However,
these PEIL workshops were designed
with the belief that such a degree of
freedom will encourage students to
feel greater agency in relation to their
own learning, which could also have
a significant impact on their performance.
Personal observation of PEIL
students supports this: The ability to
structure their own learning experience
within the workshops significantly
contributes to their agency as learners
and also generates a more positive
psychological attitude toward organic
chemistry. Anecdotally, PEIL students
often report that they feel less motivated
to participate when workshops
are more structured in terms of groups
and roles. It is hoped that future studies
using a sociocultural–theoretical lens
to examine interactions within the
PEIL workshops will further elucidate
some of these factors.