes within these pedagogical approaches requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between student trust in instructors and attitudes toward learning in an active learning anatomy and physiology course.
• To determine if student trust and self-perceived intelligence correlate with engagement and academic performance.

Main Methods:

• Survey data were collected from 245 undergraduate students enrolled in an anatomy and physiology course utilizing active learning.
• Student trust was defined as perceptions of instructor understanding, acceptance, and care.
• Statistical analyses were performed to assess associations between trust, self-perceived intelligence, engagement, and final grades.

Main Results:

• Both student trust in the instructor and students' views of their own intelligence were significantly associated with commitment and engagement in active learning.
• Student-reported trust in the instructor positively correlated with final course grades.
• Self-perceived intelligence did not show a significant correlation with final grades.

Conclusions:

• Student trust in the instructor is a crucial factor for fostering engagement and achieving desired outcomes in active learning science environments.
• While self-perceived intelligence relates to engagement, instructor trust appears to be a more direct predictor of academic success in this context.