Abstract
Most postsecondary students have to deal with academic disappointments at some point in time, with many of them succumbing to their anxieties and failing to learn from these lived experiences. Our study aimed to understand the “why and how” disappointments unfolded in a sample of 20 undergraduate students, using a design whereby interview text was concurrently analyzed across the continuum of learned resourcefulness in conjunction with an inductive, data-driven coding, and theme generation perspective. Reasons for attending university, attributional style, coping and learning, and perceptions of others markedly differed for high- and low- resourcefulness scorers. Whereas high-resourceful scorers used academic disappointments as a motivator to engage in more effort and problem-solving strategies, low scorers ruminated and tried to forget about them. Suggestions are provided on ways to effectively help students become more resourceful and in control of their studies.
Highlights
The high scorers cared about their grades, but six of them discussed a love of learning, a desire to challenge themselves, or an aspiration to apply what they had learned to other contexts (e.g., “I enjoyed learning about the bones and muscles . . . It’s important to apply yourself and study as hard as you can”; S20, score of 42)
Low scorers in our study were unsure about their academic ability; exhibited helplessness by attributing academic successes and disappointments to factors they perceived were beyond their control; and did not engage in resourceful academic behaviors following disappointments, instead trying to forget about them or excessively relying on others to get a passing grade
Academic success and self-management training programs involving weekly seminars on topics ranging from problem solving and learning strategies to research skills to motivation have been effective at helping students learn resourceful and academic skills and modify their negative academic beliefs (Bowering, Mills, & Merritt, 2017; Kennett, 1994; Kennett & Reed, 2009; Reed et al, 2011; Reed et al, 2009)
Summary
Julia’s heart beats faster and her palms begin to sweat as her name is called. She is a bit nervous to learn her mark, more than anything, she is eager and excited. No, that can’t be right,” she thinks to herself, as she frantically flips through each page to find the sure evidence that this exam belongs to someone else. She quickly comes to the realization that this is her exam.
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