Perceived Values and Barriers of a Digital Backchannel Among Minoritized Students in Introductory Chemistry (Poster 22)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Wednesday 12:40 p.m.
  In Poster Session: STEM and Digital Tools in Education

Abstract

Digital backchannels have the potential to promote adaptive help seeking, metacognition, and motivation by facilitating anonymous, non-disruptive questioning, especially in high-enrollment introductory STEM courses where opportunities for student inquiry are often limited. This mixed method study examined students’ (N = 2383) perceived values and barriers to using a digital backchannel in an introductory chemistry courses. Students reported the backchannel was helpful and non-disruptive for learning, with students from minoritized groups in STEM (women, racial/ethnic minorities, low-SES) reporting significantly higher value. Thematic analyses of open-ended survey questions identified how monitoring peer questions enhanced learning, motivation, and self-regulated learning and identified common barriers to questioning via a backchannel. Findings have implications for designing equitable STEM learning environments

Authors

• Bradley W. Bergey, Queens College - CUNY

• Perry Samson, University of Michigan