Undergraduate Introductory Organic Chemistry: Performance Trends and Impact of Active Learning Studios

Abstract

Organic chemistry courses are often regarded as a bottleneck for undergraduates pursuing STEM- and health-related fields. This study reports a decade-long analysis of performance trends in two introductory organic chemistry courses (9254 students, 18 instructors). We investigated the impact of academic preparation and instructional interventions (“studio”) as well as variables such as sociodemographic groups and transfer status. Statistical analyses, including multilevel linear modeling, suggest that standardized math scores (SAT) significantly correlate with student performance. Furthermore, the implementation of evidence-based active learning strategies (studios) significantly enhanced students’ success in the course by about 0.46 course GPA points. It also reduced the withdrawal rate (DFW) by 59% for non-underrepresented minority (URM) students and 49% for URM students, highlighting the impact of scalable and interactive pedagogies. Additionally, the study underscores that transfer students face the greatest challenge, with grades 0.32 course GPA points lower compared to nontransfer students, independent of preparation or instructional pedagogies.