"One Firm Spot": The Role of Homework as Lever in Acquiring Conceptual and Performance Competence in College Chemistry

While learning at the K�12 level is a well-characterized process, how learning occurs in college is still underspecified. We report in this paper how different learning opportunities affect achievement in a large college chemistry class that makes use of authentic problem-solving activities supported by scenarios and virtual laboratories. Our study reveals that: (a) a significant portion of the learning takes place in the self-directed study the last few days before the exams; (b) authentic problem-solving activities have an important mediating effect in learning; (c) self-directed study and homework are the most relevant learning opportunities, explaining 48% of the course achievement in this course; (d) study and carefully planned homework activities can overcome the initial differences in prior knowledge.