Success and Persistence in Science: The Influence of Classroom Climate

Abstract

To better understand how student and faculty perceptions of the learning climate in science/mathematics classes influence success and persistence, we followed a cohort of 1425 academically able students who entered CEGEP in the fall of 2003. Students completed surveys in their first, second and fourth semesters. In the second semester 84 faculty members completed a similar survey. Faculty conceptions of teaching were identified using a framework developed by Scardamalia and Bereiter (1989). No significant gender differences in achievement were found. Self-efficacy declined over students first semester as did affect towards science. Classes that students perceived as fostering their development had a positive impact on persistence and success while classes characterized as transmitting had a negative impact. Females were more likely than males to characterize a class as transmitting and to abandon science. Faculty members who had pedagogical training were more likely to create a fostering atmosphere in their classes.