Comparing Academic Performance of Elementary Education Majors in General Education Science Courses

PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320137 March 19, 2025 4 / 15 PLOS ONE Elementary Education Majors in General Education Science Courses courses [16,63,64]. Such specialized courses may be a valuable solution, but they are challeng- ing to implement and maintain. While we focus on course grades in this study, we acknowledge that there are concerns about grades: they are highly idiosyncratic, based on the expectations and practices of the individual instructor [65–67]. Additionally, the meaning of a grade is unclear, possibly indi- cating the extent to which content was mastered or the extent to which students displayed dispositions such as conscientiousness and timeliness [68–70]. In fact, there is both evidence supporting [71] and refuting [27] the connection between grades in science courses and other measures of science content knowledge. Thus, both the reliability and validity of grades have been questioned. Nonetheless, grades are an accepted indicator of academic success. Canfield, Kivisalu [72] found that grades in college courses were good indicators of meeting intended course outcomes. Similarly, Allensworth and Clark [73] found that high school grade-point average (GPA), the result of years of grades, was a strong predictor of success in college, stronger than ACT scores (a college-entrance exam). As such, in this study we explore grades in general education courses from the stance that grades are valuable, but contested, indicators of success. Methods Research context

This research took place at a large, private university in the western United States. As is com- mon at universities in the United States, undergraduate students pursue a major, which entails a required series of courses specialized in an area of study. For example, a student majoring in elementary education completes courses related to child development, learning theories, and planning and enacting instruction in elementary classrooms. These are courses that students not majoring in elementary education would not complete. In addition to the requirements for the major, all undergraduate students are expected to complete general education requirements. These require students to complete courses in several different categories. There are often multiple courses in each category. Sometimes students complete a course that is designed for a wide variety of majors, known as a general education course, while others complete a course that meets the general education require- ments but is a part of their major program. At this institution, students are expected to complete one course to meet the biological sci- ence requirement and another course to meet the physical science requirement. These are the only science content requirements for elementary education majors. Many choose to complete introductory biology and introductory physical science, which are general education courses, to meet these requirements. Students are also required to complete a general education course in American History. Most students at the university complete the same course because there

are few other alternatives. Students must also complete courses in civilization, which includes a range of courses in the humanities, and many students select to complete course in western humanities. They must also complete a course in quantitative reasoning (many choose the general education course in statistics), and social sciences (many choose a human develop- ment course). Elementary education majors complete one science methods course as a part of the program, which brings emphasizes science pedagogy. Data source Data for this study was drawn from the academic records housed in the university registrar's office. To gather these data, a request was placed with the academic records office. In this