Measuring Correlations between Factors that Affect Student Motivation in Organic Chemistry

In learning, motivation influences the direction, intensity, persistence and quality of learning behaviors in which students engage. To measure the motivation of students enrolled in undergraduate organic chemistry courses, a survey was developed to gauge student attitudes about the course value, self-efficacy, and class environment. The survey consisted of twelve statements to which respondents indicated agreement through a seven point Likert response scale. Since course value, self-efficacy, and a supportive class environment are all purported to be necessary factors to positively motivate students, pairwise correlations between the student responses were measured and assessed. Although correlation was generally found in responses to statements pertaining to a specific factor, the lack of correlation between these three factors indicates that individual students probably did not perceive all three factors to be present simultaneously. This may contribute to students’ non-optimal performance despite generally positive responses to individual statements.