Implications For Academic Success Research Articles

The Relationship between Study Habits and Academic Performance among University Students

Abstract: This paper examines the intricate relationship between study habits and academic performance among university students. Drawing upon a synthesis of empirical studies, theoretical frameworks, and psychological models, the abstract delves into the multifaceted dynamics shaping students' study habits and their consequent impact on academic achievement. Key factors such as time management, learning strategies, motivation, self-regulation, and environmental influences are explored within the context of diverse student populations and academic disciplines. Moreover, the abstract elucidates the reciprocal nature of this relationship, wherein effective study habits not only enhance academic performance but also contribute to holistic student development. Additionally, it sheds light on the role of technology, social media, and other contemporary influences in shaping modern study habits and their implications for academic success. Finally, the abstract underscores the importance of tailored interventions and educational strategies aimed at optimizing study habits to foster optimal academic outcomes and lifelong learning skills among university students

The relation between trait flow and engagement, understanding, and grades in undergraduate lectures.

Much work has focused on inattention in the classroom, examining how episodes of task-unrelated thought (i.e., mind wandering) and engagement with various forms of media (e.g., media multitasking, smartphone use) influence retention of lecture material. However, considerably less work has examined factors that may positively influence attentiveness in lectures. We aimed to explore whether the trait-level tendency to experience 'flow'-defined here as the subjective experience of deep and effortless concentration-is related to in-class reports of engagement and understanding during undergraduate lectures, as well as academic performance. Participants were undergraduate students in Psychology at a University in Ontario, Canada. We measured trait flow (i.e., deep, effortless concentration) at the beginning of each semester, and assessed engagement and understanding during lectures via experience sampling probes throughout two semesters in several university courses. Experience sampling probes were presented intermittently using a laptop application. We also measured students' trait mind wandering and grit, and collected students' course grades. The general tendency to experience deep, effortless concentration predicted engagement and understanding in lectures throughout the term, as well as final course grades, over and above students' grittiness and tendency to mind wander. These findings suggest that the everyday tendency to experience flow extends to a classroom environment and has implications for academic success.

Food Insecurity on a College Campus: Implications for Academic Success

This study sought to understand the scope of food insecurity at one four-year public institution and whether there were implications on academic outcomes for college students who face it. Data collection consisted of administering a questionnaire to a random sample of 2,700 undergraduate students. In total, 314 students participated. Overall, 47.9% of survey respondents scored in the category of experiencing food insecurity within the past 12 months. Students who experienced food insecurity had lower GPAs, were twice as likely to fail and withdraw from a course and were four times more likely to take an incomplete grade in a course.

“Never give up.” Adjudicated girls’ school experiences and implications for academic success

There is limited literature on best practices for promoting academic success for adjudicated girls. The goal of this qualitative study was to elicit information about the educational experiences of female juvenile offenders within a residential facility. Interviews with 10 girls and two teachers were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed for narratives pertaining to success stories and challenges the girls faced in educational settings. Themes were: Barriers in school; Individual Characteristics that Promote Success; Coping Skills; Relationships that Promote Success; School Environments that Promote Success; Transitioning to Traditional Schools. Findings inform strategies to promote academic success for detained youth. The authors discuss implications for school social workers and other school-based behavioral health providers.

A Short Bout of Exercise With and Without an Immersive Virtual Reality Game Can Reduce Stress and Anxiety in Adolescents: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Anxiety and stress are prominent issues for the adolescent population. Physical activity is known to reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress; however, many adolescents lack the time or motivation to exercise regularly, particularly during stressful exam weeks. Virtual Reality (VR) has the potential to make exercise more enjoyable and more engaging than exercise alone. We aimed to investigate the immediate effect of a 10-min dodgeball exercise session, with and without a VR headset, on self-reported stress, anxiety and cognitive performance in adolescents during times known to induce stress in high school, such as exam weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to a VR group (n = 16) where participants were immersed in a virtual dodgeball environment (exergame), or a dodgeball group (n = 14) which played a simple game of one-on-one dodgeball. Executive function was measured using the Trail Making Test (TMT) Parts A and B. Anxiety was self-reported on the Pediatric Anxiety Short Form 8a (PASF). Stress was self-reported on the Psychological Stress Experiences-Short Form 8a (PSES). Both groups significantly improved their TMT A and B performance and reduced stress and anxiety scores with effect size ranging from 0.59 to 1.2 (main effect of time p < 0.001 for all outcomes). There were no significant differences between groups and no time by group interaction for any outcome. A short bout of exercise, with or without VR, during stressful high school exam weeks was shown to be effective for immediate reduction of stress and anxiety and enhancement of cognitive function in a small sample of high school students. High schools looking to apply interventions to help their students manage anxiety and stress should consider encouraging them to take a “time-out” to exercise and play. The cost-effectiveness of exergames inside the school settings and implications for academic success should be investigated in future research.

Intercultural Communicative Component (ICC) in the English Second Language (EL2) Curricula: Trends and Challenges of Transformation in South Africa (SA) and the Global World

Globally, universities are tremendously pressurised to improve throughput rates, intercultural proficiency, and academic transformation. However, at some universities, educators often neglect the ICC component in EL2 teaching. This article analyses the feasibility of integrating the ICC component into the EL2 courses, to enhance curricula decolonisation, intellectual and cultural freedom in South African universities. From a socio-cognitive perspective, the article argues that in SA, understanding ecological, ideological, affective and sociolinguistic elements, based on the Ubuntu philosophy (a humanness spirit that embodies (South) African culture) is significant for global IC and learning. Innovative integration of plurilingualism perspectives into the Humanities curricula may have implications for academic success, especially in English and ICC, global trade, democracy and social transformation.

“Hungry for an Education”: Prevalence and Outcomes of Food Insecurity Among Students at a Primarily Undergraduate University in Rural Nova Scotia

This paper reports on food insecurity among students attending a university in rural Nova Scotia. In 2015, 1,030 students completed an online, 38-item cross-sectional survey. The results report that 38.1% of students experienced food insecurity during the previous 12 months. Food insecurity was statistically associated with living arrangements, source of funds for schooling, meal plans, and year of study. Poor overall health, poor mental health, high stress, and poor academic performance were significantly higher for food-insecure students. Students employed multiple coping strategies, with implications for academic success and long-term debt. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes related to insufficient money for food: inability to cover basic needs, health-related outcomes of persistent worry, loss of time from learning, and impacts on social life. This research demonstrates the need to re-evaluate funding policies for post-secondary education in Canada to ensure students can afford the costs of basic needs and educational costs.

“Hungry for an Education”: Prevalence and Outcomes of Food Insecurity Among Students at a Primarily Undergraduate University in Rural Nova Scotia

This paper reports on food insecurity among students attending a university in rural Nova Scotia. In 2015, 1,030 students completed an online, 38-item cross-sectional survey. The results report that 38.1% of students experienced food insecurity during the previous 12 months. Food insecurity was statistically associated with living arrangements, source of funds for schooling, meal plans, and year of study. Poor overall health, poor mental health, high stress, and poor academic performance were significantly higher for food-insecure students. Students employed multiple coping strategies, with implications for academic success and long-term debt. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes related to insufficient money for food: inability to cover basic needs, health-related outcomes of persistent worry, loss of time from learning, and impacts on social life. This research demonstrates the need to re-evaluate funding policies for post-secondary education in Canada to ensure students can afford the costs of basic needs and educational costs. 

Discourse Macrolevel Processing After Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

The purpose of this study was to determine if discourse macrolevel processing abilities differed between children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) at least 2 years postinjury and typically developing children. Twenty-three children had sustained a severe TBI either before the age of 8 (n = 10) or after the age of 8 (n = 13). The remaining 32 children composed a control group of typically developing peers. The groups' summaries and interpretive lesson statements were analyzed according to reduction and transformation of narrative text information. Compared to the control group, the TBI group condensed the original text information to a similar extent. However, the TBI group produced significantly less transformed information during their summaries, especially those children who sustained early injuries. The TBI and control groups did not significantly differ in their production of interpretive lesson statements. In terms of related skills, discourse macrolevel summarization ability was significantly related to problem solving but not to lexical or sentence level language skills or memory. Children who sustain a severe TBI early in childhood are at an increased risk for persisting deficits in higher level discourse abilities, results that have implications for academic success and therapeutic practices.