Evolution of Grades and Social Comparison Concern within an Introductory Physics Course

Autor/inn/en	Suresh, Srividya; Heckler, Andrew F.
Titel	Evolution of Grades and Social Comparison Concern within an Introductory Physics Course
Quelle	In: Physical Review Physics Education Research, 19 (2023) 1, Artikel 010129 (14 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Heckler, Andrew F.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Schlagwörter	Grades (Scholastic); Physics; Science Instruction; Introductory Courses; Calculus; Science Tests; Scores; Feedback (Response); Correlation; Comparative Analysis; Peer Groups; Undergraduate Students; Student Attitudes; State Universities; Ohio + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Notenspiegel; Physik; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Einführungskurs; Analysis; Differenzialrechnung; Infinitesimalrechnung; Integralrechnung; Korrelation; Gleichaltrigengruppe; Peer Group; Schülerverhalten; Staatliche Universität
Abstract	This study investigates the evolution and associations between exam grades and social comparison concern (SCC) among students in an introductory calculus-based physics course. We begin with a descriptive characterization of midterm and final exam scores as well as pre-post SCC scores, including the concurrent evolution of these scores during the course. We hypothesize a feedback loop in which changes in SCC scores are mediated by exam grades, and changes in exam scores are mediated by SCC scores. We employ a structural equation model to determine whether the data are consistent with these hypotheses. Results indicate that there were significant within-student changes in the relative grade standing from exam to exam and that changes in SCC scores depended on both the pre-SCC scores and scores on the first midterm exam. Further, we find evidence that exam scores partially mediate the association between pre- and post-SCC scores, and in turn, post-SCC scores partially mediate associations between midterm and final exam scores, though the mediation effects are somewhat small, comprising 5%-10% of the total effects between exam scores and SCC. We also find that while SCC scores are somewhat correlated with exam scores, they are only very weakly correlated with nonexam grade components, consistent with the idea that exam scores (rather than nonexam scores) are driving changes in SCC and vice versa. Overall, the results provide empirical, correlational evidence to motivate further experimental investigation into a hypothesized dynamic and iterative feedback loop in which student concern about ability or performance compared to others (SCC) can either negatively or positively interfere with student performance on exams. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01