Academic vocabulary size as a predictor for early academic achievement - A case study of an easy-to-administer, low-stakes, post-entry test

The study investigated the association and relative influence of cognitive/motivational and demographic factors on final degree grade point average (GPA) in a single undergraduate cohort. Although academic self-efficacy, approaches to learning, prior achievement and age all produced significant correlations with GPA, regression analysis identified prior achievement (R 2 change = .288), age (R 2 change = .201) and academic self-efficacy (R 2 change = .062) as the only significant predictors of GPA. Significant increases in academic self-efficacy (d = .46), deep (d = .43) and strategic (d = .37) approaches to learning, and self-confidence (d = .33), and a significant decrease in internal academic locus of control (d = .50), were also reported when comparing first and final year scores. Conclusions suggested that prior academic achievement, age and academic self-efficacy provide a partial explanation for academic achievement in higher education, that any measure of prior achievement must be relevant, that self-efficacy appears to be the most relevant perceived control construct in a learning context, and that further work focusing on age in the context of academic achievement in higher education is both necessary and warranted.

Academic motivation in teaching and learning processes, both in general and in particular in higher education, has been of great interest in educational research, since it is the basis of academic success. In this work, the model "Expectations-Value of achievement motivation" has been considered, which uses a socio-cognitive perspective to design an inventory that allows measuring the motivation for academic achievement in higher education. With this objective, the Motivational Inventory of Academic Achievement (IMLA) is created, supported by a rigorous methodological process in order to make this instrument reliable and valid. The psychometric properties of the IMLA were determined from the analysis of content validity, reliability and construct in a sample of 464 higher education students from a Chilean and a Spanish university. The results indicate that the IMLA has 9 factors that explain 64.11% of the total variance and a Cronbach's alpha of .913, a rating considered high according to the requirements of a measurement instrument. In this way, this study contributes with the creation of a tool that integrates important motivational aspects focused on internal cognitive beliefs, based on expectations and the value of the task, as well as incorporating the assessment of the environment, for which reason it is estimated. that the IMLA is an instrument with a high potential for the educational and scientific field.

Although previous research indicates that both employment and adult attachment style have an influence on academic achievement, the interaction of these two factors has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the moderating effect of adult attachment style on the relationship between employment status and first semester academic achievement in higher education. A sample of 378 freshman college students answered a series of questionnaires (Academic Amotivation Inventory, the Relationship Questionnaire and demographic), and their high school averages and first semester academic results were obtained from the Registrar’s office. The Analysis of covariance showed that employment status (having employment vs. no employment) and adult attachment style of students (secure vs. dismissing) strongly interacted in predicting academic achievement (first semester average adjusted for high school average, perceived financial burden, and amotivation). More specifically, the first semester averages of secure students with or without employment, and that of dismissing students without employment was indistinguishable. However, dismissing students with employment had significantly lower first semester averages than the secure students. This study showed that dismissing students entering postsecondary education who also have employment are at greater risk of academic difficulties than students with a secure attachment style.

PurposeThis study examines the role of emotional intelligence on academic achievement among students at a private university in Kuwait.Design/methodology/approachThe data were obtained through a questionnaire which elicits information on students' sociodemographic data and their overall college grade point average (GPA). The 16-item Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS, Wong and Law, 2002), was used to evaluate the level of emotional intelligence and explore the effect on academic performance in a sample of 480 Kuwaiti college students.FindingsThe results of the study indicate that academic success was strongly associated with self-emotion appraisal (SEA) and use of emotions (UOE). However, the results did not show direct correlations with age, high schooling system, gender and nationality. Additionally, results provide supporting evidence that the WLEIS scale has good psychometric properties and can be used as a reliable tool to assess the emotional intelligence skills among college students in Kuwait.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has several limitations that require consideration when interpreting the findings. First, this research used a quantitative methodology, which can provide limited information about emotional intelligence, and further qualitative research is necessary to identify contributors and inhibitors of this construct. Second, as in any study using self-report measures, the results may have been influenced by participants' acquiescence and need for social desirability. Further studies should aim to include ways in which EI can be incorporated into academic curricula and qualification framework and barriers that may pertain to encourage emotional intelligence skills development in higher education and suggest solutions accordingly. In future studies it would be interesting to see educators' self-perception vs of students to include a multi-rated for the emotional intelligence. To this end, these areas of study could provide a more comprehensive understanding in the sense of integrating emotional intelligence theories and methods from multiple disciplines that constitute social, personality and psychological trait within higher education. This research has only considered samples from a private university in Kuwait. Extension of sampling scope to other universities around the country and in the Middle East may bring a better understanding of students' emotional intelligence level. In terms of EI components, the results of this study indicated that students score highest in self-emotional appraisal (SEA) and the use of emotions (UOA) and lowest on regulation of emotions (ROE). Additional studies can be conducted to see whether the same results apply on Arab students in the Middle East as a whole. The present study has provided more evidence of the need for cross-cultural comparison of an imported construct and its measurement by showing that the emotional intelligence construct, defined by the WLEIS (Wong and Law, 2002), may be understood differently in other cultures.Practical implicationsThere are two key implications in this study, one concerning gender and the other relating to students' GPA. The results suggested differences between the way female and male students viewed EI skills in relation to their academic achievement. Considering that the instrument used to measure EI was the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), a self-report measure, perhaps a degree of bias was introduced. Male students' EI scores as a whole (M = 5.56) were higher than the EI mean score for female students (M = 5.39). As Novinger (2001) proposed, emotional expressiveness in the Arab world is such that women are trained to be less demonstrative of their emotions than men.Social implicationsIn addition, gender and cultural values may influence communication styles among Arab students during the teaching process. An awareness of gender and cultural difference related to EI could be beneficial to all parties (students, educators and administrators) in higher educational institutions. Educators' sensitivity to students' EI skills associated with culture can be manifested in a wide variety of teaching practices, ranging from educators' expectations toward students to their interpersonal interactions with students and from teaching styles to assessment methods. For example, an understanding of the possible impact of gender on EI skills may raise educators' levels of cultural sensitivity in dealing with students in the Middle East, particularly, in Kuwait. Even though this study did not show a significant relationship between the overall EI level and students’ GPA, an effect on EI components SEA and UOA was found. University administrators and educators wishing to increase students' academic achievement would do well to incorporate the use and recognition of emotions into their curricula. For instance, emotions can be used to channel the anxiety created by exams to motivate students to prepare more thoroughly and attain more higher standards.Originality/valueEmotional intelligence skills are important predictors of academic success, and they play a key role in students' performance, and greater the emotional intelligence, the academic achievement will be higher. The results of this study support the research studies suggesting that students' emotional intelligence (EI) should be considered by curriculum designers to enable educators assist their students reach successful academic performance.

Studying Latin in secondary education is still widespread in Europe and believed to result in cognitive benefits, even beyond the linguistic domain. In this study we explored the relation between such study and later academic achievement in higher education (N = 1,898). First, we demonstrated that Latin students exhibit increased levels of study achievement in higher education, particularly in study programs other than those covering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Second, we explored where the instruction of Latin was a significant predictor in models of academic achievement, explaining incremental variance over 21 other cognitive, attitudinal, and demographic variables. Latin instruction was included as a variable in the prediction models in 42% of the programs (mainly in the non‐STEM ones), but the incremental predictive validity was substantial only in the linguistic programs. Our results highlight how the study of Latin can be a valuable predictor of academic achievement in other study fields.

This paper addresses the relationship between student evaluation of teaching (SET) and academic achievement in higher education. Meta-analytic studies on teaching effectiveness show a wide range of results, ranging from small to medium correlations between SET and student achievement, based on diverse methodological approaches, sample size studies, and contexts. This work aimed to relate SET, prior academic achievement, and academic achievement in a large sample of higher education students and teachers, using different methodological procedures, which consider as distinct units of analysis the group class and the individuals, the variability between students within classes, and the variability between group-class means, simultaneously. The data analysis included the calculation of group-class means and its relationship with the group-class mean academic achievement, through correlation and hierarchical regression techniques; additionally, a multilevel path analysis was applied to the relationship between prior academic achievement, SET, and their academic achievement, considering the variability among group classes. A multisection analysis was also carried out in those course disciplines in which there was more than one class group (section). The results of individual and group-class analysis revealed that SET was moderately low but related to academic achievement in a significant way once the effect of previous academic achievement was controlled. In addition, multilevel path analysis revealed the effect of SET on achievement, both within and between group-class levels. The results of the analysis carried out in the course disciplines with different sections, according to a multisection design, yielded similar results to the individual and aggregated data analyses. Taken together, the results revealed that SET was low related to academic achievement, once the effect of previous academic achievement was controlled. From these results, it follows that the use of SET as a measure of teachers’ effectiveness for making administrative decisions remains controversial.

This paper considers relationships between approaches to learning, learner identities, self-efficacy beliefs and academic achievement in higher education. In addition to already established survey instruments, a new scale, subject area affinity, was developed. The scale explores the extent to which students identify with their area of study and imagine being part of it in future. The new scale showed strong psychometric properties when it was tested on a sample of 4377 students at a research-intensive university. The new scale correlated positively with both the deep approach and self-efficacy scales. The new scale also correlated negatively with the surface approach scale. K-means cluster analysis identified seven distinct groups of students who espoused interpretable combinations of approaches, self-efficacy and subject area affinity. Cluster membership was associated with differences in academic achievement. Implications are discussed.

The main goal of current research was to examine the students competence and academic achievement in higher education: a conditional process. The descriptive research design with quantitative study type was considered suitable for the current research. Population for the study was teachers and pupils of University of Sargodha. By using convenience sampling method, students and teachers from Sargodha Medical College, Department of Plant Pathology, Department of Social Work and Department of English were selected. Total sample was collected from 21 teacher and 320 students in total. Two adopted scales i.e., Teacher-Class Relationship Inventory and Generic Competence Scale were adopted. Both instruments were reliable according to the Cronbach’s’ value . By using the SPPS version 27, data was analyzed and moderation and mediation analysis techniques was utilized. The results revealed that the moderating and mediating effect of teacher-class relationship in the students competence as well as academic achievement of the respondents was found statistically insignificant. It was recommended on the basis of findings that teachers and experts need to conduct seminars and workshop to aware the students about the competencies importance as well as it will also improve their academic achievements.

Separate contributions of general intelligence and right prefrontal neurocognitive functions to academic achievement at university level

A successful first year is of vital importance to academic achievement in higher education. How can we identify those students at risk at a very early stage, i.e. even before they have entered university? This study focuses on three pre-university factors, namely academic self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, in terms of autonomous motivation and time-management, and beyond classroom engagement. 2355 Dutch prospective first-year students in the fields of science, humanities and social sciences filled in our survey. Data on first year academic achievement in terms of grade point average (GPA) was obtained at the end of the first year. Prospective first-year students scored high on all of the variables; we found gender-related differences, favouring female students, as well as discipline-related differences. Time management and autonomous motivation were found to be positive predictors of achievement; beyond classroom engagement was a negative predictor of achievement. This paper contributes to the research on first-year academic achievement and emphasises the importance of providing students with personalised trajectories from the moment they enter university.

Achievement in higher education is gaining importance and attracting attention among educational psychologists who seek for determining its correlates. This study examined longitudinal associations between academic achievement in higher education, university entrance exam performance, the psychosocial climate of the campus, and instructional behavior and socioeconomic status. Data concerning 2,361 students from three universities were collected via surveys and university records at Year 1, Year 2, and Year 4. Socioeconomic status (SES), university exam performance, perceived instructional behavior, and perceived psychosocial climate at Grade 1 were associated positively with academic achievement, perceived instructional behavior, and perceived psychosocial climate at Grade 2 and Grade 4. Indirect effects from SES, university exam performance, perceived instructional behavior, and perceived psychosocial climate at Grade 1 to Grade 4 outcomes were significant, through academic achievement, perceived instructional behavior, and perceived psychosocial climate at Grade 2. These results support that students’ SES, earlier entrance exam performance, and perceptions of their academics’ instructional behaviors and the campus’ psychosocial atmosphere at the first year of university life are associated with their academic achievement at the final year through their relations with the developing levels of academic achievement, perceived instructional behavior, and psychosocial climate of the campus toward the middle of university life.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a bibliographic review about the relation between locus of control (LC) and academic achievement in higher education students. Online repositories were the main source of information. The most important findings show that, (a) the LC construct has evolved from being a dichotomist to a multidimensional variable; (b) there are very few recent international studies and none of them covers Latin-America; (c) interdisciplinary research is scarce and the absence of the qualitative approach is noticeable; and, (d) whether direct or indirectly, most studies show a relation between LC and academic achievement in higher education. These findings show the need to address this topic in Latin America. It is suggested to conduct interdisciplinary, longitudinal, qualitative, and quantitative studies under the supervision of institutions and teachers; the results would be used to design interventions to improve que quality of education.

Differential associations of neurobehavioral traits and cognitive ability to academic achievement in higher education.

The use of classroom debate as an instructional technique is prevalent, particularly in secondary and higher education. There have been several studies examining the effects of classroom discussion in areas such as second language acquisition, philosophical thinking, psychology, and pure science, there is a lack of particular research in the subject of administrative science. Multidisciplinary fields that focus on critical and analytical examination of administrative ideas, management principles, and methods. The review papers covered organisational and leadership theories. Therefore, the study aims is to provide a thorough examination of how classroom debate affects students' academic performance in higher education, in various academic settings, and across all departments and disciplines of study. The research findings indicate classroom debates are beneficial and relevant to many academic subjects because they allow students to think more critically and express creative ideas, which improve their academic performance. A theoretical framework shows a clear connection between student academic success and the advantages of conversation in the classroom.

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of the socioeconomic status of higher education students on their academic achievement and the relationship between these determinants. The study is conducted on the 691 undergraduate senior students being trained at the University of Suleyman Demirel who were chosen by their Weighted Quantitative Composite scores in the Student Selection Examination. In the study, student' Student Selection Examination Weighted Quantitative Composite scores which were taken into account when they were - accepted for their departments and their average grade of the academic scores until their final year are used as the dependent variables. Average grade point of the academic scores is the overall mean scores that the students have until the beginning of the final year in their departments. As for the independent variables, parents' educational status, family income, the settlement where the family lives, the status of the fathers' workplace, number of siblings and the educational background of the student before the Student Selection Examination are taken into consideration in the study. Obtained data has been analyzed by using correlation, regression and two-way variable analysis methods. The results of the study indicate that the high school type from which the students have been graduated can be said as an essential predicator for the students' academic achievement. The variables related to the family are not strong predicators. That education institutions prior to the higher education also accept students with a national exam has increased the homogeneity of the higher education student profile.