Improving preparation and persistence in undergraduate STEM: Why an online summer preparatory chemistry course makes sense
Abstract
General chemistry is a foundational course that serves as a gateway to many STEM degrees. A high level of preparedness and motivation to succeed in STEM coursework correlates with success in general chemistry courses, and general chemistry is vital to persistence of students in STEM. Studies have indicated that an increasing number of students, especially underrepresented minority populations, placed into preparatory chemistry courses do not advance to general chemistry. This lack of advancement is an indicator that a one-size-fits-all preparatory chemistry course does not sufficiently target students’ cognitive and non-cognitive needs. In order to better support, prepare, and motivate students in STEM at UC Davis, an online, adaptive-responsive summer preparatory chemistry course (SP-Chem using ALEKS) was piloted as an alternative to placement exams and the fall, classroom-based preparatory chemistry course (WLD-41C) used for placement into general chemistry. Student performance in general chemistry was comparatively evaluated for four placement paths (SP-Chem, WLD-41C, placement exams, and repeating the course). Additionally, indicators of STEM persistence, namely student motivation and STEM identity, were surveyed and comparatively evaluated. Our findings of the effectiveness of an online, adaptive-responsive preparatory chemistry course, using both cognitive and non-cognitive measures, demonstrate the promise that online learning during the summer holds for improving stud…
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The only two studies that used an experimental design were fully online (Dockter et al., 2017; Chingos et al., 2017).
“For this review, the only two studies that used an experimental design were fully online (Dockter et al., 2017;Chingos et al., 2017).”
From Methodological Choices When Assessing Summer Bridge Programs in STEM Majors: A Scoping Review (2026) · cites this paper as Dockter et al., 2017
Dockter et al. (2017) found positive effects on chemistry performance and persistence.
“whereas the other found positive effects on chemistry performance and persistence (Dockter et al., 2017).”
From Methodological Choices When Assessing Summer Bridge Programs in STEM Majors: A Scoping Review (2026) · cites this paper as Dockter et al., 2017
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Methodological Choices When Assessing Summer Bridge Programs in STEM Majors: A Scoping Review
Caballero Díaz, D., Amin, A., Musa, P., & Leung, V. (2026) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci16020220
- Authors
- Dockter, D., Uvarov, C., Guzman-Alvarez, A., & Molinaro, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Corresponding author
- Dockter, Derek
- Venue
- ACS Symposium Series
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- Published
- 2017-01
- Pages
- 7-33
- ISSN
- 0097-6156 (ISSN-L)
- 1947-5918
- OpenAlex
- W2766217591
- Cited by
- 15
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 14.46
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ACS symposium series (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of California, Davis
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Education › Chemistry Education and Research
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Modeling and Simulation › Mathematics Education and Programs
- Keywords
- general chemistry, STEM persistence, student readiness, adaptive learning, ALEKS, placement testing, underrepresented minority students, student motivation, STEM identity, non-intellectual factors, student performance
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