Resource Use in Introductory Biology: Evaluating Latent Patterns, Demographic Covariates, and Effects on Final Course...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• STEM Education

Background:

• Introductory STEM courses are crucial for student progression but pose significant challenges.
• Understanding how students utilize available resources is key to improving STEM education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patterns of resource engagement among students in introductory biology.
• To determine the relationship between resource use profiles and academic outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Latent class analysis was used to identify distinct student engagement profiles.
• Data were collected from 1944 students across seven U.S. universities.

Main Results:

• Four distinct profiles of resource engagement were identified.
• Student demographic characteristics did not strongly predict profile membership.
• Frequent use of both social and material resources correlated with lower final course grades.

Conclusions:

• Resource utilization alone does not guarantee academic success in STEM.
• Metacognition and course context may be more influential than resource quantity.
• Findings offer insights for designing more effective STEM learning environments.