His presentation shred the findings from a four-year study of CHEM-103 General Chemistry I students and their self-efficacy. Educators define self-efficacy as the belief in one鈥檚 own capabilities to succeed or reach a higher level of performance and control over one鈥檚 own functioning.
Cheung鈥檚 research concluded that the self-efficacy of CHEM-103 students improved overall by the end of the semester, and that they had increased confidence in their ability to succeed in chemistry.
According to Cheung, this increase in students鈥� self-efficacy in chemistry has long-lasting benefits. 鈥淚mproving students鈥� chemistry self-efficacy,鈥� Cheung said, 鈥渋s part and parcel of improving students鈥� motivation, retention rate and graduation rate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).鈥�
Cheung also noted that General Chemistry is often viewed as a gateway course because of its high rates of withdrawal or failure.