Potential relationship of chosen major to problem solving attitudes and course performance

TL;DR

This study explores how students' chosen majors influence their attitudes towards problem solving and their performance in algebra-based physics courses, revealing potential motivational differences across majors.

Contribution

It introduces a preliminary categorization of student attitudes towards problem solving based on their written reflections and analyzes its relation to majors and course performance.

Findings

Attitudes vary significantly by major.

Certain attitude categories correlate with higher course performance.

Major-specific trends suggest motivation impacts learning outcomes.

Abstract

Introductory algebra-based physics courses frequently feature multiple student major populations in the same course section, however, different majors' requirements may impact students' motivations towards different aspects of the course material, e.g. problem solving, and hence, impact course performance. A preliminary categorization of student attitudes towards a lab group coordinated problem solving exercise, in which students individually reflect on their group-based problem attempt, is based upon students' written interpretations about the usefulness of the exercise: respectively towards intrinsic value of a problem solving framework, towards performing well in the course, and towards less specific aspects of the exercise. The relationship between choice of major and this preliminary categorization for a typical algebra-based physics course is analyzed, as are trends by major and by category type in a measure of course performance. We also discuss more in-depth development of interpretation for the categorization construct via written artifacts from the problem solving exercise.