Student workshops help, study shows

The study by psychologists Aaron Black and Edward Deci showed that as students felt more comfortable with the mentoring from workshop leaders, they looked at the course with optimism and, in fact, did better than their previous grades would indicate.

"We see that when group leaders act in a supportive way, the students become more motivated and end up doing better in the course," said Deci, professor of psychology in the College.

Chemistry Professor Jack Kampmeier started the workshop format in organic chemistry six years ago when the National Science Foundation tested that approach at a consortium of colleges and universities, including Rochester. As Kampmeier developed the workshops in collaboration with Vicki Roth, assistant dean of Learning Assistance Services, Rochester's version received national recognition and additional funding from NSF to teach others in this style.

Black and Deci, who studied the course over a four-month semester, have provided the first independent analysis of student interest and achievement levels in organic chemistry since the workshops began.

The study, based on responses from 137 students, showed that students who were more autonomous, or intrinsically motivated to take the course, earned better grades than other students did.

Further, when the workshop leaders listened more to the students and were more supportive of the students' initiative, students became more autonomously motivated even if their motivation had initially been very low. They also felt better about themselves and did better in the course.

Biochemistry workshop begins

Terry Platt, professor of biochemistry and biophysics, and of biology, has been awarded a one-year pilot grant of $6,200 from the National Science Foundation's multi-insitutional "Workshop Project" consortium.

The award will help to develop a workshop approach at the advanced level of undergraduate biochemistry similar to the approach pioneered at Rochester in organic chemistry.

Maintained by University Public Relations
Please send your comments and suggestions to:
Public Relations.