Actual Academic Performance Research Articles

Prevalence of Dunning-Kruger effect in first semester medical students: a correlational study of self-assessment and actual academic performance

IntroductionThe ability to self-assess is a crucial skill in identifying one’s own strengths and weaknesses and in coordinating self-directed learning. The Dunning-Kruger effect occurs when limited knowledge causes individuals to overestimate their competence and underestimate others’, leading to poor self-assessment and unrecognized incompetence. To serve as a foundation for developing strategies to improve self-assessment, the self-assessment abilities of first-semester students were assessed.MethodsIn the final weeks of the summer 2021, winter 2021/22, and summer 2022 semesters, the academic performance (oral anatomy exam) of first semester students was assessed (0–15 points). Before the exam results were announced, students were asked to self-assess their performance.ResultsExam scores (M = 10.64, SD = 2.95) and self-assessed scores (M = 10.38, SD = 2.54) were comparable. The absolute difference between them, as a measure of self-assessment ability ranged from − 9 to + 9 points (M = -0.26, SD = 2.59). Among participants (N = 426), 18.5% assessed themselves accurately, 35.5% overestimated, and 46.0% underestimated their performance. The correlation between actual score and self-assessment was ρ = -0.590 (p < 0.001), reflecting the Dunning-Kruger effect. When separated by gender, correlation for females was ρ = -0.591 (p < 0.001), and for males ρ = -0.580 (p < 0.001).ConclusionsRealistic self-assessment is a challenge for first-semester students. The data indicate that females tend to overestimate their performance while males underestimate theirs. A pronounced Dunning-Kruger effect is evident in both genders, with significant negative correlations between self-assessment and actual performance. There are several reasons for the occurrence of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Considering that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced learning environments, collaborative learning was significantly restricted. The lack of opportunities for comparison could potentially lead to unrealistic self-assessment.

Assessing the Alignment Between Online Word-Of-Mouth and Schools’ Actual Academic Performance: A Deep Neural Network Analysis

ABSTRACT Many parents use social media to gather word-of-mouth regarding schools’ performance, subsequently influencing their school choice decisions. Yet, it’s unclear how well online opinions reflect schools’ actual academic performance. To address this gap, this study uses machine learning to examine whether the online evaluations of students’ learning can match schools’ test scores and their improvements. Findings indicate that while online evaluations don’t perfectly align with test scores, the association between online word-of-mouth and test scores remains stronger than that of test score gains. Consequently, online word-of-mouth tends to recommend schools with higher test scores over higher value-added scores.

Academic failure and psychological disengagement: can belief in school meritocracy make a difference?

In academic contexts, failure, as compared to success, is likely to threaten self-esteem and thus, to increase the risk of psychological disengagement from one’s studies. The goal of the present research is to examine whether belief in school meritocracy (BSM) increases (vs. decreases) the effect of academic performance on self-esteem and psychological disengagement. In two pre-registered studies, university students reported their BSM. Their self-esteem and psychological disengagement were assessed following a manipulated (Study 1, N = 465) or actual (Study 2, N = 375) academic performance. Results indicated that, in both studies, BSM was positively related to performance self-esteem and negatively related to psychological disengagement. However, BSM also increased the effect of performance (manipulated or actual) on psychological disengagement. Indeed, failure led to more disengagement than success, but more so at a high level of BSM than at a lower level of BSM. The double-edge effects of belief in meritocracy are discussed.

Exploring the nexus of variables in English-medium instruction research: a comprehensive global meta-analysis

ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis of English-medium instruction (EMI) literature, addressing the significant gap in quantitative evaluations within existing research. By analysing 47 empirical studies employing statistical methods, this research aims to uncover broader trends and correlations within EMI data. Specifically, the study investigates correlations for various factors, such as measurement outcomes and academic subjects. It also examines the influence of different research methodologies on reported correlation coefficients, assessing how methodological choices shape observed relationships in EMI studies. Key findings reveal that perceived academic performance and perceived English language proficiency exhibit the highest effect sizes, underscoring the importance of students' perceptions in EMI success. Conversely, actual academic performance, actual English language proficiency, motivation, and affective factors show small correlations, highlighting areas for pedagogical improvement. Self-efficacy demonstrates a medium correlation, indicating its significant role. Computer Science stands out with the highest effect size, suggesting discipline-specific variations in EMI effectiveness. Different measurement tools, including questionnaires and standardised tests, generally show small correlations, indicating a need for more refined assessment instruments in future EMI research. This meta-analysis provides crucial insights for enhancing EMI implementation and assessment, contributing to the broader discourse on educational strategies in multilingual settings.

Students’ Motivation in Learning English: A Study in Senior High School in Indonesia

One of the major things that university students have to go through is the learning activity. Achieving one's goals is believed to have a strong correlation with motivation. English proficiency is influenced by pupils' intrinsic willingness to study the language. The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a correlation between the level of interest that second graders at SMA Negeri 2 Sidrap have in studying English and their actual academic performance. The results demonstrated a strong relationship between students' motivation to study English and their actual progress in doing so. The results of the students' English proficiency exam and their motivational surveys corroborated this. Initially, the computed r-value, which was determined using the SPSS 21 Program, was greater than the table value at the 5% and 1% significant levels, or 0.367 &lt; 0.852 &gt; 0.47. Furthermore, when looking at the correlation between student motivation and English language proficiency, it was found that, for the sample class, 72.59% of the variance in student achievement was attributable to student motivation (variable X), while 25.41% was impacted by other factors.

Lower academic performance among children with perinatal HIV exposure in Botswana.

Studies have reported a higher risk of suboptimal neurodevelopment among children who are HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) compared to children HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU). Actual academic performance among school-aged children by HIV exposure status has not been studied. Academic performance in Mathematics, Science, English, Setswana and overall among children enrolled in the Botswana-based FLOURISH study who were attending public primary school and ranging in age from 7.1 to 14.6 years were compared by HIV exposure status using a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test. Lower academic performance was defined as a grade of "C" or lower (≤60%). Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were fit to assess for an association between HIV exposure and lower academic performance. Between April 2021 and December 2022, 398 children attending public primary school enrolled in the FLOURSH study, 307 (77%) were HEU. Median age was 9.4 years (IQR 8.9-10.2). Only 17.9% of children HEU were breastfeed versus 100% of children HUU. Among children HEU, 80.3% had foetal exposure to three-drug antiretroviral treatment, 18.7% to zidovudine only and 1.0% had no antiretroviral exposure. Caregivers of children HEU were older compared to caregivers of children HUU (median 42 vs. 36 years) and more likely to have no or primary education only (15.0% vs. 1.1%). In unadjusted analyses, children HEU were more likely to have lower overall academic performance compared to their children HUU (odds ratio [OR]: 1.96 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 3.30]), and lower performance in Mathematics, Science and English. The association was attenuated after adjustment for maternal education, caregiver income, breastfeeding, low birth weight and child sex (aOR: 1.86 [95% CI: 0.78, 4.43]). In this Botswana-based cohort, primary school academic performance was lower among children HEU compared to children HUU. Biological and socio-demographic factors, including child sex, appear to contribute to this difference. Further research is needed to identify modifiable contributors, develop screening tools to identify the risk of poor academic performance and design interventions to mitigate risk.

What is eating Gilbert’s grades? Examining the impact of food insecurity and psychological distress on weighted average marks within a sample of Australian university students

ABSTRACT There is a growing issue of university students not being able to afford or have access to nutritious food. Although research reveals that food insecurity negatively impacts student well-being and engagement, few studies have explored its impact on academic performance. Most of these studies use self-reported measures of academic performance in college samples from the United States. The current study is novel in that it explores food insecurity in an Australian university sample and uses actual academic performance (weighted average marks; WAM) rather than relying on self-reported grades. We also consider the role of psychological distress in the relationship between food insecurity and academic performance. Participants comprised 664 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years at a public university in Melbourne, Australia. One-quarter of students (25.5%) were classified as food insecure. Renting, receiving government benefits, having a disability and being older were positively associated with food insecurity and food insecurity was associated with poorer academic performance and increased psychological distress. Psychological distress partially mediated the relationship between WAM and food insecurity, meaning that students experiencing food insecurity are more likely to experience increased psychological distress which then impairs their academic performance. The prevalence of food insecurity in university students suggest that interventions aimed at improving both mental health and access to food could serve to enhance success at university, especially for students who cannot afford or do not have access to nutritious food.

THE DICHOTOMIZATION OF OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE OUTCOME MEASURES OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Purpose – Various recent studies are perplexed with the situation if subjective measures such as perceptions of learning reflect knowledge gains and whether they can be used as a surrogate for evidence of actual learning in an online learning environment. Due to a rising trend in current research studies interpreting perceptions of learning compared to actual learning as a measure of success, this study investigates the dichotomous measures of objective and subjective measures of academic performance in an online learning environment with selected predicted variables. This is followed by an investigation on the effect of online learning on students’ academic performance prior to and during the Covid environment. Methodology – This cross-sectional study employed a correlation design for the purpose of data collection among 382 university students. The dependent variable of study comprised objective measures of CGPA scores while the subjective measures was based on a composite score from perceived items in a questionnaire. The predictive independent variables included, i) satisfaction towards online learning, ii) online learning self-efficacy, iii) social interactive engagement in online learning, and iv) online learning environment. Findings – The findings showed an extremely weak and nonsignificant relationship between actual academic performance (GPA) and perceived academic performance in an online learning environment. A statistically significant increase was notable in students’ academic performance through GPA scores before and during Covid-19 academic semester and this increase was prevalent among low and intermediate achievers. Apart from environment, all other predictors were significant predictors of perceived academic performance. Engagement was a predictor for the subjective measure of CGPA scores. Significance – Subjective measures data should not be considered as knowledge gain, and it should be used cautiously as a surrogate for evidence of actual learning. Educational research studies should be designed using more objective measures of learning rather than subjective measures in isolation as dependent variable. This should be seen as a caveat by policymakers in decision-making to practise consciousness in terms of judgemental modes employed in measurement and to exercise caution in collecting, analysing, and interpreting subjective data.

СПЕЦИАЛЬНЫЕ ХИМИЧЕСКИЕ СПОСОБНОСТИ И АДАПТАЦИЯ СТУДЕНТОВ МЛАДШИХ КУРСОВ К УЧЕБНОЙ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ В УСЛОВИЯХ МЕДИЦИНСКОГО ВУЗА

The article analyzes the relationship between special chemical abilities and actual academic performance. The problem of students’ adaptation to studying at the medical university is considered. Subjective self-evaluative components of adaptation associated with the general emotional discomfort of students during their undergraduate studies are well investigated in modern scientific literature. At the same time, objective criteria of student success in the learning process, special abilities, rarely act as a subject of research in this context. It is special abilities that act as prerequisites for a student's success in mastering the material and high academic performance. The given research presents the data of an empirical study of the level of development of special chemical abilities in 2nd year students of the medical faculty of the Ryazan State Medical University and their relationship with actual academic performance and self-assessment components of adaptation – satisfaction with one’s success and interest in the learning process. It has been established that developed chemical abilities have a statistically pronounced relationship with a high level of student satisfaction with their academic success, as well as with high academic performance. The conclusion is made about the high importance of the development of chemical abilities in the medical students’ adaptation to studying at a university.

Enhancing learning of accounting principles through experiential learning in a board game

ABSTRACT This study presents an empirically validated serious game proposal to cope with the challenges of apathy and lack of security in freshmen studying accounting. A review of the literature on serious games in accounting education found a dearth of studies identifying the factors that promote their effectiveness. Therefore, this study first analyses the Accounting Marathon board game’s effectiveness in reinforcing the learning of accounting principles in an introductory accounting course. Secondly, since the Accounting Marathon is based on experiential learning theory, self-efficacy and learning motivation are proposed as mediating variables in the relationship between experiential learning and self-perceived academic performance. The sample consisted of 119 students who participated in the intervention. In terms of results, students who played the Accounting Marathon significantly improved their actual academic performance. Also, self-efficacy and learning motivation were significant mediator variables between experiential learning and self-perceived academic performance.

A for effort: Incomplete information and college students’ academic performance

Students form beliefs about their expected performance based on incomplete information about the past distribution of grades. This may lead students to sub-optimally choose their level of effort and ultimately harm their actual academic performance. Using a field experiment, this paper examines the impact of randomly exposing students to accurate instructor-level information about the past distribution of grades in an introductory economics course. We find that while the intervention had a small positive impact on students’ average test scores, it improved the likelihood of passing the course by 10 percentage points. In addition, the results indicate that moderate-achievers, females, and students from higher-income households are most likely to benefit from treatment. The intervention also favored the students who had high expectations about their performance in the course and those with stronger priors about the expected grade distribution.

Attitudes Toward the Past, Present, and Future: Associations With Self-Reported Academic Outcomes in Academically Talented Adolescents

The Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory–Time Attitude Scales (AATI-TA) were used to examine the association between time attitudes and self-reported academic and social–emotional outcomes in 967 academically talented adolescents ( M age = 14.27, SD = 1.42) attending a summer educational program. The AATI-TA consists of six subscales assessing positive and negative attitudes toward the past, present, and future. Bivariate associations between AATI-TA subscales scores and outcomes were small. Cluster analyses of AATI-TA scores yielded several profiles, labeled Pessimists, Negatives, Ambivalents, and Positives. Students with Positive and Ambivalent profiles reported greater course enjoyment, higher perceived academic rank, and higher expected summer GPA than their peers with the Negative profile, even though the groups did not differ on how challenging they perceived the courses to be, time spent on homework, and studying. In keeping with previous research using the AATI-TA, Positives reported the most favorable outcomes, Negatives the least, and Ambivalent and Pessimistic adolescents fell between these two groups. Future research on time attitudes should include measures of actual academic performance.

Evaluating the Influence of Performance Expectancy on the Adoption of Students’ Information System in Higher Learning Institutions

The application of computer-based information systems in higher learning institutions as a catalyst to enhance academic performance is inevitable in the 21st technology-oriented century. The intent of this study was to evaluate the influence of performance expectancy on the adoption of MOODLE as one of the learning information systems in higher learning institutions. Specifically, the performance expectancy is measured by quickness for accomplishment of class tasks, confidence on improvement in academic performance, usefulness of the system in study activities, actual improvement in academic performance, usefulness in enhancing learning activities, and improvement of accessibility and download of learning materials. Simple random sampling was used to obtain a total of 97 respondents from the population of about 3,000 students of the Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA). This study used a structured questionnaire as a tool of data collection. Descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis were used for data analysis. The findings indicate that 67% of the respondents supported that the system enables them to accomplish their tasks quickly and timely, 45% agreed that the system enables them to improve the confidence for better academic performance, 67% supported the usefulness of the system in their studies, 54% agreed that the system helped them towards the improvement in actual academic performance and 80% supported that the system provides access to download learning materials. On the basis of these research findings, it can be argued that the performance expectancy is somehow capable of influencing the adoption of student information system in higher learning institutions. It is argued that most of students find MOODLE helpful and supportive in achieving their academic targets. It is recommended for IAA to encourage students and learners to make full use of MOODLE so as to enjoy the embedded potentials and benefits. Further studies can be carried to investigate on the extent to which the performance expectancy influence the adoption of Students’ Information System in other levels of educational institutions such as secondary schools.

Are higher-order life values antecedents of students’ learning engagement and adaptive learning outcomes? The case of materialistic vs. intrinsic life values

Materialistic values have been shown to have a negative effect on learning. As intrinsic life values such as self-acceptance are orthogonal to materialistic values, they may counteract the effects of materialism and benefit the learning process by encouraging a focus on the actual learning task itself, as opposed to emphasizing the rewards associated with learning (e.g., school grades). Therefore, we tested the hypotheses positing these two higher order life values as antecedents of engagement with the learning process, and of important learning outcomes, including actual academic performance. A total of 345 university students of Chinese ethnicity (211 females; mean age = 18.89, SD = 1.35) participated in two studies that utilized a three-wave longitudinal design over a three-month period. The main variables tested were materialistic values, intrinsic life values, engagement with learning, and actual performance (in a writing task in Study 1, and in a formal assessment, i.e., final exam, in Study 2). Results showed that materialistic values were longitudinally and negatively related with exam performance, but not with engagement with learning. In contrast, intrinsic life values longitudinally predicted engagement with learning, and had a positive direct effect on performance on the writing task (Study 1), and a positive indirect effect on final exam performance (Study 2). The results highlight an important, if underutilized method of improving the learning process.

Gamification as an Engagement Tool in E-Learning Websites

Aim/Purpose: As e-Learning becomes increasingly pervasive, students’ engagement in online settings emerges as a central challenge, as it is often more demanding to ensure in this context. The core importance of engagement for e-Learning, places a focus on various instruments and strategies that can be deployed to foster its enhancement. Background: Gamification is often depicted as a significant instrument to drive engagement, behavior change, and loyalty, which can be of great significance to online learning. This paper aims to examine the relationship between the application of gamification tools and the level of engagement in e-Learning websites. Methodology: This research used two methods: the analysis of e-Learning websites and an online survey with a convenience and purposive sample of e-Learning and/or gamification experts. Contribution: This paper adds to the existing body of research by placing and emphasis on and examining the positive role of gamification as an engagement instrument with valuable potential for e-Learning. Findings: The results showed that the majority of the selected e-Learning websites use gamification and engagement elements and that the tools that are more commonly used were deemed as the most effective, by the experts. It became equally evident that the deployment of a larger number of gamification and engagement elements have positive repercussions in the enhancement of engagement, which can have constructive ramifications for the effectiveness of e-Learning. Recommendations for Practitioners: From a practitioner’s viewpoint the findings can assist both learning designers and teachers in the creation of gamification strategies to enhance students’ engagement. As a central challenge of e-Learning courses, engagement requires a multifaceted approach to be addressed effectively and knowing the strategies that have positive outcomes is a step forward in ensuring that the students can enroll in online courses and not be compromised with respect to their engagement. Finally, the lack of engagement can have serious repercussions not only on the learning experience of the students, but also on their actual academic performance. Hence, it is important to guide educators towards good design practices that can maximize engagement in these settings. Recommendation for Researchers: From a research perspective, these findings add to a growing body of studies that focus on the benefits of gamification by highlighting its positive repercussions on engagement and identifying which elements are more effective. In addition, the use of different sources of data provided a wider illustration of what is currently the use of gamification elements by functioning e-Learning websites and how those who apply them in practice in their courses perceive these elements. Future Research: Future research endeavours can focus on exploring students’ perceptions of gamification and how it influences their leaning performance.

Causal Attribution of Success and Failure in Actual Academic Performance

Causal Attribution of Success and Failure in Actual Academic Performance

Patterns of social networking use and academic performance: Examining the link between quality and frequency of social networking use and academic performance among college-level students

Previous research has produced contrasting findings regarding the influence of social networking on academic performance. Many have found negative relationships but some have also demonstrated a positive effect for social networking on academic performance. Still others report no links between social networking and academic performance. Researchers have attempted to explain these divergences by specifying the quality and frequency of social networking habits and behaviors, distinguishing between adaptive and maladaptive traits. Yet it remains unclear how divergent use patterns are related to academic performance. To extend this literature, we examine the relationship between frequency, duration, and problematic (i.e., maladaptive) use of social networking sites on perceived performance expectancy and actual academic performance of a sample of college-level students recruited at a pre-university program in Northeastern Canada. Our findings suggest that different measures of SNS use and academic performance can yield different links between social networking and academic performance. Interestingly, we find that frequency and problematic use of SNS are related to performance expectancy though we do not find a concomitant effect for reported academic performance. Findings are discussed with respect to self-determination theory and implications for teaching and learning are offered as well.

Teaching Evaluation of Modern Chinese History Courses for Different Majors

Only by understanding history can we correctly understand and grasp the objective laws of social development. Taking the teaching of the Modern Chinese History as the background, this study explores the actual academic performance of 967 students in 27 classes of 11 different majors, including: Clinical medicine, Chinese and western integrative medicine, Pharmacy, Bioscience, Bioengineering, Medical laboratory technology, Animal nutrition and feed science, Aquaculture, Pratacultural science, Ecology as well as Landscape architecture, in Yangzhou University of China. We mainly investigate the influence of the same teaching method on different majors by means of statistical analysis. The results show that the current teaching methods have a significant impact on the teaching effect of three majors: Bioengineering, Pratacultural science and Ecology. This means that the ratio of impact of the same teaching methods to different majors accounts for 27.27%. In addition, we also find that there are significant differences between Bioengineering and other five majors, such as Clinical Medicine, Chinese and Western integrative medicine, Animal nutrition and feed science, Aquaculture as well as Pratacultural science. It is hoped that the analysis results of this paper may provide some theoretical basis and reference for the study of historical teaching methods, and also provide relevant information for overseas modern Chinese history research institutions to understand the learning situation of history of China in this period.

Role of the Teacher’s in Academic Performance of Students

This study was conducted to examine the contribution of teachers to the ongoing academic progress of students. As no suitable measures were available, so scale was constructed to measure the role of the teacher in academic performance. An item analysis was done to select the statistically sounds items. Factor analysis was done to determine the factorial structure of these scales.121 students (both boys and girls) from different schools (government and semi government) constituted the sample. The results showed that the role of the teacher was positively correlated to actual academic performance (obtain from school records). Vis a visa boys, girls obtained higher scores on both scales and perceived role of the teacher in positive manner. No significant school differences were found.

Pre-service teachers\u2019 academic judgments of overweight students

Overweight children in schools can become victims of stereotyping and discrimination from both peers and teachers. Research on stereotypical expectations and impression and judgment formation has suggested that teachers might rely on their negative stereotypical expectations when judging students. In the present study, we experimentally investigated whether pre-service academic subject teachers’ judgments about students were biased through stereotypical expectations about students’ weights. Pre-service teachers were presented with a case report of an overweight- and a normal-weight student, and judged their academic performance and social skills. Results demonstrated that the overweight student was judged as performing better compared to his normal-weight counterpart academically while perceived social skills did not differ. Response latencies suggest that these findings relate to pre-service teachers’ positive stereotypical beliefs about overweight students. These findings inspire to further investigate this surprising positivity bias and develop trainings for pre-service students to overcome other stereotypical expectations, which should ideally lead to evaluations based solely on actual academic performance and not stereotypical expectations, whether they are positive or negative.