Student perspectives on success in high school chemistry

The purpose of this study was to hear the voices of college-bound high school students concerning meaning and action in cultural context. Students explain what it means to understand and to succeed in introductory chemistry. The method was ethnographic and interpretive as the researcher took on the role of participant observer in introductory chemistry classes in two Midwestern public high schools during one school year. A focus group of students from each school and the two teachers were interviewed and participated in informal conversations. Field notes and interviews were considered primary data sources. Audiotape transcriptions and written artifacts served as secondary sources. Students explained understanding in at least two ways, one practical and task oriented, while the other definition was theoretical and epistemological. Success associated with the latter understanding was elusive, yet considered more meaningful. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.