Differences In Course Grades Research Articles

Variation in which key motivational and academic resources relate to academic performance disparities across introductory college courses

BackgroundDifferences in post-secondary academic outcomes along dimensions of gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status are a major concern. Few studies have considered differences in patterns of academic outcomes and underlying mechanisms driving disparities across different STEM disciplines. Using data from about 4000 undergraduates in introductory STEM courses at a large, urban university in the eastern United States, this study examines how differences in course grades by gender, race/ethnicity, and parent education vary in introductory chemistry, physics, and psychology courses. In addition, structural equation modeling techniques examine whether academic resources and discipline-specific motivational attitudes are important mediators of demographic differences in course grades.ResultsThis study finds that women have higher course grades than men on average in psychology, and men have marginally higher grades than women in physics. In addition, students whose race/ethnicity is represented or overrepresented in these courses (students who are White and or Asian) have higher course grades in chemistry and physics and marginally higher grades in psychology on average compared with underrepresented students (who are Black, Latinx, Native American, Pacific Islander, and or other racial/ethnic backgrounds). Further, first-generation college students have lower course grades in physics and psychology on average than students with a college-educated parent. The largest average differences in course performance are about half a full letter grade (e.g., the difference between a B and an A−). This study also finds that some demographic differences in physics and chemistry performance are linked to math resources whereas some disparities in psychology are more related to verbal resources. In addition, the results suggest discipline-specific self-efficacy is a motivational attitude associated with course performance in chemistry, physics, and psychology, while discipline-specific interest is only relevant in chemistry.ConclusionsOverall, the findings emphasize that there are demographic differences in post-secondary course performance on average, and academic resources and motivational attitudes help explain these differences. Importantly, the specific findings differ across chemistry, physics, and psychology. Understanding these pathways and how they are similar and different across disciplines within STEM is crucial for developing interventions aimed at attenuating disparities in post-secondary academic outcomes.

Investigating Students’ Habits of Mind in a Course on Digital Signal Processing

Contribution: Knowledge of students’ Habits of Mind in a signal processing course, and a method for education research. The method identifies factors that may influence students’ performance, but are not evident when analyzing agglomerated data; it is an alternative to the traditional case study method as it derives the cases after applying a clustering approach. Background: Habits of Mind refer to mathematical, logical, and attitudinal modes of thinking required for students of science, mathematics, technology, and engineering to become effective problem solvers, capable of transferring such modes to new contexts. These are particularly relevant in a signal processing course in which students must learn to address engineering problems using tools and techniques previously acquired in an abstract context (mathematics). Research Questions: 1) What are the different Habits of Mind patterns exhibited by the students? 2) Are some of these patterns associated with differences in course grades? Methodology: A qualitative method is combined with random signal modeling and machine learning. Students’ work is first annotated manually based on a custom-built rubric of Habits of Mind. Data is modeled and clustered to obtain statistically significant patterns of Habits of Mind corresponding to divisions of the students into groups. Findings: The data obtained suggests that the student group is inhomogeneous in terms of their Habits of Mind, and this inhomogeneity is associated with grade differences. In particular, the course grade is found to be dependent on inhomogeneity based on at least two Habits of Mind: 1) computation and estimation and 2) values and attitudes.

Revenge of the nerds revisited: Do accounting and finance majors differ from other business majors in their learning styles, and do they earn higher grades in a general business course?

Decades of research spanning a range of educational domains have confirmed that students differ in their learning styles and that student performance is impacted by the degree of fit between these styles and the teaching and assessment methods deployed in courses (Allinson & Hayes, 1988; Cegielski, Hazen & Rainer, 2011; Drissi & Amirat, 2017; Honn & Ugrin, 2012; Visser, McChlery & Vreken, 2006.) In this study, the researchers investigate whether a capstone business course— designed to accommodate a diverse range of learning styles— can succeed in leveling the playing field, yielding results showing no significant differences in course grades as a function of students’ learning styles. The second focus is examining the myth of bookish, nerdy accountants (Brighenti, 2010; Tuttle, 2016). The findings ‘bust’ the myth that more ‘bookish’ accounting and finance majors will earn higher course grades in a general business course. The paper concludes by noting some important implications of our study for future research and practice.

The effects of a non-cognitive versus cognitive admission procedure within cohorts in one medical school

In medical school selection, non-cognitive performance in particular correlates with performance in clinical practice. It is arguable, therefore, that selection should focus on non-cognitive aspects despite the predictive value of prior cognitive performance for early medical school performance. The aim of this study at Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands, is to determine the effects of admitting students through an autonomous non-cognitive procedure on early medical school performance. We compared their performance to the performance of students selected through an autonomous cognitive selection procedure, enrolling in the Bachelor’s curriculum simultaneously. 574 students (2013 and 2014 cohorts), admitted through non-cognitive selection (based on portfolio, CASPer and MMI, n = 135) or cognitive selection (curriculum sample selection, n = 439) were included in the study. We compared dropout rates, course credits and grades, using logistic and linear regression. The dropout rate was the highest in the non-cognitive selection group (p < 0.001). Students admitted through non-cognitive selection more often obtained the highest grade for the nursing attachment (p = 0.02) and had a higher mean grade for the practical clinical course in year 3 (p = .04). No differences in course grades were found. The results indicate that students perform best on the elements of the curriculum that are represented most strongly in the selection procedure they had participated in. We recommend the use of curriculum sample procedures, resembling the early medical school curriculum,—whether it has a more cognitive or a more non-cognitive focus—, to select the students who are likely to be successful in the subsequent curriculum.

To Flip or Not to Flip? An Exploratory Study Comparing Student Performance in Calculus I

The purpose of this exploratory, mixed-methods study was to compare student performance in flipped and non-flipped sections of Calculus I. The study also examined students’ perceptions of the flipping pedagogy. Students in the flipped courses reported spending, on average, an additional 1–2 hours per week outside of class on course content. Students enrolled in the flipped sections also performed better than students from the non-flipped sections on the common final exam. A follow-up examination of Calculus II grades revealed a statistically significant difference in course grades between these two groups of students.

Pacesetter curriculum: An experimental design evaluation of a clinical immersion model for nursing education

Background/Objective: The two most common reported barriers to nursing education are limited faculty and clinical resources. This study evaluated a new curriculum designed to immerse students in full-time clinical experiences in their final semester. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial with a repeated-measures design. Students entering a BSN program were randomly assigned to either the new Pacesetter curriculum (50 students) or the traditional curriculum (92 students). Students in the traditional curriculum had didactic and clinical experiences each semester for four semesters. Pacesetter students completed didactic courses in the first three semesters and were in clinical 36 to 40 hours/week for the entire fourth semester. Outcome variables included course grades, HESI scores, NCLEX pass rates, graduation rates, first-year job retention rates, and PBDS performance. The data were analyzed by use of t- tests with a significance level of p < .05. Results: Pacesetter students had significantly higher HESI scores (936) in the psychiatric nursing course than the traditional students (873) ( p < .05), and the traditional students had significantly higher HESI maternity nursing scores (1002) than the Pacesetter students (932) ( p < .05). There were no significant differences in course grades, graduation rates, or NCLEX pass rates. First-year job retention rates were 63% for traditional students and 100% for Pacesetter students ( p < .05). Conclusions: The Pacesetter students’ clinical experiences allowed immersion in a clinical agency for an entire semester. Implications for nursing education include the redesign of nursing curriculum to allow total immersion in the clinical agency in the last semester.

Women Engineering Students: Competence Perceptions and Achievement Goals in the Freshman Engineering Course

Research suggests that women engineering students in the United States typically have lower competence perceptions than their male classmates. According to achievement goal theory, low competence perceptions are associated with avoidance achievement goals which involve a preoccupation with avoiding failure rather than a focus on approaching success. The current study was conducted to see if women in a freshmen engineering course would rate their competence lower than their male classmates and if they would be more likely to adopt avoidance achievement goals. Further, would lower competence perceptions (i.e., perceived ability, self-efficacy) and avoidance goals have negative effects on grades and interest in the freshman engineering course? A sample of 117 first-semester engineering students from a U.S. Midwestern University completed surveys several times during the semester. Data were also collected from a sample of 82 first-semester students enrolled in an introductory psychology course for comparison purposes. Women in the freshman engineering course reported lower competence perceptions and higher levels of avoidance achievement goals than did men in the engineering course and than men and women in the psychology course. However, there were no significant gender differences in course grades or interest in the engineering course. Further analyses revealed indirect effects of gender on grades and interest in the engineering course through the competence perceptions. The indirect effects were negative suggesting lower values for women in engineering. The avoidance achievement goals were not influential in the indirect effects. The implications of these finding for the persistence of women in engineering are discussed.

Learning Styles And The Online Classroom: Implications For Business Students

This paper discusses the importance of student learning styles within a Distance Learning (DL) classroom. The study examines the learning style preferences of online business students as measured by the Kolb Learning Style Inventory and determines if a significant difference in course grades and course completion rates exist between students when they are sorted by learning style preference. Subjects in the study were 344 online business students from a southeastern university in the United States. Examination of the quantitative data indicated a significant difference existed for Diverger Style Preference learners compared to the Assimilator, Accommodator and Converger learning styles. They had a lower Mean Grade Point (GP) earned. The study revealed approximately one out of five (20%) of the respondents had a Diverger Learning Style Preference. Respondents with this learning style preference appear to be somewhat less likely to be successful in a distance learning environment. A Chi Square calculation showed no significant difference existed among learning styles for those dropping a course although one group (Accomodators) had approximately twice the drop rate of the others. This paper and corresponding study offers university administrators who seek to maintain quality instruction evidence and suggestions for addressing 20 percent of their online population who may be at risk of not obtaining content mastery. This includes implications for DL course design and pedagogy.

Introducing Multimedia Presentations and a Course Website to an Introductory Sociology Course: How Technology Affects Student Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness

I use a quasi-experiment and follow-up questionnaire to ascertain the effects of PowerPoint multimedia presentations and a Blackboard course website on the course grades and perceptions of teaching effectiveness of introductory sociology students. Results of t-tests showed no statistically significant difference in course grades between experimental and control groups. However, students' responses to standardized teaching evaluations were considerably more favorable in the experimental group; all measured dimensions of perceived teaching effectiveness yielded statistically significant increases, with substantial increases in perceptions of instructor rapport and grading. I use the ideas of George Herbert Mead to interpret the results and increase sociological understanding of the relationship between the introduction of instructional technology and student perceptions of teaching effectiveness. In Mead's terms, the introduction of technology is not merely a self-involved act performed by the instructor that changes the modality of course presentation but a social process involving both instructor and students. Within this process the introduction of technology is both a nonsignificant gesture, which elicits from students an unconscious or “instinctively” favorable impression of the course, and a significant symbol, which calls forth behavioral responses from students, conscious actions that substantially alter their perceptions of the course. Students not only reacted positively to the instructor's use of technology but through their own use of the technology increased their involvement in the course and came to perceive its teaching more favorably.

Gender Differences in College Mathematics Grades and SAT‐M Scores: A Reanalysis of Wainer and Steinberg

Wainer and Steinberg (1992) showed that within broad categories of first‐year college mathematics courses (e.g., calculus) men had substantially higher average scores on the mathematics section of the SAT (SAT‐M) than women who earned the same letter grade. However, three aspects of their analyses may lead to unwarranted conclusions. First, they focused primarily on differences in SAT‐M scores given course grades when the more important question for admissions officers is the difference in course grades given scores on the predictor. Second, they failed to account for differences among calculus courses (e.g., calculus for engineers versus calculus for liberal arts students). Most importantly, Wainer and Steinberg focused on the use of SAT‐M as a single predictor. A reanalysis presented here indicated that a more appropriate composite indicator made up of both SAT‐M and high school grade point average demonstrated minuscule gender differences for both calculus and precalculus courses.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN COLLEGE MATHEMATICS GRADES AND SAT‐M SCORES: A REANALYSIS OF WAINER AND STEINBERG

ABSTRACTWainer and Steinberg (1992) showed that within broad categories of first‐year college mathematics courses (e.g., calculus) men had substantially higher average scores on the mathematics section of the SAT (SAT‐M) than women who earned the same letter grade. In calculus courses, the median difference over the five letter grades was about 38 points on the 200‐800 SAT‐M scale. However, three aspects of their analyses may lead to unwarranted conclusions. First, they focused primarily on differences in SAT‐M scores given course grades when the more important question for admissions officers is the difference in course grades given scores on the predictor. Second, they failed to account for differences among calculus courses. Because different calculus courses may be differentially selected by men and women (e.g., calculus for engineers vs calculus for liberal arts students), and because these courses may have different grading standards, the way Wainer and Steinberg aggregated information without regard to the specific course taken could exaggerate gender differences. The reanalysis, taking distinctions among courses into consideration, suggests that their estimates were too large by about 10 points in calculus courses, although their estimates for pre‐calculus courses were confirmed. Most important, Wainer and Steinberg focused on the use of SAT‐M as an isolated indicator; such use is contrary to professional recommendations. The reanalysis indicated that a more appropriate composite indicator made up of both SAT‐M and high school grade point average demonstrated minuscule gender differences for both calculus and pre‐calculus courses.

Relationships among gender differences in freshman course grades and course characteristics.

This article examines relationships among gender differences in freshman college course grades and characteristics of the courses. Gender differences in course grades are not adequately explained by gender differences in previous scholastic achievement. In addition, courses in which gender differences favor women tend to be those in which high school grades and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores are less important for earning higher course grades. These courses also award higher-than-average grades to freshmen with average high school grades and SAT scores and enroll a higher percentage of female freshmen

Mbti Learning Style-Teaching Style Discongruencies

The learning style of students and teaching style of faculty within a college of business was assessed utilizing the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory. Professors were more likely to teach in an "intuitive" manner, whereas more students wanted to learn in a "sensing" style. The level of learning style-teaching style congruency was related to academic performance and to student evaluations of the course and the instructor. Differences in these evaluations were significant, while differences in course grades, which did fall into the expected directions, were not.