Confusion, interest, and achievement in introductory physics: insights from student self-reflections

Self-reflection is associated with improved learning outcomes, but relatively little is known about how introductory physics students’ self-reflection on confusion and interest relates to their academic performance. This mixed-methods, observational study on 208 introductory physics students examined three questions: (1) how does number of submitted reflections, specificity of reflections about confusing and interesting aspects of learning, and perceived levels of confusion and interest relate to academic performance; (2) how does reflections from high-, mid-, and low-performing students differ in what they describe as confusing or interesting; and (3) how often do students’ reflections on what they found confusing and interesting overlap? Quantitative analyses showed that number of submitted reflections and perceived level of interest significantly predicted academic performance. Qualitative analyses revealed distinct reflection patterns and overlaps between confusing and interesting aspects of learning. These findings have implications for designing instructional strategies that use self-reflection to better support student learning.