Does Students' Confidence In Chemistry Boost Their Understanding?

摘要

The relationship between students' attitude towards chemistry and their successful achievement to the subject have been reported in some published studies. However, a similar study uncovering the correlation between students' confidence to be successful in chemistry and their achievement in chemistry subject is still limited. This study aimed to investigate how students' confidence toward chemistry subject as well as towards chemical kinetics topic boost their achievement in the area of chemical kinetics. 23 first year chemistry students at Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia participated in the study. A four-tier instrument in the area of chemical kinetics accompanied by a questionnaire uncovering students' general confidence in chemistry, in the area of physical chemistry and in the topic of chemical kinetics was implemented. The survey was carried out two times, before and after the students experienced chemical kinetic learning in their basic chemistry course. Students' confidence towards chemistry, physical chemistry and chemical kinetics were mirrored to their achievement in the chemical kinetics test provided. The study uncovered that students' confidence to be successful in chemistry course triggered their understanding of chemical kinetics. However, when the confidence was specified in more detailed aspects (confidence towards physical chemistry and chemical kinetics topic), the influences were inconsequential.