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Why Students Struggle in Undergraduate Biology: Sources and Solutions
Claire B Tracy1, Emily P Driessen1, Abby E Beatty1
1Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
CBE Life Sciences Education
|June 27, 2022
Summary
Student biology struggles are often caused by external factors like instructor and course issues, impacting performance. Improving teaching strategies can help students overcome these challenges and persist in science.
Area of Science:
- Biology Education Research
- Undergraduate Science Pedagogy
Background:
- Student perceptions of challenges significantly affect academic performance, persistence, and overall experience in science.
- Understanding the root causes of student struggle is crucial for developing effective support systems in higher education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify external factors influencing student perceptions of encountering and overcoming struggle in introductory biology.
- To identify the specific factors to which students attribute their difficulties in biology courses.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative analysis of external factors (Course, Instructor, Incoming Preparation) related to student struggle.
- Qualitative inductive and axial coding of student-reported causes of struggle, categorized as internal or external attributions.
Main Results:
- Lower incoming preparation was significantly associated with increased student struggle and difficulty overcoming it.
- External factors such as prior biology knowledge, COVID-19 impacts, external resources, and classroom dynamics were commonly cited as reasons for struggle.
- Significant performance outcome differences were observed between students who encountered and overcame struggle versus those who did not.
Conclusions:
- External factors play a predominant role in student-reported struggles within introductory biology.
- Recommendations are provided for instructors to implement equitable teaching strategies and practices to mitigate student challenges.
- Addressing external barriers can enhance student success and persistence in undergraduate biology programs.
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