Grade Point Research Articles

Differences in Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Health-Related Physical Performance Indices and Academic Achievement: A Comparative Study of Normal-Weight and Obese Children in Qatar.

Background: The relationship between physical activity (PA), health-related physical performance (PP), and academic achievement (AA) plays an important role in childhood. This study examined the differences in PA, sedentary behavior, health-related PP, maturity status, and AA between normal-weight and obese school children in Qatar. Methods: Eighty schoolchildren were recruited (age: 12.1 ± 0.6 years). Based on age-specific BMI percentiles, the children were classified as normal weight (n = 40) or obese (n = 40). Moore's equations were used to estimate their maturity status (PHV). The measurements encompassed anthropometric data as well as PP tests (medicine ball throw, postural stability, handgrip strength). AA was assessed by reviewing school records for grade point average in Mathematics, Science, and Arabic courses. The total amount of time spent participating in PA each week was calculated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Results: Handgrip strength was the only parameter that showed a relevant group difference (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.15; normal weight: 19.7 ± 3.46 N; obese: 21.7 ± 2.80 N). We found only one moderate correlation between PHV and handgrip strength (r = 0.59). Conclusions: The findings suggest that obesity status alone might not serve as a sufficient predictor of AA in school or PA levels.

The Moderating Effects of Smart Phone Addiction on the Relationship between Life Satisfaction, Sleep Quality and Academic Achievement among College Students: A Systematic Review

This systematic review investigated the intricate dynamics between smartphone addiction and the well-being of college students, specifically examining its moderating effects on the relationships between life satisfaction, sleep quality, and academic achievement. This review further strengthens the evidence presented in previous studies that emphasize the negative influence of excessive smartphone usage on sleep quality and academic performance. The study employed quantitative observational studies that were obtained from five databases. During the selection process, PRISMA guidelines were followed, and the study incorporated studies from various countries globally, all of which were in English. The studies enrolled 31678 people, with females ranging from 33.1% to 75.5%; studies quality ranged from low to moderate. The results show that life satisfaction is positively associated with perceived academic achievement and also sleep quality is positively associated with the initial level of pre-sleep cognitive arousal, which hence leads to good academic performance. In contrast, Smartphone addiction was positively associated with daytime sleepiness and school disengagement while also negatively associated with Grade Point Average (GPA). Therefore, this study shows excessive use of smartphones among the youth, which in correlation affects the relationship between their life satisfaction, sleep quality and academic achievement. An extensive amount of studies needs to be done on smartphone addiction so that better plans can be made for preventive measures.

Prediction of Grade Point Average (GPA) for Students at Informatics and Computer Engineering Education – Universitas Negeri Jakarta during Online Learning Using Naive Bayes Algorithm

The transition of learning models from face-to-face to online learning has had several impacts on student learning, reflected in their academic achievements. This study aims to determine the performance of the algorithm model using data mining classification techniques in predicting the Semester Grade Point Average (GPA) of Informatics and Computer Engineering Education students, at Universitas Negeri Jakarta during online learning. The prediction employed the Naive Bayes algorithm and the dataset obtained by collecting questionnaires from 2020 and 2021 batches. The total data obtained is 155 records with 13 (thirteen) attributes in the form of 1 (one) ID attribute including NIM, 11 (eleven) regular attributes including gender, college entrance, smartphone facilities, network conditions, preferred online applications, interest in learning, learning attitudes, learning creativity, parental support, study groups, and other activities outside of lectures during online learning, and 1 (one) the label attribute namely the Semester Grade Point Average for students in 3rd and 5th semester. The evaluation of this research involved the confusion matrix and the ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curve. Confusion matrix resulted in an accuracy of 75%, precision of 28.33%, and recall of 26.43%. The ROC curve resulted in an AUC value of 0.679, indicating the category of poor classification. This study also applied the SMOTE data balancing technique, leading to a confusion matrix evaluation with 88.46% accuracy, 57.43% precision, and 52.14% recall. Furthermore, the ROC curve resulted in an AUC value of 0.809 which is categorized as a Good classification.

Unlocking the Benefits of Gender Diversity: How an Ecological-Belonging Intervention Enhances Performance in Science Classrooms

Gender diversity signals inclusivity, but meta-analyses suggest that it does not boost individual or group performance. This research examined whether a social-psychological intervention can unlock the benefits of gender diversity on college physics students’ social and academic outcomes. Analyses of 124 introductory physics classrooms at a large research institution in the eastern United States (N = 3,605) indicated that in classrooms doing “business as usual,” cross-gender collaboration was infrequent, there was a substantial gender gap in physics classroom belonging, and classroom gender diversity had no effect on performance. The ecological-belonging intervention aimed to establish classroom norms that adversity in the course is normal and surmountable. In classrooms receiving the intervention, cross-gender interaction increased 51%, the gender gap in belonging was reduced by 47%, and higher classroom diversity was associated with higher course grades and 1-year grade point average for both men and women. Addressing contextual belongingness norms may help to unlock the benefits of diversity.

Resilience, coping and Personal Factors of medical students at a Public University; Karachi, Pakistan.

To assess resilience levels of medical students, identify factors associated with it, and explore association between coping styles and resilience level among medical students. The analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from February to June 2022, and comprised medical students regardless of gender and the academic year. Data was collected using self-administered socio-demographic form, Brief Resilience Scale and Brief Cope. Data was analysed using SPSS 28. Out the 301 participants, 197(65.4%) were females and 104(34.6%) were males. The overall mean age was 20.7±1.849 years. Of the total, 132(43.9%) students had low resilience, with males having better resilience compared to females (p<0.001). Higher resilience was seen in year 1 students compared to those of clinical years (p=0.029). There was a significant positive correlation between high resilience and problem-focussed coping, while a significant negative correlation was found between resilience and avoidant and emotionally focussed strategies (p<0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between resilience levels and age (p<0.025). There was a significant difference in resilience scores with respect to the last grade point average, sleep hours, and hours spent studying (p<0.05). More than one-third medical students demonstrated low resilience, and the majority reported adopting emotion-focussed coping style.

Learning styles, academic performance and mental health among medical students in King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the prevalence of various learning styles among medical students and their correlations with academic performances and mental health issues in these students in KSA.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 315 (Male =179, Females =136) students studying in college of medicine, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia between January and June 2019. VARK (Visual Aural Read/write Kinesthetic) questionnaire was used to explore the learning styles of students. Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) was used to assess the mental health. The participants’ demographic data, grade point average, and scores of all measures were presented using descriptive statistics. Correlation test were used to explore the relationship between learning styles, academic performance and mental health of students. Result: The results indicated that approximately half of the students (51.7%) had preferred unimodal learning style and 48.3% students preferred multimodal. Among the unimodal learning styles, the most common learning style was aural (29%), followed by visual (16.8%), read/write (3.5%) and kinesthetic (1.9%), while 28.3% participants preferred bimodal mode of learning. There were significant differences between male and female participants. Male students preferred visual and quardimodal style of learning while female students preferred only aural type of learning. Academic achievement was associated with learning style. However, no relationship was observed between DASS-21 scores and different learning styles. Conclusion: The most preferred learning styles among medical students were aural and bimodal. Learning styles were significantly related to grade point average and no relation exit between mental health and learning styles.

The Value of a High School GPA

Abstract This paper provides novel evidence on the causal effect of high school Grade Point Average (GPA) on the human capital development and labor market trajectory of individuals. Causal identification is achieved by exploiting a unique feature of the Norwegian education system that produces exogenous variation in GPA among high school students. We find little effect on the number of completed years of higher education, but significant effects on the number and quality of higher education programs available to students after high school. Most importantly, we find persistent effects on students' long-run labor market outcomes, most notably market wage.

Non-native English-speaking applicants and the likelihood of physician assistant program matriculation

ABSTRACT Purpose Effective communication is critical in patient care. Multilingual medical providers, including Physician Assistants (PAs) can contribute to improved health care among patients with limited English proficiency; however, this is contingent upon matriculating multilingual providers. In this study, the association between prospective applicants’ self-reported English as second language (ESL) status and their likelihood of matriculation into a PA program was investigated. Methods Participants included applicants to five admission cycles of the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistant from 2012 to 2020. Logistic regression was utilized to investigate association between applicant ESL status and odds of program matriculation in both bivariate and multivariable regression models. Models were adjusted for citizenship status, undergraduate grade point average, gender, age, race/ethnicity, number of programs applied to, and patient care hours. Results In unadjusted and adjusted models, ESL status was associated with a significantly lower odds of matriculation to a PA program across all study years. In adjusted multivariable models, associations were strongest for 2014–2015 where ESL status was associated with a 35% lower odds of matriculation (odds ratio 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.56, 0.76) when controlling for demographics, citizenship status, patient care experience, and academic achievement. In sensitivity analyses restricting to (a) those with TOEFL scores ≥ 100, and (b) restricting to those ESL applicants without TOEFL scores, we did not observe important changes in our results. Conclusions Results indicated that non-native English-speaking applicants have lower odds of PA program matriculation. Decrements in matriculation odds were large magnitude, minimally impacted by adjustment for confounders and persistent across the years. These findings suggest that PA program admission processes may disadvantage non-native English-speaking applicants. While there are potential explanations for the observed findings, they are cause for concern. Matriculating and training PAs who have language concordance with underserved populations are important means of improving patient outcomes.

Raising pre-service English language teachers’ awareness of sustainable development goals through literary texts

Purpose This study aims to examine the outcome of an online project to inform preservice English language teachers regarding the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research method was used to understand participants’ overall knowledge. In total, 30 preservice teachers were selected from a larger pool after considering their grade point averages, sex, university affiliations and geographical backgrounds to ensure a balanced distribution and diversity. Qualitative data were collected through written productions, video recordings and a postproject survey. Findings Findings revealed that preservice teachers deepened their understanding of SDGs and adopted a positive attitude toward SDGs while increasing their pedagogical awareness and knowledge of teaching English in response to SDGs. They also regarded literary texts as a valuable resource for teaching SDGs. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that literary works are valuable for educating preservice teachers on integrating SDGs. A detailed overview of the project and its outcomes can guide practitioners and teacher educators in integrating SDGs into their education programs and English language teaching.

Towards improving online learning in physical education: Gender differences and determinants of motivation, psychological needs satisfaction, and academic achievement in Saudi students.

Studies on students' perceptions and expectations during physical education (PE) online learning remain scarce. Centered on self-determination theory, the present cross-sectional study aims to identify gender differences and predictors affecting motivation, psychological needs satisfaction (PNS), and academic achievement during PE online learning. Data were collected from Saudi students' (N = 308, 161 females and 147 males) responses to the PE autonomy, relatedness, competence, and motivation questionnaires. Welch's t-test for unequal sample sizes, multiple linear regression, and binary logistic regression were used to compare means and to predict the relationships between the independent and dependent variables. The results showed higher autonomy and competence perceptions in female than in male students, but no differences were observed in relatedness. Female students presented higher intrinsic motivations, lower amotivation perceptions than males. However, no gender differences were recorded in extrinsic motivation. Students with less experience in online learning and weak grade point averages (GPAs) are more susceptible to having a high level of amotivation. Gender, GPA, and prior experience with online learning are the common predictors for all PNS and amotivation, while GPA and prior experience with online learning are the determinants of intrinsic motivation. GPA is affected by prior experience with online learning, autonomy, competence, intrinsic motivation, and amotivation. Therefore, teachers are encouraged to adapt their didactic-pedagogical behaviors during PE online learning according to students' motivation and autonomy perceptions. Structuring teaching activities with more individualized support for autonomy, competence, intrinsic motivation, and students' online skills/competencies ensures better learning efficiency and academic achievements.

Assessing the impact of Ordinary Level Grades on the Cumulative Grade Point Average of First Year University Students (A Factorial Design Approach)

The purpose of this work is to model the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of first year engineering students of a private university in southwestern Nigeria using the Ordinary level (O’ level) grades in mathematics, physics, and chemistry as factors. The choice of the three subjects was due to the fact that virtually all the courses taken in first year by engineering students require a solid background in these three subjects. Duplicate samples were randomly selected from a population stratified into all possible factor levels The O’ level grades were converted to scaled variables (as typically done in factorial design) and used as the model matrix of six levels of a three-factorial design. Three orthogonal statistical models were fitted namely; first order, interaction and response surface models using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Estimators. The model of best fit was identified and used to obtain the combination of ordinary level grades that maximized and minimized first year CGPA. The results showed that the three models were statistically significant with each having p-value &lt; 0.001. Response Surface Model provided a better fit in terms of the R^2=47.0% and the RMSE =0.320. The combination of grades that maximizes and minimizes first year CGPA were A1 in all the three subjects and A2 in mathematics, C6 in physics and chemistry, respectively. The results of this work suggested that a large percentage of extraneous factors is affecting the CGPA of first year engineering students in this university due to the relatively small values of the coefficient of determination returned by the three models

Investigation and analysis of the status of myopia and related behavior in children and adolescents in Northeast Sichuan.

In this study, we examined the current status of myopia among primary and secondary school children in northeastern Sichuan to analyze the factors connected to myopia and provide data support and a theoretical foundation for the prevention and control of myopia. Using a cross-sectional study and a comprehensive sampling survey, 34,138 students aged 5-19 years were screened for refraction in 22 primary and secondary schools in Langzhong, and 4000 behavioral questionnaires were delivered at random. After evaluation and rational problem-solving, a total of 3764 valid questionnaires were obtained. SPSS 23.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. The percentage of myopia among primary and secondary school students in Langzhong was 65.61%, with female students having a higher rate than male students ( P < 0.05); 52.81% of primary school students, 86.26% of secondary school students, and 88.17% of high school students had myopia. The incidence of myopia detection increased with school age ( P < 0.001), indicating a correlation between age and myopia prevalence. The prevalence of myopia was mainly low (40.53%) and moderate myopia (19.89%). The prevalence of high myopia (5.19%) was relatively high. The prevalence of myopia among female students (5.54%) was greater than that in male students ( P < 0.05) and increased with age ( P < 0.001). The proportion of students who wore eyeglasses was 24.36%, with a larger proportion of female students (25.93%) than male students (22.61%) ( P < 0.001). In addition, the rate of eyeglass use increased with school age ( P < 0.001). A logistic regression analysis revealed that higher grade point averages, female gender, and long-term usage of electronic items were risk factors for myopia. The results of the questionnaire survey revealed that students in this region were under immense pressure to perform well academically, spent a lot of time engaged in near-work activities, and had a low rate of myopia awareness; 24.43% of the students had not had a vision examination in the previous year, indicating that parents did not pay sufficient attention to eye health. The incidence of myopia among children and teenagers is high in Northeast Sichuan, and the outlook for addressing the problem is bleak. Therefore, it is critical to improve vision monitoring and eye health education.

An NCLEX-RN Improvement Project: A Study of Student Attributes Associated With Test Success.

A school of nursing developed a process to improve graduates' NCLEX-RN scores through a committee tasked with identifying approaches to assist students in passing the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt. The process involved: (1) engaging the faculty to use current published evidence; and (2) conducting an anonymous survey of previous graduates to identify the factors associated with NCLEX-RN success in the school's student population. Logistic regression analysis was conducted on a sample of 165 graduates of the program. The analysis of the graduates' psychosocial, academic, and NCLEX-RN preparation attributes compared with NCLEX-RN outcome revealed grade point average was the strongest significant predictor of success. The NCLEX-RN success program served to engage the school of nursing faculty. In addition, a study of the program's graduates revealed a predictor of potential student success that can identify students who may need additional support early in the program. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(2):102-107.].

Impact of high-stakes exams, incentives, and preparation on student performance: Insights from the pharmacy curriculum outcomes assessment

IntroductionEfforts to ensure success of pharmacy students in passing pharmacy standardized exams require substantial investments. Engaging students effectively can be a challenge when there are no consequences for non-participation or poor performance. This study examined how engagement reinforcement, including high-stake exam requirements, instructional strategies, and incentives, impacted student performance on the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA). MethodsPCOA scores, milestone exams, grade point averages (GPAs), and PCOA preparedness assessments for cohorts (Co) that received high-stakes exams, incentives, and preparation (Co2019, Co2020, and Co2021) was compared with those that did not receive these interventions (Co2017 and Co2018). Students' perceptions regarding reinforcement, incentive, and preparedness were evaluated using an anonymous survey. ResultsAnalyzing data from 545 students over five years, mandated PCOA preparedness, high-stakes PCOA requirements, and incentives for Co2019, Co2020, and Co2021 improved scores by 11% to 18% compared to Co2017 and Co2018. This corresponded to a rise in performance from the 12th to 27th percentile for Co2017 and Co2018 to the 39th to 49th percentile for Co2019, Co2020, and Co2021. In these later cohorts, PCOA scores consistently correlated with the school's milestone exams and students' cumulative GPAs (correlation coefficients 0.47–0.70, P < .001), while no such correlation was observed in Co2017 and Co2018. Faculty-led PCOA preparation yielded better results (48.2% in Co2020, 45.8% in Co2021) than self-learning (42% in Co2019). Students using faculty-prepared assessments reported increased confidence in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of high-stakes requirements, incentives, and thorough preparation in improving PCOA results.

EFL Grammar Learning Strategy Use: Utilizing Grammar Learning Strategy Inventory in an Arabic Context

This study attempts to replicate Pawlak’s (2018) Grammar Learning Strategy Inventory (GLSI). It explores the use of GLSI by Saudi students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in their college preparation year. The re-emergence of GLSI after a long period of neglect is a significant development in Language Learning Strategies. Consequently, due to the shortage of GLSI studies in Arab countries, this study was conducted. Participants were assessed using the GLSI with its four categories of metacognitive, cognitive, affective, and social strategies. 419 EFL students participated in this study. The findings generally showed a high use of grammar strategies in all four categories of GLSI among EFL learners. As a result, a strong, positive, and significant correlation was found between all the categories of strategies. Furthermore, students’ Grade Point Average (GPA) did not appear to affect their use of GLS.

STUDENTS ENGAGEMENT PROFILES IN ENGLISH FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASS

Engagement is an important aspect to increase learning outcomes. No matter how great the teaching methods or media are, they will not be optimal without students involvement in the learning process. Data shows that the level of student engagement influences students' grade point average, hereafter GPA. Data was obtained from university students in their second year of undergraduate education who tried to explore the relationship between the GPA obtained by students by comparing it with observation data on their level of engagement with the learning they received. Data shows that students with GPAs at high, moderate and low levels are directly proportional to the level of student engagement in learning. Based on research findings, the factor that could be behind the increase in GPA is that students' learning engagement influences students' level of awareness, curiosity and persistence in learning. So that students with good learning engagement will be aroused by curiosity about a topic, try to find additional information and solutions to solve problems, and be able to persist with the challenges they are trying to solve

간호대학생의 Polychronicity 성향, 명예규율서약, 학업성취도가 셀프리더십에 미치는 영향

Objectives In this study, an attempt was made to identify the influencing factors of self-leadership and prepare basic data for the development of nursing education programs. Methods An online survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire to measure variables related to self-leadership among 108 nursing students located in Chungcheongnam-do. Polychronicity tendency, honor code pledge, and GPA(grade point average) were selected as relevant variables in multiple regression analysis. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple re-gression using IBM SPSS 26.0 program. Results In this study, the honor code pledge and GPA(grade point average) were found to have a significant impact on the self-leadership of nursing students, and the explanatory power R² of the self-leadership of related variables was measured at 0.14 (adjusted R²=.12). There was a positive correlation between self-leadership and the honor code pledge, and a negative correlation between polychronicity tendency and GPA(grade point average). The sub-ject's self-leadership was 3.5 points (4 points), polychronicity tendency was 2.2 points (4 points), honor code pledge was 3.7 points (4 points), and GPA(grade point average) was 3.7 points (4.5 points). Conclusions Because every nurse who deals with patients and carries out work must have self-leadership as a leader who can represent the organization, there is a need to develop self-leadership nursing education that can promote ethical and moral development and increase the level of professional knowledge for nursing students who are prospective nurses.

Exam evaluation in prosthodontics across preclinical and clinical years from students' perspective: A cross-sectional study.

The purpose of this study was to explore the students' perceptions and performance in prosthodontics theory exam. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 560 (80.82%) students of different levels (third, fourth and fifth years) to explore their opinions and performance with regard to a number of issues on a prosthodontics theory exam (exam evaluation, exam preparation, exam material, exam timing). Demographic data were also collected. Descriptive statistics were generated and Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, ANOVA test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to examine the associations between different variables. The significance level was set at p < .05. Students' responses regarding exam evaluation was influenced by their gender, study level, high-school Grade Point Average (GPA) and undergraduate cumulative GPA. Perceived exam difficulty was significantly affected by gender (p = .03) and study level (p < .001), and negatively correlated to both high-school GPA (p < .001) and university GPA (p = .03). The vast majority (88.2%) depended on lecture hand-outs and lecture notes for study. Exam material and preparation were not significantly affected by any of the demographic variables with most respondents (76.8%) thinking that the lectures blended with prosthodontics laboratories/clinics would improve their understanding of the exam material. The suggested best time to conduct the exam was early afternoon (31.6%). Student performance was significantly affected by the study level (p < .001) and cumulative GPA (p < .001) with significant positive correlation between the high-school GPA and the mark in the exam (r = .29, p < .001) and by the amount of time students spent for exam preparation (p < .001). Those students who reported using textbooks to prepare for the exam got significantly higher marks (66.1 ± 8.7) compared to the students who did not (62.8 ± 9.7) (p = .03). Course level, GPA and gender were identified as the most influential factors in different aspects of exam evaluation and students' performance. Regular study and use of textbooks were demonstrated to improve academic performance. Additional orientation and guidance relating to the exam (especially for third year students) would be welcomed, as would alternate teaching methods such as small group discussions or study groups.

Discontinued knowledge growth: on the development of teachers’ general pedagogical knowledge at the transition from higher education into teaching practice

ABSTRACT In spite of a prominent discussion in the literature about the relationship between theory and practice in teacher education there is a lack of empirical research examining the effects on teachers’ development of professional knowledge after graduating from higher education into teaching practice. This study uses a database of 191 German and Austrian teachers whose general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) was tested at four time points to cover their teaching career from entering into initial teacher education through graduation until entering the teaching profession. In both country contexts, teachers acquire knowledge during their initial teacher education, indicating the impact of formal opportunities to learn (OTL) during higher education. However, the knowledge growth discontinues at the transition from academic learning in higher education institutions into teaching practice at school. Teachers with high school grade point average (GPA) are significantly less affected, which reflects the relevance of future teachers’ cognitive entrance characteristics to higher education.

The Influence of Graduates' Competence from Universitas Darussalam Gontor on the Relevance Level between Fields of Study and Employment

The success of higher education institutions is often measured by their competitiveness and the quality of their graduates in the job market. The concept of competitiveness, particularly in terms of educational relevance, is a fundamental consideration outlined in Law No. 12 related to higher education. One of the mechanisms for assessing this educational relevance involves conducting tracer studies among graduates. The objective of this research is to examine the individual (partial) and combined (simultaneous) effects of Grade Point Average (GPA) and Academic Supporting Credit for Students (AKPAM) on the alignment between graduates' fields of study and their subsequent employment. This study focuses on alumni from Darussalam Gontor University in the year 2019. The research is conducted through a survey-based approach, and the data collected through tracer study questionnaires. The findings indicate that while GPA exhibits an insignificant influence on the degree of alignment between fields of study and employment, AKPAM significantly affects this alignment. Moreover, when considered together, both GPA and AKPAM exert a significant influence on the alignment between graduates' fields of study and their employment choices