Academic Persistence Research Articles

The Stories We Tell

Last week, I told you about my daughter Amanda's first experience with “hard math.” My guess is that the young people in your life have their own stories to share. No doubt they have struggled and failed at something important to them. Surely they have stories of success, too—perhaps, as it was for Amanda, following a dark period when self-efficacy was at a low point. If, as four decades of research have shown, self-efficacy grows with small wins, does anything turbocharge such learning? A recent experiment supported by Character Lab suggests that experience is an even better teacher when followed by writing. Students spent 15 to 20 minutes writing about a time they failed, and at least one way this failure changed them for the better, as well as a time they succeeded, and the steps they took to “make this success a reality.” Compared to a control group, the students who did this writing exercise demonstrated greater academic persistence, which in turn predicted better grades the following marking period.

Putting the Goal Back into Grit: Academic Goal Commitment, Grit, and Academic Achievement

Grit has recently been challenged for its weak predictive power and the incompleteness of its measurement. This study addressed these issues by taking a developmental, person-oriented approach to study academic-related goal commitment and grit and their effects on academic achievement. Using longitudinal data among Finnish eighth and ninth graders (n = 549, 59.4% female, age = 14–16), the longitudinal changes in grit and academic goal commitment profiles were investigated through latent profile and latent transition analyses. Four profiles were identified across two grades: High committed-persistent and moderate consistency (~17%), Moderate (~60%), Low committed-persistent and moderate-low consistency (~8%) and Extremely low committed-persistent and moderate-low consistency (~12%). The students in the High committed-persistent and moderate consistency profile had the highest academic achievement of all the profiles when controlled for gender, socioeconomic status, conscientiousness, and academic persistence. The results revealed that students’ profiles changed between the eighth and ninth grades, with more than one-third of the High committed-persistent and moderate consistency adolescents dropping from this group. Further analysis showed that the profiles varied by educational aspiration, gender, and socioeconomic status. These findings imply that the combination of grit and academic goal commitment influences academic achievement; however, this combination is less common, unstable, and affected by internal and external factors. The study provided important implications on the weak grit effect and the ways to improve it.

Beyond free primary education: pathways to academic persistence in Kenyan free education system

ABSTRACT Persistence to complete has emerged as a pressing issue facing free primary education (FPE) in Kenya. Only 58% of the students who enroll in FPE complete and this proportion drops as they advance to higher levels. Failure to complete primary school, let alone the higher levels of education is alarming. Besides funding, this study explores the features that contribute to students’ pathways to persistence. Using data from the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), this study found the retention level to be 57%. The logistic analysis showed that parents’ level of education and student's age (i.e. 10–14 years) were over five times more likely to improve student persistent. Family socio-economic status, the level of engagement, positive school experience, parents’ involvement and collaboration with the school, and a high-quality school with supportive learning were also positively associated with academic persistence. The implications for practice and research are discussed below.

Ortaokul öğrencilerinde akademik öz denetim ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması

Academic self-control refers to the individual's self-control behaviors in the academic field. The study reported in this article aims to develop a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating the academic self-control behaviors of secondary school students between the ages of 11-14. The study sample consists of 1087 students (female n = 545; male n = 539; unreported n = 3) in Ankara, Turkey. As a result of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) conducted to evaluate the construct validity of the Academic Self-Control Scale (ASCS), two factors named "academic perseverance" and "academic attention" were determined. These factors explained 47.11% of the variance in the participants’ academic self-control scores. Additionally, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) results confirmed the suitability of the factor structure. The Academic Perseverance Scale was used for criterion validity, and a positive correlation (.74) was found. The internal consistency reliability measured using Cronbach Alpha was found .81. The test-retest reliability result was .93. These findings indicate that the ASCS could be used to assess academic self-control of secondary school students.

Come Out, Get Out: Relations Among Sexual Minority Identification, Microaggressions, and Retention in Higher Education.

Heterosexism, in the form of microaggressions, contributes to hostile, anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) college campus climates, thereby limiting sexual and gender minority students' social engagement and academic persistence. Using Tinto's model of institutional departure, we examined the degree to which experiencing microaggressions affects sexual minority college students' retention as a function of their feelings of discomfort in the classroom. Mediation analyses were performed on a subsample of data from 152 self-identified LGBTQ college students at a southern university in the United States to examine relations among experiences of self-reported microaggressions, self-rated classroom discomfort, and expressed intentions to transfer from the university. Self-reported discomfort in the classroom accounts for the relation between experiences of microaggressions and LGBTQ students' intentions to transfer from the university. Specifically, LGBTQ students who experienced microaggressions more often reported greater discomfort in their classrooms and reported fewer intentions to continue studying at their university. Universities should strive to implement campus-wide programs that help minimize microaggressions, encourage cultural competency and comfort in the classroom, and combat anti-LGBTQ prejudice to better support students in their day-to-day academic endeavors. LGBTQ students who feel safe and supported in the classroom may be protected from heterosexism and social isolation and, thereby, may be more likely to persevere in their academic pursuits.

Effect of pre-entry attributes on academic persistence in science and technology in Burkina Faso: A survival analysis

Academic persistence is a challenge in Burkina Faso. Based on Tinto's (1997) model, this research assesses the effect of pre-entry attributes (father's occupation, gender, age at first enrollment in the university, place of birth, Grade Point Average [GPA], field of study in high school, time to first enrollment in the university, cohorts) on academic persistence in STEM in Burkina Faso. Using Kaplan and Meier (1958) survivor function, log rank test (Mantel & Haenszel, 1959) and Cox (1972) regression with 14 cohorts of freshmen (n = 13,891), findings reveal that less than 40% of students of a cohort were enrolled in the bachelor's degree. Father's occupation, gender, age at first enrollment, GPA and cohorts are predictors of academic persistence. Results seem to validate the use of Tinto's model in Burkina Faso. Findings will help education stakeholders (ministry of education, faculty members) to provide support aiming to improve academic persistence in STEM.

Self-Efficacy Versus Gender: Project-Based Active Learning Techniques in Biomedical Engineering Introductory Computer Programming Courses.

Engineering education has increasingly embraced active learning techniques within a variety of curricula. In particular, project-based active learning techniques have a significant potential to enhance students' learning experience. In this study, we implemented project-based techniques in biomedical engineering (BME) classes, and we investigated the effects of active learning on students' self-efficacy as an effective predictor of students' academic persistence and their career decision-making. Differences in self-efficacy were compared across genders. A high level of internal consistency was observed for both academic and career-oriented scales, as determined by Cronbach's alpha values of 0.908 and 0.862, respectively. While average scores of all survey questions indicated improvement in students' academic and career-oriented self-efficacy measures, significant improvements were observed in "clearer vision of programming application in engineering" and "BME careers," as well as in "expectation of success in a future BME career that involves developing medical devices" after the completion of the project-based activity (p = 0.002, 0.023, and 0.034, respectively). For two of the survey questions, female students reflected a significantly lower "self-confidence about understanding the most complex course material" as well as a significantly lower "willingness to have a future career in BME that involves intensive computer programing" as compared to male students (p = 0.035 and 0.024, respectively). We have further discussed possible explanations for the observed differences and multiple potential ways to enhance gender equality in STEM fields from a self-efficacy standpoint.

Brief Research Report: Pilot testing an identity-based relevance-writing intervention to support developmental community college students’ persistence

We pilot tested an identity-based relevance-writing intervention designed to support developmental community college students’ (N = 54) educational commitment, value, and persistence. The intervention was embedded within regular journal assignments in two study skills courses with a third section serving as a comparison group. The intervention prompted students to explore how course topics connected to their identity. Results indicated large differences between groups in identity connections made in assignments and follow-up educational commitment and moderate differences in follow-up task value, all favoring the intervention group. There were no differences between groups in course enrollment eight months later. This pilot study offers promising preliminary evidence that an identity-based relevance-writing intervention may be effective in supporting developmental community college students’ academic persistence.

Exploring the Decision-Making Process of Academic Persistence in University Students Who suffered a Dropping-out Crisis

Exploring the Decision-Making Process of Academic Persistence in University Students Who suffered a Dropping-out Crisis

Introduction

Introduction

Examining Black adolescents’ perceptions of in-school racial discrimination: The role of teacher support on academic outcomes

In-school racial discrimination is a risk factor for Black adolescents, as it is negatively associated with their academic outcomes, including grades and persistence. Scholars have sought to identify protective factors that lessen the harmful effects of such discrimination. Protective factors consider personal, family and environmental contexts. This paper is guided by risk and resilience frameworks, which propose that protective factors help individuals achieve positive outcomes, even in the presence of risk. The present study investigates whether teacher support, an environmental protective factor, buffers the harmful effects of in-school racial discrimination on adolescents’ grades and academic persistence. This study used cross-sectional methodology in a sample of 364 Black seventh grade students (49% female, mean age = 12.5 years old, SD = 0.6) from three schools located in the suburbs of a Midwestern state. Findings indicated that there was a positive and direct association between teacher support and grades, and teacher support and academic persistence. In-school racial discrimination from teachers and peers were both negatively associated with academic persistence, but were unrelated to grades. These results also indicated that teacher support moderated the association between in-school racial discrimination from teachers and adolescents’ academic persistence. The current findings support previous research suggesting the importance of teacher support for academic success. Implications for social work practice, school interventions, and school policy are discussed.

When Teachers Become Students: Impacts of Neuroscience Learning on Elementary Teachers’ Mindset Beliefs, Approach to Learning, Teaching Efficacy, and Grit

<p style="text-align:justify">Previous research suggests that learning basic neuroscience constructs, especially about the malleability of the brain, impacts middle school and older students’ academic mindset, response to failure and academic persistence. This research targets teacher beliefs using a similar model. Teachers were taught introductory neuroscience concepts related to how the brain learns. Session topics included: basic neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity, sleep and the brain, stress and the brain, exercise and the brain, growth mindset, growth mindset feedback, self- control and grit. Results of this school level intervention suggest significant impacts on teachers’ mindset, teaching efficacy, teachers’ approach to learning and grit. In particular, teacher mindset beliefs significantly increased after the teachers were taught the concepts. Implications for schools and teacher preparation are discussed.</p>

How does mobile phone dependency impair academic engagement among Chinese left-behind children?

Mobile phone dependency (MPD) and low academic engagement are two common social and psychological problems among left-behind children in rural China. However, the relation between MPD and academic engagement in this population remains unclear, although studies have indicated that technology addiction is associated with increased academic problems. To elucidate the relationship between MPD and academic engagement and its underlying mechanism, this study examined the mediating roles of inattention, academic persistence, and procrastination in the relation between MPD and academic engagement. We recruited 1505 left-behind children to complete self-report questionnaires. A structural equation model was established to examine the multiple mediating effects. The results showed that MPD had three 1-step indirect and negative effects on academic engagement via inattention, academic persistence, and academic procrastination. MPD had three 2-step indirect and negative relationships to academic engagement via inattention to academic persistence, inattention to academic procrastination, and academic persistence to procrastination. MPD also had a 3-step indirect and negative relationship to academic engagement via inattention, academic persistence, and procrastination. These findings suggest that inattention, academic persistence, and academic procrastination mediated the relationship between MPD and academic engagement in left-behind children in rural China and further indicate that MPD can elicit a constellation of academic problems, which, in turn, result in low academic engagement.

Graduate Students Academic Persistence: Academic and Social Integration Intertwined with Self-Directed Learning

This study aimed to explore influential personal factors that could affect graduate students’ academic persistence. Data were collected with an online questionnaire and one-on-one interviews. The findings indicated that graduate students had integrated into the academic environment and established a positive relationship with advisors and program coordinators. Participants have limited social interactions with classmates. This factor decreased the importance of social integration on persistence. Data indicated that participants’ self-directed learning readiness was moderately high. This study suggests that these three personal factors are intertwined in influencing graduate students’ decision to persist in the academic programs.

The Effects of Two Mindset Interventions on Low-Income Students’ Academic and Psychological Outcomes

This study examined two widely available light-touch, writing-based mindset interventions: one that targeted students’ purpose for learning and one that aimed to increase students’ growth mindset. In order to examine the potential mechanisms underlying previously reported effects of mindset interventions, we analyzed these interventions’ effects on low-income, ethnic minority adolescents’ academic outcomes, task persistence, task-relevant anxiety, critical motivation, and sense of belonging. Results indicated that the purpose for learning intervention had a small negative impact on students’ self-reported grades the following year, and null results for the other outcomes. The growth mindset intervention was administered one year following the purpose for learning intervention and we found no evidence of treatment impacts on any outcomes. Analyses of treatment impact moderation suggested that certain student characteristics, such as student gender and race could play a role, but most of these tests also presented null results. The primarily null results of both interventions suggest that further study is needed to determine the effectiveness of one-time, self-administered mindset interventions across a variety of contexts and student populations.

Does the Context of Racial Discrimination Matter for Adolescent School Outcomes?: The Impact of In-School Racial Discrimination and General Racial Discrimination on Black Adolescents’ Outcomes

The present study explored the role of context and gender on the association between racial discrimination and adolescents’ outcomes among Black ninth graders (N = 557) (male = 249; female = 308). In particular, we investigated whether there were differences in the link between racial discrimination within school, and racial discrimination outside of school, and adolescents' academic and non-academic outcomes. Findings on the role of context and gender were mixed. While in-school racial discrimination was more strongly related to academic persistence than general racial discrimination, our results did not reveal differences in the associations between racial discrimination and grades or psychological well-being. Gender results indicated that girls who reported decreases in in-school and general racial discrimination were more likely to report a more positive perceptions of school climate. Implications for research on the association between racial discrimination and adolescent outcomes are discussed.

Active Duty Military Learners and Distance Education: Factors of Persistence and Attrition

ABSTRACT Distance education is a rapidly expanding sector that is increasingly being utilized by military student populations due to its unique benefits and flexibility in terms of course options making it a more viable and attractive option. The present study aims to expand the current research on factors contributing to military distance learner’s persistence in higher education. Using sample records from a sample of 2,246 undergraduate students from a single large private Southeastern U.S. university’s online program, a Classification Tree Analysis (CTA) was used to identify the breakpoints in predictive power of various predictors of academic persistence by military branch. Of specific interest was how the differing subgroups divided, in terms of persistence rate, based on factors, such as number of transcripts, age, prior academic performance, marital status, and rank. Results highlight how these factors differentially affect learners based on their respective branch of service.

M-LoCUS: A Scalable Intervention Enhances Growth Mindset and Internal Locus of Control in Undergraduate Students in STEM.

Student self-beliefs regarding intelligence and ability have been shown to correspond to achievement and persistence in an academic domain. Specifically, previous research has suggested that a growth mindset—or the belief that intelligence is malleable and can increase with effort—is associated with student success. Locus of control is a related but distinct self-belief regarding personal agency over various academic and nonacademic outcomes and has also been associated with study skills and academic persistence. However, academic interventions targeting student mindsets and loci of control have remained relatively underexplored, specifically in the context of undergraduate STEM education. Here, we describe the development and assessment of an intervention encouraging students to adopt a growth mindset and internal locus of control. This five-part intervention is administered entirely online and is therefore independent of individual instructor variability. We administered the intervention in five introductory biology courses and show that the intervention was successful in impacting student mindsets and loci of control across various demographics.

Pre-entry Attributes and Academic Persistence at the Master’s Level in Science and Technology in Burkina Faso: The Mediating Role of University Experience

Pre-entry Attributes and Academic Persistence at the Master’s Level in Science and Technology in Burkina Faso: The Mediating Role of University Experience

THE SYSTEM OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PREDICTORS OF PERSISTENCE OF SUCCESSFUL AND UNSUCCESSFUL STUDENTS IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

The relevance of research. The analysis of students' persistence in learning is a promising and insufficiently studied direction of volitional regulation of educational activity. The search for psychological (cognitive, emotional-volitional, motivational and personal) predictors of persistence is especially relevant (Magdalena Marszał-Wiśniewska, Ewa Jarczewska-Gerc, 2015). The formation of persistence in studies as a volitional quality of a person and a mechanism for self-regulation of activity can be considered as the goal of the efforts of counseling psychologists, psychological support workers who work with students in higher education institutions. The impacts that develop can be directed towards psychological predictors of persistence. The aim of the study is to build an integral model that would be based on reliable empirical data and would combine a system of psychological predictors of student persistence in learning. It is also important to develop variants of this model for successful and unsuccessful students. Sample and research methods. The sample - 156 people (125 women and 31 men) at the age from 17 to 26 years old - students of H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture, Kharkiv Pedagogical Lyceum No. 4. Using the procedure of multiple regression analysis, the cumulative (systemic) influence of a number of factors on persistence in learning was assessed. Among them: GRIT general tenacity, alienation and burnout from learning, hardiness, coping strategies, sensitivity to feedback, Big-Five factors, dispositional optimism, academic self-regulation, procrastination and success. The results were processed both for the entire sample as a whole and separately for the groups of successful and unsuccessful students. The dependent variable in regression analysis was persistence in learning action. It was measured using the author's questionnaire by M. Kuznetsov and A. Halata (2017). Results. The greatest influence on the part of diagnosed predictors was found for a group of students with low academic performance. The smallest number of predictors was found for the group of students with high academic performance. The most influential were the cognitive predictor of persistence - sensitivity to feedback and a strong-willed predictor - persistence according to the Grit method. Lack of academic procrastination is a behavioral factor in the development of persistence among successful and unsuccessful students. A distinctive characteristic for the formation of the optimal level of persistence in the group with low academic performance was the dependence of persistence on emotional-volitional, behavioral and personal predictors. Conclusions. The most powerful predictors of learning persistence are sensitivity to feedback, emotional stability, extraversion and conscientiousness, identified regulation of learning activity and regulation by one's own motivation, high hardiness of the individual, coping strategy aimed at solving a problem. Academic procrastination, external regulation of educational activity, coping strategy "emotions", alienation and burnout from learning negatively affect academic persistence.