The "Chemistry Mafia": The Social Structure of Chemistry Majors in Lab

Abstract

A great deal of attention has been paid to the effects of group work on the performance of
students enrolled in chemistry courses. However, relatively little research has been done
that addresses possible explanations for the observed improvement in student
performance when group work is done. In this study, a combination of field notes based
on observations made during classroom laboratory courses taken by chemistry majors,
individual interviews with students in the sections that were observed, and focus-group
interviews with groups of students who worked together in the lab provided insight into
the social interactions that occur when chemistry majors work in groups over a sequence
of classroom laboratory courses. The data suggest that these social interactions set the
basis for the development of a community of learners, a “Chemistry Mafia”, who trust
each other well enough to seek help with the content knowledge of their chemistry
courses, which they might be loathe to seek from peers with whom they are less familiar.
This work suggests that “off-task” interactions (e.g., socializing) in the laboratory are, in
fact, valuable in developing this community of learners.