College Achievement Research Articles

Improving Innovation Education for Vocational College Students by the OBE Concept

The objective of the vocational education system is to produce professionals as demanded by the nation for human resources. One purpose is to produce graduate students who will become productive and creative citizens. Entrepreneurship has emerged over the last two decades as arguably the most potent economic force the world has ever experienced. With that expansion comes a similar increase in the field of innovation education. Introducing the OBE concept into the innovation education will lead to a series of achievements in vocational colleges. While it can be argued that some legitimacy has been attained in the current state of this education, there are critical challenges that lie ahead. This article focuses on the trends and challenges in innovation education for the 21st century. An innovator is a person who does or undertakes something. Policy makers also believe that increased levels of innovation can be reached through OBE education.

Thrivers and divers: Using non-academic measures to predict college success and failure

We introduce a novel method for collecting a comprehensive set of non-academic characteristics for a representative sample of incoming freshman to explore which measures best predict the wide variance in first-year college performance unaccounted for by past grades. We focus our attention on student outliers. Students whose first-year college average is far below expectations (divers) have a high propensity for procrastination – they self-report cramming for exams and wait longer before starting assignments. They are also considerably less conscientious than their peers. Divers are more likely to express superficial goals, hoping to ‘get rich’ quickly. In contrast, students who exceed expectations (thrivers) express more philanthropic goals, are purpose-driven, and are willing to study more hours per week to obtain the higher GPA they expect. A simple seven-variable average of these key non-academic variables does well in predicting college achievement relative to adding more variables or letting a machine-algorithm choose, and improves our ability to predict at-risk students when used jointly with past grades.

The long-term effects of early adolescents’ achievement goals on help-seeking behavior development and college academic engagement and achievement

The long-term effects of early adolescents’ achievement goals on help-seeking behavior development and college academic engagement and achievement

Who benefits from mastery-approach and performance-approach goals in college? Students’ social class as a moderator of the link between goals and grade

Although approach forms of achievement goals (mastery and performance goals) have been shown to predict academic achievement in college, recent research underscores that these associations are rather weak and not consistently observed. The present study tests students’ social class (in the present research, generational status) as a moderator of the relationships between both mastery-approach goals and performance-approach goals and final grade. One hundred students (45 first-generation students and 55 continuing-generation students, M age = 18.9, SD = 1.52) answered an achievement goal scale related to one of their classes at the beginning of the year. Their final grade for this class was obtained three months later. As expected, performance-approach goals positively predicted final grade only for upper-class students, while mastery-approach goals tend to do so for lower-class students, supporting the idea that different kinds of motivation could predict students’ achievement depending on their social class.

Does Role Balance Influence the Effect of Personality on College Success? A Mediation Model

While the relationship between individual factors, including personality dimensions, and tertiary academic outcomes is well established, the mechanisms by which these factors influence academic success have been less fully explored. This study tested one potential mechanism, the developmental task of role balance, by which personality may influence college success. During emerging adulthood, young people simultaneously explore and establish both individual and relational role identities. As part of this process, these emerging adults work to balance their individual roles with their relational roles in order to maximize success and satisfaction across domains. Using a college student sample ( N = 299), this study used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test role balance as a mediator between personality dimensions and multiple indicators of college success. Tests indicated that role balance partially mediates the relationship between conscientiousness and neuroticism and college satisfaction but is not associated with other traditional measures of college achievement (grade point average, intention to withdraw).

Bad Company: Understanding negative peer effects in college achievement

Existing peer effects studies produce contradictory findings, including positive, negative, large, and small effects, despite similar contexts. We explore these results using U.S. Naval Academy data covering a 17-year history of the random assignment of students to peer groups. Coupled with students’ limited discretion over freshman-year courses, our setting affords an opportunity to better understand peer effects in different social contexts. We find negative effects at the broader “company” level – students’ social and residential group – and positive effects at the narrower course-company level within small peer groups. We suggest that peer spillovers change direction because of differences in the underlying mechanism of peer influence.

Longitudinal influence of alcohol and marijuana use on academic performance in college students.

BackgroundAlcohol and marijuana are the two most abused substances in US colleges. However, research on the combined influence (cross sectional or longitudinal) of these substances on academic performance is currently scant.MethodsData were derived from the longitudinal 2-year Brain and Alcohol Research in College Students (BARCS) study including 1142 freshman students who completed monthly marijuana use and alcohol consumption surveys. Subjects were classified into data-driven groups based on their alcohol and marijuana consumption. A linear mixed-model (LMM) was employed using this grouping factor to predict grade point average (GPA), adjusted for a variety of socio-demographic and clinical factors.ResultsThree data-driven clusters emerged: 1) No/low users of both, 2) medium-high alcohol/no-low marijuana, and 3) medium-high users of both substances. Individual cluster derivations between consecutive semesters remained stable. No significant interaction between clusters and semester (time) was noted. Post-hoc analysis suggest that at the outset, compared to sober peers, students using moderate to high levels of alcohol and low marijuana demonstrate lower GPAs, but this difference becomes non-significant over time. In contrast, students consuming both substances at moderate-to-high levels score significantly lower at both the outset and across the 2-year investigation period. Our follow-up analysis also indicate that when students curtailed their substance use over time they had significantly higher academic GPA compared to those who remained stable in their substance use patterns over the two year period.ConclusionsOverall, our study validates and extends the current literature by providing important implications of concurrent alcohol and marijuana use on academic achievement in college.

The Persistent Effects of Short-Term Peer Groups in Higher Education

This paper demonstrates that short-term peer exposure can generate achievement effects which persist for several months and years. I study a mandatory freshmen week for first-year undergraduates and exploit the random assignment of students to freshmen teams. I find that the freshmen week contributes to the formation of persistent social ties. Furthermore, peers' observable characteristics impact college achievement for up to three years. Ability peer effects are non-linear, i.e. very high or low levels of average peer ability in a group harm students' grades. These effects are most pronounced for low-ability students.

The leadership role of campus managers to improve student achievement in colleges

This study sought to identify successful leadership roles in campus managers and to better understand how these leadership roles and practices can improve student achievement in Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in South Africa. Improving the quality of FET colleges and student achievement is essential if these colleges are to meet the demands of skilling the youth for employment. The campus manager of an FET college is accountable for the quality of teaching and learning and consequently, student achievement. Using quantitative research, questionnaires were sent to the academic staff of all FET colleges in Mpumalanga. The study identified, using the multiple regression model, the most important predictors in student achievement in the National Certificate Vocational (NCV) examination in FET colleges. The results of the research also identified the leadership roles that are utilized by campus managers of high-achieving college campuses and conversely, also identified those areas that must be improved on for campus managers from poor performing college campuses. Replicating the leadership roles of campus managers of high performing colleges has the potential to impact on improving student achievement in FET colleges in South Africa.

Study of Test Anxiety of Freshmen Engineering Boys and Girls Students and their Academic Performance in Science & Humanities Subjects

the main aim of this learning was the effect of teaching of self-regulation on test anxiety; college achievement and met cognition in boy students, The Society under study include all boy and girl students of MLRIT. From this society 154 persons were randomly selected as sample that include experiment and control groups and 110 persons were selected for comparative analyzes. Measurement tools was Test-anxiety inventory that encountered of reliability and validity. Plan of research was kind of pre-test and post-test with manage group. After of pre-test, experimental groups four week, every week, two sessions and every session, , an hour to share in education class of self-regulation. After of end experimental to accomplish post test with two groups. The results of T-test show that there are significant difference between test anxiety in pre-test and post-test. Also we can see differenced levels of test anxiety between this student (22.4=low, 56.8=medium 18.4=high, 18.6 tremendous). Mean scores of test anxiety among students whose parents have academic education is higher than whom their parents don't have academic education that show parents with academic education have more stringent whereas, results of t-test show that there are no significant differences between parents with academic education and no academic education also There are no significant different in mother profession and there are significant difference between boys and girls test anxiety (t=-4.76, p<0.00). With comparison Mean of two groups discover that girls encounter higher test anxiety. Results of meta cognition analyzes show that Mean scores in post-test are higher than pre-test however analyze with t-test method show that there are not significant difference between experimental and control groups in post-test of global reading, problem-solving, support research strategies and total score. results of academic achievement analyzes show that mean scores of courses increase in post-test that show self-regulation is useful in practicable and reading courses. With comparison Mean scores in foreign language books discover that pre-test are almost similar to post-test. Besides analyze with t-test methods show that there are significant difference between experimental and control groups in English, physics, chemistry and mathematics courses (p<0.05) however there are no significant difference in mathematical methods, drawing, English and Hindi courses.

A Test of Leading Explanations for the College Racial-Ethnic Achievement Gap: Evidence from a Longitudinal Case Study

In this study, we examined racial/ethnic differences in grade point average (GPA) among students at a highly selective, private university who were surveyed before matriculation and during the first, second and fourth college years, and assessed prominent explanations for the Black-White and Latino-White college achievement gap. We found that roughly half of the observed gap was attributable to family background characteristics and pre-college academic preparation. Of the within-college factors we considered, perceptions of campus climate and selection of major field of study were most important in explaining racial/ethnic differences in GPA. Personal resources, such as academic effort, self-esteem and academic identification, and patterns of involvement in campus life were significantly associated with GPA, but these factors did not account for racial/ethnic differences in academic performance. Overall, our results suggest that efforts to reduce the college achievement gap should focus on assisting students with the process of selecting major fields of study and on fostering a welcoming and inclusive campus environment.

Impact of students' use of technology on their learning achievements in physiology courses at the University of Dammam.

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to investigate the possible relationship between students' use of technology and their achievements in physiology courses at five health colleges of the University of Dammam.MethodsThis study was conducted on 231 students studying physiology during their 2nd year at one of five health colleges (Medicine, Dental, Clinical Pharmacy, Applied Medical Sciences, and Nursing). An online survey was sent to the students regarding their use of technology and the devices they use. The Pearson correlation coefficient and descriptive statistics were implemented to study the frequency of, and relationship between, technology and learning achievement in physiology courses.ResultsThis study observed a significant relationship between students' use of technology and their achievements in health colleges. The study also demonstrated that the most-used devices are laptops (50%) and phones (42%) followed by tablets (7%) and desktop computers (0.5%). This paper reports on the results of the survey, documenting what was revealed regarding how technology is used among students at the health colleges, as well as the important benefits on their achievements during physiology courses.ConclusionsTechnology usage might produce comparatively more significant increases in academic achievement than would non-usage. Further research is warranted to examine its effects.

Family and Neighborhood Influences on Meeting College Expectations in Emerging Adulthood

This study examined how family socioeconomic status and social emotional climate together with neighborhood affluence predict the probability that college attainment in emerging adulthood (20–26 years old) matched college expectations reported during adolescence. Using three waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health ( n = 7,213, 54% female, 53% White, 21% Black, 15% Hispanic, 11% other), results from multilevel multinomial logistic models reported direct and positive effects of neighborhood and family affluence on the probability that college attainment in emerging adulthood matched or exceeded the expectations reported during adolescence. Family cohesion was associated with lower odds of overachievement. An interaction effect revealed that parents’ educational expectations were more strongly associated with college achievement outcomes in higher income families. Understanding how families and neighborhoods predict college achievement can help institutions focus on methods of intervention to best support the transition to adulthood.

Surprise, Sensemaking, and Success in the First College Year: Black Undergraduate Men's Academic Adjustment Experiences

Background Much has been written about Black undergraduate men's out-of-class engagement and social experiences, identity development, participation in intercollegiate athletics, and college enrollment and completion rates. Too little is known about their academic readiness and first-year college adjustment. Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand Black male students’ academic transition experiences in the first college year, with a particular emphasis on how they resolved academic challenges with which they were confronted. Setting This study was conducted at 42 colleges and universities in 20 states across the United States. Six institution types were included: private liberal arts colleges, public research universities, highly selective private research universities, public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and comprehensive state universities. Participants The sample was comprised of 219 Black undergraduate men, mostly juniors and seniors, who maintained high cumulative grade point averages, were extraordinarily engaged in a range of student organizations, held multiple leadership roles on campus, cultivated meaningful relationships with faculty and administrators, participated in enriching educational experiences (e.g., study abroad programs), and earned numerous merit-based awards and honors for their college achievements. Research Design Qualitative research methods were used in this study. Specifically, phenomenology was used to understand what Black male students experienced in the first college year and how they experienced the transition phenomenon. Data Collection and Analysis Individual, face-to-face interviews were conducted with all 219 participants. Each interview was 2-3 hours. Moustakas’ (1994) process for phenomenological data analysis and Harper's (2007) trajectory analysis technique were used to analyze data collected for this study. Findings Two thematic categories of findings are presented in this article. First are reflections from students who experienced turbulence in their transitions from high school to higher education. Being underprepared for the academic rigors of college, the surprising mismatch between academic effort and first-year grades, the racial composition dissimilarities between their high schools and college campuses, and feelings of cultural misfit were factors to which participants attributed their initial adjustment challenges. The second category includes insights from achievers who transitioned seamlessly to college. They attributed their successful starts to strong academic preparation, prior experiences in demographically comparable educational environments, participation in summer bridge and college transition programs, and academically profitable relationships they cultivated in student organizations. Recommendations This article ends with several suggestions for helping Black undergraduate men adjust more seamlessly and resolve surprising academic transition issues encountered in the first college year.

An Anti-deficit Perspective on Black Female Scholar-Athletes’ Achievement Experiences at a Division I Historically White Institution (HWI)

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black female scholar-athletes at a Division I historically White institution (HWI) and identify key influences they attributed to their academic achievement and positive transitional experiences in college. A single focus group and five individual interviews were conducted with five Black female scholar-athletes enrolled at a Division I HWI. An anti-deficit achievement framework and attribution theory were incorporated to highlight key facilitators for their achievement experiences. Findings revealed participants attributed their achievement outcomes and positive college experiences to their educationally-focused family members, intrinsic motivation, academic self-efficacy, positive relationships with teammates, and unique benefits associated with being a Division I student-athlete. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Exposure to school and classroom racial segregation in Charlotte-Mecklenburg high schools and students’ college achievement

In this study we investigate Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) high school graduates’ academic performance in the first year of college and test whether their exposure to racial segregation in high school at both the school and classroom levels affected their college freshman grade point averages. Utilizing administrative data from the Roots of STEM Success Project, we track the CMS class of 2004 from middle school through its first year of education in the University of North Carolina (UNC) system. Our findings show that segregation among schools and among classes within schools compromises college achievement for students of color while offering no significant benefits to white students’ college achievement.

Hope and the Academic Trajectory of College Students

Previous longitudinal studies of student hope have established a connection between how people think about the future and their college achievement. This study examined the role of hope in predicting the achievement and retention of college students while controlling for educational history and two other psychological constructs, academic self-efficacy and engagement. Hope, self-efficacy, engagement were all correlated with both the number of semesters enrolled and cumulative grade point averages (GPAs) for the first 4 years of college. Hope was the only factor that had unique effects when examining predictors simultaneously and controlling for academic history. Hope uniquely predicted the number of enrolled semesters, whether students returned for the 2nd semester of college, whether students graduated in 4 years, and students’ GPAs across 4 years of college. Results therefore indicate that hope was the most robust predictor of academic achievement in college after controlling for educational history. These findings point to a need to help students develop the capacity to initiate and sustain movement toward goals in the pursuit of higher academic achievement.

Ethics: An Indispensable Dimension in the University Rankings.

University ranking systems attempt to provide an ordinal gauge to make an expert evaluation of the university's performance for a general audience. University rankings have always had their pros and cons in the higher education community. Some seriously question the usefulness, accuracy, and lack of consensus in ranking systems and therefore multidimensional ranking systems have been proposed to overcome some shortcomings of the earlier systems. Although the present ranking results may rather be rough, they are the only available sources that illustrate the complex university performance in a tangible format. Their relative accuracy has turned the ranking systems into an essential feature of the academic lifecycle within the foreseeable future. The main concern however, is that the present ranking systems totally neglect the ethical issues involved in university performances. Ethics should be a new dimension added into the university ranking systems, as it is an undisputable right of the public and all the parties involved in higher education to have an ethical evaluation of the university's achievements. In this paper, to initiate ethical assessment and rankings, the main factors involved in the university performances are reviewed from an ethical perspective. Finally, a basic benchmarking model for university ethical performance is presented.

Latino Masculinity: Underlying Factors in College Persistence Levels

Despite growing numbers, Latinos lag behind whites in higher education. This gap is especially salient for Latino men, who earned only 37.6 percent of associate's and bachelor's degrees awarded to Latino students in 2010. The following study uses interviews with thirteen ethnically diverse, first-generation, self-identified Latino men currently enrolled in four-year universities in the Greater Boston area to explore the influences Latino men idetnify as impacting their collge success and persistence rates. Grounded theory analysis of the inerview data reveals the correlations between previous academic experiences and family influence on participants' ability to graduate. The paramount role of participants' cultural constructions of masculinity and their effect on help-seeking behaviors was a surprising and unique finding. Masculinity and help-seeking behaviors were, therefore, found to play a key role in college achievement and persistence for the men in this study. This article also discusses implications for mental hleath practitioners, educational advocacy groups, and universities.

Success in the Shadows: (Counter) Narratives of Achievement from Black Scholar Athletes at a Historically Black College/University

The current study incorporated an anti-deficit achievement framework [Harper, S. R. (2012). Black male student success in higher education: A report from the National Black Male College Achievement Study. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania, Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education.] and a critical race methodology [Solórzano, D., & Yosso, T. (2002). Critical race methodology: Counter-storytelling as an analytical framework for education research. Qualitative Inquiry, 8(1), 23–44] to examine the experiences and perceptions of achievement among Black scholar athletes at a Division I historically Black college/university (HBCU). Two focus group interviews and six in-depth individual interviews were conducted with eight Black scholar athletes. An eight-item demographic questionnaire was also administered to ascertain information about the participants’ personal backgrounds. Specific influences such as familial factors, college classroom experiences, out-of-class engagement in college, and enriching educational experiences in college were examined. The following emergent themes were identified: (a) “I Felt More Comfortable at a HBCU,” (b) “Here, They Do Care,” (c) “Being an Athlete has Kept Me Focused,” (d) “I'm Glad I Came Here,” and (e) “You Have to Want to Be Successful.” Implications for postsecondary institutions seeking to enhance the educational experiences for Black student athletes are discussed.