The Effects of Tutoring on Self-Efficacy and Identity as a Scientist

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

3-1-2018

Disciplines

Higher Education

Abstract

The CSB/SJU Department of Chemistry has developed an extensive tutoring program for all foundational courses in the curriculum. Student access to tutoring is well known to contribute to academic and attitudinal gains, including improved grades and attitudes about self and field of study. Previous studies on the benefits for the tutor emphasize academic gains, but less is understood about the additional changes occurring in the students who tutor, particularly for under-represented students. There is some evidence that working as a tutor enables stronger feelings of self-efficacy and identity in the field. An increase in self-efficacy and identity as a scientist can be particularly important for the retention of under-represented groups in STEM.

In an effort to explore the impacts of tutoring beyond academic gains, the current study seeks to explore the impact of tutoring on achievement, self-efficacy, and identity as a scientist, among tutors and non-tutors in chemistry. We have explored how these changes occur in tutors and compare with a control group of students in an introductory chemistry class who are not involved in tutoring. An extension of the project included revising the tutoring materials and tutor training to include teaching metacognitive skills. Our goal is to ascertain how the change in tutoring impacted achievement, self-efficacy, and identity as a scientist, among tutors and non-tutors in chemistry. The results from these studies will be presented.

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