Academic Commitment Research Articles

The Ambivalence of Accounting Education Among University Students: Towards a Collaborative Learning Environment

This empirical paper proposed collaborative learning as a strategy to enhance performance in Accounting among university students. There has been a notable continuous trend of poor performance in Accounting from the first-year level to the fourth year. Again, there is also a noticeable decline in the number of students majoring in Accounting despite alternatives to enhance Accounting among university students. This paper is underpinned by bricolage theory which advocates the reworking the existing ideas or items to produce something new to improve human conditions. We responded to two questions: what is the cause of poor performance in Accounting among university students and how collaborative learning can be utilised to mitigate poor performance in Accounting among university students? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with three students and three lecturers who were purposively sampled. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data collected. Findings revealed that lack of content conceptualisation, students’ negative attitudes towards Accounting, lack of academic commitment, and lack of Accounting pedagogical skills are the main reasons for poor performance among university students. Further, findings revealed that collaborative learning in Accounting among university students broadens students’ content knowledge and produces students with a variety of skills. In light of the above findings, we argued that collaborative learning should premise the teaching and learning of Accounting in higher education from a bricolage perspective.

입학전형 유형에 따른 대학적응경로 다집단분석: D 대학을 중심으로

Objectives This study was conducted to investigate whether there are differences in academic adaptation trajectories among multiple groups based on admission criteria. Methods For analysis, we obtained cooperation from the CS Center on campus and collected data from 17,969 students enrolled in the 2022 academic year. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed to determine the data normality and the relationship among variables. In addition, the Mplus program was used to analyze a structural equation model that established the relationship among department satisfaction, student support infrastructure, academic commitment, and GPA, and a multigroup analysis was conducted to verify the difference in pathways between groups according to the admission criteria. Results The structural model, which posits that department satisfaction and student support infrastructure influence GPA through departmental immersion, was found to be appropriate. In the multi-group analysis results comparing four groups—comprehensive student record admission, outstanding academic record admission, regular admission, and transfer admission—statistically significant differences in path coefficients were observed when comparing the comprehensive student record admission group with both the regular admission group and the outstanding academic record admission group. Conclusions It was found that there are differences in the relative impact of satisfaction and support infrastructure on departmental immersion depending on the type of admission. This finding suggests that such information could serve as foundational data for shaping student support policies.

Adult’s perceptions after residential care: facilitating and inhibiting factors

This study explores the perceptions of formerly institutionalized adults in Portugal regarding the challenges they faced after leaving residential care. It aims to understand the feelings experienced upon leaving the institution; to infer the facilitating and inhibiting factors of post-institutionalization transition, and to outline proposals for improving support during this transition. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 adults aged 24 to 39. The first and second-order categories were identified within three thematic axes. Results highlighted that the cessation of care was essentially remembered with negative feelings. Facilitating factors included academic commitment, social support, having or going to start a professional activity, and the transition to an independent living apartment emerged as facilitating factors. Poor functional skills, economic struggles, limited reality understanding, lack of formal support during the transition out of institutions, and social stigma emerged as inhibiting factors. Multiple personal and contextual factors influenced coping with transition challenges, emphasizing the need for qualified support and investment in promoting autonomy and self-confidence.

Influence of Self-Efficacy, Anxiety and Psychological Well-Being on Academic Engagement During University Education

For many students, the start of a university course is a positive experience, as it is a challenge that involves academic commitment and the achievement of a university degree. However, for other students, access to university becomes a stressful experience that manifests itself in signs of anxiety. Previous studies have shown the influence of high levels of anxiety on the degree of academic engagement for good study performance, with positive or negative moderators such as psychological well-being or self-efficacy. The overall aim of this study is to analyse self-efficacy and psychological well-being as moderators between anxiety and academic engagement, as well as the relationships between the variables. In the present study, 751 first-year students of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Granada (Spain), of whom 90.7% are women and 9.3% are men, all aged between 18 and 47 years old (M = 21.05, SD = 3.57), completed the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student questionnaires (UWES-S), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Psychological Well-being Scale. The correlations between scales were studied using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. To assess the moderating effect of self-efficacy and psychological well-being on the relationship between anxiety and academic engagement, structural equations were used with the maximum likelihood method. In relation to the analysis carried out, the findings show the importance of self-efficacy and psychological well-being as moderators between anxiety and academic engagement. Self-efficacy showed a moderating effect on the relationship between anxiety and academic engagement, so the interaction between anxiety and self-efficacy meant that in situations of high anxiety and high efficacy, academic engagement was virtually unaffected.

Leadership Behaviour and Organisational Commitment of Academic Staff at Kyambogo University, Uganda

This study examined the influence of leadership behaviour on the organizational commitment of academic staff at Kyambogo University. Specifically, the study examined the influence of directive, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented leadership behaviours on the commitment of academic staff to their job.Using a positivist research paradigm, this correlational study involved a sample of 175 full-time academic staff of Kyambogo University. Data was collected using aself-administered questionnaire and analysed using Partial Least Square StructuralEquation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results indicated that while participative leadership behaviour positively and significantly influenced the organizational commitment of academic staff, directive and supportive leadership behaviors had a negative and insignificant influence on organisational commitment of academic staff. Nonetheless, achievement-oriented leadership behaviour had apositive but insignificant influence on academic staff job commitment. Therefore,directive leadership behaviour impedes the organisational commitment of academic staff, supportive leadership behaviour leads to low organisational commitment of academic staff, participative leadership behaviour is essential for the organisational commitment of academic staff, and achievement-oriented leadership behaviour contributes less to organisational commitment of academic staff. It was recommended that university leaders should minimise the use of supportive and directive leadership behaviours in preference for participative leadership behaviour while not entirely ignoring engagement in achievement-oriented leadership behaviour.

Work-life balance, Academic Passion, and Vitality Among Private College Teachers in China

This study focused on the challenges faced by teachers in the academic ecology of private higher education in China, in particular issues such as organizational expectations, academic pressure, and blurred boundaries between family and work, which affect teachers’ work-life balance and academic sustainability. The aim of the study was to explore the current status and interrelationships of 430 teachers in 7 private universities in China in terms of work-life balance, academic passion and vitality. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the characteristics of teachers from four dimensions: sex, age, highest level of education and years of experience. Through the modified Likert scale, the teachers’ work-life balance was evaluated from three dimensions: mental balance, time balance and satisfaction balance. Evaluate academic passion from three dimensions: harmonious passion, obsessive passion and balanced passion. Academic vitality is analyzed from three key indicators: academic input time, teaching input time, and academic productivity. The research results show that the interviewed teachers are mainly female and middle-aged and young, most of them have a master’s degree or above, and their working years are short. Teachers have a positive attitude towards work-life balance, preferring harmonious and balanced academic passions and not identifying with obsessive passions. Teaching time commitment is highly recognized, and academic time commitment matches productivity. Further analysis revealed that work-life balance, academic enthusiasm and academic vitality promote each other and jointly drive teacher career development. Based on this, this study put forward a series of strategies, including rationalizing workload, providing psychological counseling services, optimizing time management, establishing academic exchange platform and improving academic reward system, promoting teachers’ work-life balance and stimulate their academic passion and vitality.

Navigating Academic Commitment and Household Responsibilities among Married Female Students in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions

Navigating Academic Commitment and Household Responsibilities among Married Female Students in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions

A Survey Analysis of Motivations and Perceived Consequences of Work Hours Among Pharmacy Students

ObjectiveTo determine pharmacy students’ weekly work hours during Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) semesters, the primary reasons for working or not working, and how work hours impact their pharmacy education experience. MethodsA multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted among first-year (P1) to fourth-year (P4) pharmacy students enrolled in PharmD programs at 3 colleges of pharmacy between January and February 2024. The 22-item anonymous survey queried student characteristics, current and ideal paid work hours, primary reasons for working, and perceived consequences of work hours on pharmacy education. ResultsA total of 622 pharmacy students participated in this survey (61% response rate). Community pharmacies (39%, n = 242) and inpatient hospital pharmacies (29%, n = 179) were the most common work settings for participants. Mean reported student work hours per week were statistically higher than ideal hours (12.3 vs 10.8). Most students were comfortable with their weekly work hours (63%, n = 307). Academic commitment was the main reason for students working fewer than ideal hours (76%, n = 65) while financial necessity was the primary reason for students working more than their ideal hours (86%, n = 82). Reduced study time (90%, n = 84), increased stress and fatigue (72%, n = 67), and limited extracurricular involvement (59%, n = 55) were consequences of working beyond ideal work hours. ConclusionMost students are comfortable with their average 12-h/week work hours. Financial necessity is a primary reason for students working more than their ideal hours, and excess work hours may contribute to reduced student engagement in pharmacy education. Faculty can use this information in their discussions with students balancing work and academic commitments.

The Antecedents of Organizational Commitment of Academics in LSPU

The Antecedents of Organizational Commitment of Academics in LSPU

Exploring Academic Identity, Degree Commitment, and Life Purpose in First-Time Full-Time College Students: A Six-Year Degree Attainment Study (2017–2023)

This study examined the role of academic identity, degree commitment, and sense of purpose, self-reported at the start of university, in students’ progress toward obtaining a degree over 6 years. First-time, full-time freshman students ( N = 421, response rate of 21.1%) at a public university in the southwestern United States, designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution, completed self-reported measures in Fall 2017. Their degree attainment, retention, and grade point average (GPA) were tracked until Spring 2023. Findings showed that academic identity significantly predicted 4-year degree attainment and cumulative GPA in the first 3 years. Degree commitment significantly predicted degree attainment within 4 and 5 years, retention into the third through sixth years, and cumulative GPA in the first 3 years. Altruistic purpose significantly predicted second-year retention and cumulative GPA at the end of the first year. These findings highlight the need for programs that support college student retention and success by strengthening their academic identity, degree commitment, and sense of purpose, especially altruistic purpose.

The relationship between college students' learning engagement and academic self-efficacy: a moderated mediation model.

Despite the return of college students to campus in the post-pandemic era, the deep influence of COVID-19 on learning approaches persists. Existing research has explored fewer mechanisms underlying academic self-efficacy and learning engagement. In line with social cognitive theory, the psychological resilience framework, and vocational socialization theory, this research investigated academic self-efficacy, professional commitment, psychological resilience, and academic engagement among college students in the post-pandemic era. In this research, the focus was on understanding the impact of academic self-efficacy on learning engagement, taking into account gender as a moderator and psychological resilience and professional commitment as mediators. We conducted a survey with 1,032 college students in Henan Province, China, utilizing the Psychological Resilience Scale, Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, College Student Learning Engagement Questionnaire, and College Student Professional Commitment Scale. SPSS and the Process plugin were used to assess mediating and moderating effects. Academic self-efficacy significantly and positively correlates with college students' commitment to learning. The positive anticipation of learning engagement facilitated by academic self-efficacy exerts its effect through the fully parallel mediation of psychological resilience and professional commitment. Notably, the mediation effect of professional commitment was greater than that of psychological resilience. Further research found that the mediation of professional commitment was moderated by gender, with female students demonstrating stronger perceptions of professional commitment associated with elevated levels of learning engagement. Gender did not exhibit a significant moderating effect on psychological resilience. College students' academic self-efficacy, professional commitment, and psychological resilience must be addressed to enhance their learning engagement.

Are the best higher education institutions also more sustainable?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the integration of sustainable practices in the strategies and operations of world-class higher education institutions (HEIs) under the theoretical guidance of Max Weber's instrumental and value rationalities.Design/methodology/approachThe results of the Quacquarelli-Symonds World University Ranking, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, THE Impact Rankings and GreenMetric World University Ranking rankings from 2019 to 2022 were paired, and the correlation between them was verified. Institutions with simultaneous occurrence in the four rankings in at least one of the years were also classified. A quantitative and qualitative methodology was used to explore how elite HEIs integrate sustainable practices into their operations and strategies, under the theoretical guidance of Max Weber's instrumental and value rationalities. Furthermore, multivariate regression models with supervised data mining techniques were applied, using the SMOReg algorithm on 368 instances with multiple attributes, to predict the numerical value of sustainability in the rankings. Coefficients were assigned to variables to determine their relative importance in predicting rankings.FindingsThe results of this study suggest that although many HEIs demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, this rarely translates into improvements in traditional rankings, indicating a disconnect between sustainable practices and global academic recognition.Research limitations/implicationsThe research has limitations, including the analysis being restricted to data from specific rankings between 2019 and 2022, which may limit generalization to future editions or rankings. The predictive models used selected data and, therefore, cannot cover the full complexity of metrics from other rankings. Furthermore, internal factors of HEIs were not considered, and the correlations identified do not imply direct causality. The limited sample and potential methodological biases, together with the heterogeneity of the rankings, restrict the generalization of the results. These limitations should be considered in future studies.Practical implicationsThe theoretical contributions of this study include an in-depth understanding of the intersection between academic excellence and environmental and social responsibility. From a management perspective, guidance is provided on integrating sustainability into HEI strategies to enhance visibility and classification in global rankings, while maintaining academic integrity and commitment to sustainability.Social implicationsThis highlights the importance of reassessing academic rankings criteria to include sustainability assessments, thereby encouraging institutions to adopt practices that genuinely contribute to global sustainable development.Originality/valueThe originality lies in the predictive analysis between these rankings, examining the link between the level of sustainability of an HEI and its classification as a World Class University. Furthermore, it combines theories of rationality with the analysis of sustainability integration in elite HEIs, introducing new analytical perspectives that can influence future educational policies and institutional practices.

Investigating Organizational Commitment as a Turnover Intention Mitigation Tool

This article aims to explore whether the relationship between academic staff turnover intention and organizational commitment is influenced by organizational commitment dimensions. The study employed a cross-sectional research approach to analyze quantitative data at an individual level. Information on the research variables was gathered from 878 academic staff members at 8 Ugandan universities via a survey questionnaire. SPSS version 25 was employed in the analysis to evaluate the suggested model. The results of empirical research show that the intention to depart is significantly and negatively impacted by organizational commitment. It is notable that both the affective and normative commitment dimensions exhibit a significant decrease in turnover intention. The findings also support the idea that there is no statistical relationship between the intention to leave voluntarily and continuously. Previous research on the relationship between organizational commitment and turnover intention has concentrated on how organizational commitment affects turnover intention across various domains. The individual contribution of organizational commitment dimensions in predicting turnover intention in the education domain has been scarce. Our study aims to close the gap by illuminating the predictive role of affective, normative, and continuance commitment as a measure of staff retention in higher education institutions in emerging economy.

Leading program curriculum reform: reflections on challenges and successes

ABSTRACT Major curriculum review and redesign at the higher education level demand transformative academic leadership and significant time commitment. However, the traditional university culture characterised by change aversion, complex bureaucratic processes, and a research dominated academic workload allocation and promotion system poses significant obstacles to teaching quality enhancement. This article presents the critical reflections of a Program Director (academic middle leader) at an Australian university on the challenges and successes experienced while leading a major accounting curriculum reform project. Conducted between October 2019 and May 2021, this project encountered constant disruptions due to the Global Covid-19 pandemic, organisational restructuring, the new external professional accreditaiton requirements. Academic middle leader’s insights on the positive impacts and obstacles of major curriculum reform at the whole of a program level within a constantly evolving institutional environment provide valuable perspectives for both business education practice and policy reforms. The reflection has policy implications for university management to reassess strategic priorities with more balanced support for teaching and research in practice.

Students’ academic culture: the mediating role of academic commitment in the relationship between academic resilience and academic performance of university students

Students’ academic culture: the mediating role of academic commitment in the relationship between academic resilience and academic performance of university students

학습공동체 프로그램 참여가 대학생들의 학업적 자기효능감, 회복탄력성, 대학몰입, 학업 성취도에 미치는 영향

Objectives This study investigated the effects of university students’ participation in learning communities as extracurricular programs on their academic self-efficacy, resilience, institutional commitment, and academic achievement. Methods A total of 72 undergraduate students attending a 4-year university in Korea participated in the study. They all have participated in learning community programs for one semester and were tested for their academic self-efficacy, resilience, institutional commitment, and academic achievement before and after their learning community experiences. Pre- and post-test data for these dependent variables were analyzed using SPSS 28.0 through paired sample t-tests. Results The analysis found that the participating students’ overall academic self-efficacy and all of its three sub-factors showed a statistically significant increase. Similarly, the resilience area also showed a significant increase in pre-post comparison, and significant increases were confirmed in the control and sociability sub-factors. The participating students’ level of university engagement in total and in two of the three sub-factors showed a significant increase. No significant difference was found in academic achievement between pre-test and post-test results. Conclusions The results of this study confirm that learning community programs in universities can have a positive impact on important areas for university students such as academic self-efficacy, resilience, and university engagement. This suggests that various learning community programs be facilitated in many universities to promote improvement in these areas.

Instrument To Measure Academic Commitment Of Secondary School Students In Science And Mathematics Subjects: Adaptation And Validation.

Instrument To Measure Academic Commitment Of Secondary School Students In Science And Mathematics Subjects: Adaptation And Validation.

Academic Staff Commitment towards Implementing Curriculum from Multicultural Perspectives in Eastern Ethiopia Higher Education

This study aimed to investigate academic staff commitment to implementing curriculum from multicultural perspectives in Eastern Ethiopian higher education. This problem is instigated by the long-term ignored area or multicultural issues in teaching and learning process in higher education in Ethiopia which, in turn, has become a basis of the increase of plentiful difficulties. To achieve the intended objective, a descriptive design was employed. The data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that the commitment of academic staff was low and there was no gender difference in implementing curriculum. Based on the findings, it is concluded that if academic staff had been committed and used culturally responsive pedagogy, the implementation of a multicultural curriculum would have been ensured. Therefore, based on these findings implications were made for future research and suggested addressing and alleviating salient problems.

Academic program enhancement supporting the success of undergraduate nursing students and graduates

Nursing program administrators, faculty, academic success coaches, and remediation specialists have implemented many interventions in support of baccalaureate nursing students' retention and graduates' NCLEX-RN® first-time pass rates. A private university's undergraduate nursing program's team incorporated additional evidence-based interventions aimed improving students' achievement of benchmarks following a 3-year decline in NCLEX-RN pass rates. Interventions expanded the prelicensure academic program's activities using a continuous quality improvement approach. A simulation center was constructed and a director was hired. A consultant also facilitated faculty engagement in curricular revisions. A new position, coordinator tutor/remediation specialist, was filled and the academic success coach launched interventions that complemented an initial and subsequent strategies for success initiative. New interventions were trialed and evaluated and became integral to students' and graduates' success. The academic success coach's commitment to students' achievements promoted their engagement in interventions. Pass rates increased and were sustained. Examples of interventions, supported by evidence, are presented in tables for review. A logic model depicts components of the program plan and its interventions as augmented by prospective strategies and remediation interventions. Continuous quality improvement processes will continue. Students and graduates have commented positively on the benefits of the assorted, success-promoting interventions.

Exploring graduate students’ research characteristics, emotional exhaustion, mastery approach, and research career commitment: insights from the JD-R theory

ABSTRACT The job demands-resources (JD-R) theory has been widely applied to explore relationships between employees’ job characteristics and performance, particularly in contexts of paid work. This study extends the application scope of the JD-R theory to unpaid research contexts among graduate students. Results of an online questionnaire survey with 914 research-oriented Chinese graduate students verified the dual processes proposed by the JD-R theory. Specifically, the graduate students’ perceived stress led to emotional exhaustion and sequentially decreased their research career commitment; academic support fostered mastery approach and then increased the research career commitment. In addition, mastery approach played a significant mediating role in the relationship between academic support and research career commitment. The findings enhance the understanding of graduate students’ research characteristics and performance and have implications for optimizing the research environment for graduate students and stimulating their motivation and commitment to research career.