13-2 From Classroom to Career: Student Anxiety and Self-Efficacy with Scientific Instrumentation

Session: Building Connections Between Educators and Geoscientists to Foster the Future Workforce

Presenting Author:

Authors:

Abstract:

Student exposure to instrumentation through laboratory courses or research experiences is an important part of STEM workforce training.  However, due to time constraints and instrumentation costs, exposure before graduation is often limited. This may lead to students feeling ill-prepared for laboratory jobs upon graduation. 

A survey determining anxiety and self-efficacy levels of graduate and undergraduate students using instruments was disseminated at universities in the Southeastern United States. The respondents (N=192) identified their anxiety levels when using instrumentation on a Likert-type scale of strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Respondents also addressed their self-efficacy performing tasks with instrumentation on a Likert-type scale of not well at all (1) to extremely well (5). Additionally, participants identified what instruments they use to allow researchers to identify potential disconnects between instruments used in academic settings and those used in the workforce.  Preliminary results suggest many students express anxiety when working with instruments due to the stress of making a mistake or breaking expensive instruments. These results indicate anxiety and self-efficacy are two important factors in laboratory work that should be addressed to improve overall student preparedness for the workforce.

This study plans to address these factors by creating online modules that provide students the ability to explore commonly used instruments in the laboratory. Previous studies determined high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as two of the most commonly used instruments in the workforce; therefore, those will be the initial focus of the study. The instrument modules will be incorporated in undergraduate STEM courses that utilize HPLC and GC-MS as part of their coursework. Allowing students to manipulate and explore instrumentation via online modules can increase their self-efficacy when interacting with the instruments both in the classroom and in the workforce. Additionally, due to the virtual nature of the modules students have the potential to interact with instrumentation they would not normally have access to. Participants that utilize the modules will complete pre- and post-surveys to help determine the potential affects technology can have on anxiety and self-efficacy levels in the laboratory. The results of this study will help departments make changes to better suit student needs in the laboratory as well as better prepare them for futures in the STEM workforce.

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