Low Aptitude Students Research Articles

The need for social and academic responsibility advisor (SARA): a catalyst toward the sustainability of educational institutes

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate elements of socio-academic-related sustainability in educational institutes and propose a structure of an advising system that can aid the most critical stakeholders in such educational institutes, i.e the student. Hence, after reviewing the contemporary University Social Responsibility (USR) Venn diagram, the paper focuses on the need to develop a social and academic responsibility advisor (SARA) system as a catalyst toward fulfilling social responsibility to the most important stakeholder and alternatively leads to enhanced sustainability of such educational institutes.Design/methodology/approachA combination of research methods used in this paper, defined as by identifying the need for SARA from a literature survey. By distributing a questionnaire to students investigating their desire of an academic advisor system and by establishing a focus group to study the academic and social aspects and its implications to students’ “quality of life” as an essential aspect toward the educational institutes' sustainability. Various issues related to the features of the SARA discussed.FindingsLiterature review shows only a few articles combine both aspects of advising activities (social and academic), most of which are not interrelated to the sustainability of educational institutes. This paper highlights the need and connectivity of SARA to contemporary USR sustainability. The descriptive statistics of the questionnaire showed about 86 per cent of student participants interested in applying the proposed features. The outcome of the focus group resulted in more detailed features of academic and social aspects of the expected SARA system.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed features of SARA described where the inter-related social and academic activities could be managed, logged and used by students. The proposed “heterogeneous study group” was investigated by observation implemented in four different courses in two different semesters. The result was not conclusive, and further study recommended. Even though this experimentation was not conclusive, the lesson learned from this study highlighted different issues associated with “study groups” within a course.Practical implicationsApplicability of SARA would enhance the quality of life of students in general and provide a mechanism to motivate low aptitude students to get engaged with study and projects with high-aptitude students.Social implicationsAvoiding the “feel” of isolation by some students due to the inability to find study partner who can also act as mentor to a study group. The proposed “Heterogeneous study group” would provide a mechanism for “Practiced student-to-student Social responsibility”.Originality/valueThe paper highlights and proves the need for SARA in contemporary USR where SARA can act as a catalyst for enhancing the socio-academic zone of the reviewed USR Venn diagram. Features of SARA identified as an outcome of the study in this paper. Proposal of “Heterogeneous Study Group” was proposed as mechanism of “social learning”. “Group health” testing was proposed as a criteria resulted from a balance between collaboration, social affinity and project effort.

Identify Them Early – Using Visuospatial and Psychomotor Testing to Identify Low Aptitude Students Interested in Pursing a Procedural Career

Identify Them Early – Using Visuospatial and Psychomotor Testing to Identify Low Aptitude Students Interested in Pursing a Procedural Career

One size fits all? The effects of teachers' cognitive and social abilities on student achievement

We document a substantial decline in cognitive and social interactive abilities and in GPAs among entering teachers. Then, using matched student-teacher data, we find that teacher abilities have a negligible impact on average student achievement. This finding hides interesting heterogeneities. In particular, an increase in teachers' cognitive (social) abilities increases (reduces) the achievement gap between high- and low-aptitude students. Teacher cognitive and social abilities further appear to be complements. We also find strong positive effects of male teachers' GPAs that are uniform across students, but similar effects are not found for female teachers' GPAs.

Relationship Between Iranian University EFL Students' Language Learning Aptitude and Language Learning Strategy Use

This study investigated the relationship between language learning aptitude (LLA) and the use of language learning strategies (LLSs) among a cohort of Iranian EFL students at Urmia University, Iran. The adapted versions of the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT; Carrol & Sapon, 1983) and Oxford’s (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) were distributed among the participants (i.e., 6 males and 32 females). A strong positive relationship was found between aptitude and the use of all the categories of LLSs. Pearson product-moment correlation also indicated a strong positive relationship among components/categories within MLAT and SILL. Furthermore, the application of t test showed no significant differences between the males and females on their overall LLA test scores, but a one-way ANOVA indicated significant differences between the two genders regarding the cognitive and metacognitive strategies in favor of the males. One-way ANOVA also revealed significant differences between high versus low-aptitude students on LLSs use in favor of the former group.

Learning to be creative. The effects of observational learning on students' design products and processes

Previous research indicated that observing is an effective learning activity in various domains. Can observational learning also be beneficial in enhancing creativity in art and design education? We hypothesized that observation has a positive effect on creativity measured in the designing process and the final products. 61 Students (ninth grade) participated in an experiment with a pre-post-test control group design, with randomized assignment to two conditions. In the observational learning condition participants observed and evaluated – on video – peers doing design tasks while concurrently thinking aloud. In the direct instruction condition participants were executing these design tasks themselves. The participants were pre- and post-tested on design tasks. Results indicated that observation had beneficial effects on creativity in the design products compared to the direct strategy instruction for high aptitude students, but not for low aptitude students. Students who observed generally brainstormed more and reported a more process oriented approach.

One Size Fits All? The Effects of Teacher Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Abilities on Student Achievement

Teachers are increasingly being drawn from the lower parts of the general ability distri­bution, but it is not clear how this affects student achievement. We track the position of entering teachers in population-wide cognitive and non-cognitive ability distributions using school grades and draft records from Swedish registers. The impact on student achievement caused by the position of teachers in these ability distributions is estimated using matched student-teacher data. On average, teachers’ cognitive and non-cognitive social interactive abilities do not have a positive effect on student performance. How­ever, social interactive ability turns out to be important for low aptitude students, whilst the reverse holds for cognitive abilities. In fact, while high performing students benefit from high cognitive teachers, being matched to such a teacher can even be detrimental to their lower performing peers. Hence, the lower abilities among teachers may hurt some students, whereas others may even benefit. High cognitive and non-cognitive abil­ities thus need not necessarily translate into teacher quality. Instead, these hetero­geneities highlight the importance of the student-teacher matching process. Keywords: Cognitive and non-cognitive ability, Teacher quality, Student achievement JEL-codes: I21, H4, J4

Mastery Learning Benefits Low-Aptitude Students

We tested the effects of instructional method (lecture vs. mastery) and aptitude (high, medium, low GPA levels) on students' academic performance and achievement motivation goals. Students enrolled in a developmental psychology course received either traditional lecture or mastery (Keller's Personalized System of Instruction [PSI]) instruction. PSI students ended the semester with higher final examination scores than lecture students; the difference was greatest for the lowest GPA group. Low-aptitude PSI students showed increases in learning goals over time when compared to low-aptitude lecture students. The academic performance and learning goals of PSI students with the lowest grade point averages (GPAs) approached those of lecture students with the highest GPAs.

FACULTY FORUM: Mastery Learning Benefits Low-Aptitude Students

We tested the effects of instructional method (lecture vs. mastery) and aptitude (high, medium, low GPA levels) on students' academic performance and achievement motivation goals. Students enrolled...

FACULTY FORUM: Mastery Learning Benefits Low-Aptitude Students

FACULTY FORUM: Mastery Learning Benefits Low-Aptitude Students

Grade Inflation Rates among Different Ability Students

This study compares grade inflation rates among different ability students at a large, open admissions public University. Specifically, this study compares trends in graduating grade point average (GPA) from 1983 to 1996 across low, typical and higher ability students. This study also tests other explanations for increases in graduating GPA. These other explanations are changes in 1) ACT score 2) gender 3) college major and 4) vocational programs. With these other explanations considered, regression results still report an inflationary trend in graduating GPA. Time, as measured by college entry year, is still a significant positive predictor of GPA. More directly, comparisons of regression coefficients reveal lower ability students as experiencing the highest rate of grade increase. Higher grade inflation rates among low aptitude students suggest that faculty might be using grades to encourage learning among marginal students.

Differential Effectiveness of Three Color Treatments in Learning Geometric Concepts via Computer-Guided Teaching

This study examined the differential effects of three color treatments incorporated into microcomputer software on the learning of geometric concepts by students with differential aptitudes. The color treatments were: monochrome, functional (the use of color for cueing), and nonfunctional (the indiscriminate use of color). The experimental software provided teachers with a detailed lesson outline to be used with one large-screen monitor for whole-class instruction using the discussion or recitation method of teaching. Ninth-grade students ( N = 109) were randomly assigned to the treatment groups. All students answered two aptitude tests, two geometric pretests, two geometric immediate posttests, the same posttests administered one month later, and an attitude questionnaire. All three experimental forty-minute lessons were delivered by the same teacher using the same software varying only the color treatment. Results revealed significantly better immediate and delayed learning of the functional group over both other groups with the low-aptitude students benefitting the most from the cueing provided by the functional-color software. Although high-aptitude students did not benefit more from the functional treatment than from the other two treatments, they showed the most positive attitudes toward this treatment whereas low aptitude students did not show any preference for the color system involved.

Teaching dental materials using the personalized system of instruction

Tailoring instruction to the individual needs of students is one approach to ensuring that students with lower scholastic aptitudes obtain the skills and knowledge necessary to function successfully as professionals. This study determined the effects of the personalized system of instruction (PSI) on end-of-course achievement, aptitude-achievement relationships, long-term retention, and course attitudes. The PSI method of instruction was compared to a conventional lecture/laboratory approach for teaching a dental materials course to dental hygiene students. Although there was no significant difference between conventionally taught and PSI students on the end-of-term final examination, lower aptitude students in the PSI class scored significantly higher on the final examination than lower aptitude students in the conventional class. Of students completing a one-year retention examination, those in the PSI class scored significantly higher than students in the conventionally taught class. Student course ratings favored PSI instruction both at the end of the course and at the one-year follow-up interval.

Tracking and Ethnicity in Israeli Secondary Education

Secondary education in Israel uses curricular tracking. The academic track is selective on the basis of scholastic aptitude and prepares students for higher education. The vocational tracks maintain low curricular requirements and are said to enhance educational attainment of low-aptitude students. Ethnicity is highly correlated with measured aptitude. Hence, Sephardim are typically assigned to vocational tracks whereas Ashkenazim are more likely to attend the academic track. The investigation concerns the extent to which tracking reinforces the effects of ethnic aptitude differences on ethnic inequalities in educational attainment. An analysis of data on educational histories for a subsample of Jewish men reveals that educational persistence at the secondary level is virtually unaffected by track placement. Academic track placement enhances eligibility for higher education of all but the least able students. The availability of the vocational track does not enhance educational participation of Sephardim. Rather, it inhibits further their already low likelihood of receiving higher education.

The Classroom Ratio of High- and Low-aptitude Students and Its Effect on Achievement

Classrooms with “more favorable” teaching situations were defined as those in which more than a third of the students were high aptitude and less than a third of the students were low aptitude. “Less favorable” classrooms were those in which less than a third of the students were high aptitude and more than a third of the students were low aptitude. The stated hypothesis was that the ratio of high-aptitude students to low-aptitude students in the classrooms would influence the mathematics achievement of students. Individual standardized aptitude and achievement data were available for 103 third- and fourth-grade classrooms. The sample was drawn from a large metropolitan school district that basically served a middle-class population in neighborhood schools. Analyses of variance tests indicated that both high- and low-aptitude students in more favorable classrooms had greater achievement gains than comparable students in less favorable classrooms.

The Classroom Ratio of High- and Low-Aptitude Students and Its Effect on Achievement

The Classroom Ratio of High- and Low-Aptitude Students and Its Effect on Achievement

An Examination of Teachers’ Effects on High, Middle, and Low Aptitude Students’ Performance on a Standardized Achievement Test

This research examines the functional relationship of teacher effectiveness (as defined by students’ mean residual performance on the total mathematics score of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills) and the achievement of high, middle, and low attitude third- and fourth-grade students (as measured by the Cognitive Abilities Test). Significant main effects were found for both teacher competence and student aptitude with no significant interaction between the two variables. The data suggest that relatively effective teachers as a group get their achievement gains from all levels of student ability. Similarly, relatively ineffective teachers as a group do not appear to disproportionately depress the achievement for any particular level of student aptitude.

An Examination of Teachers' Effects on High, Middle, and Low Aptitude Students' Performance on a Standardized Achievement Test

This research examines the functional relationship of teacher effectiveness (as defined by students’ mean residual performance on the total mathematics score of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills) and the achievement of high, middle, and low attitude third- and fourth-grade students (as measured by the Cognitive Abilities Test). Significant main effects were found for both teacher competence and student aptitude with no significant interaction between the two variables. The data suggest that relatively effective teachers as a group get their achievement gains from all levels of student ability. Similarly, relatively ineffective teachers as a group do not appear to disproportionately depress the achievement for any particular level of student aptitude.

Direct Marginal Productivity of College Education in Relation to College Aptitude of Students and Production Costs of Institutions

By combining a variety of data sources, the authors arrive at cautious estimates of expected earnings flows and their present values for students of different college aptitude entering institutions of different quality. When linked to estimates of alternative earnings and production costs of college education, these figures provide marginal decision criteria for the reallocation (or additional allocation) of resources in college education. A rough policy implication of the benefit-cost ratios is that additional college places should go in preference to students of higher college aptitude and should be created in low-cost institutions. One of the more surprising results is that we apparently have gone too far in the policy, or market outcome, which consists of placing high aptitude students in high quality colleges and lower aptitude students in inferior institutions. These conclusions hold as long as increases in measured national product are the only objective and college expansion is controlled by the amount of funds made available for it. New conclusions emerge if the drag on expansion is associated with tuition and student financial aid policies and, again, if equalization of opportunities enters as an additional objective.

Nonresponse in Survey Research as a Function of Psychological Characteristics and Time of Response

THERE IS a general presumption in survey research that those responding to a survey instru ment differ from nonrespondents on variables such as sex, intelligence and personality. The matter, however, appears to be the subject of little investi gation. Bennett and Hill (1) reported in a study of college graduates no personality differences between groups of respondents and nonrespondents in the psy chological characteristics as measured by the Cali fornia Personality Inventory. They did find, how ever, that the nonrespondent earned a lower grade point average while in college. Thistlethwaite and Wheeler (3) reported that high aptitude students tended to respond more frequently than low aptitude students, women responded more frequently than men, and like Bennett and Hill (1) they found that those with lower grade-point aver ages were less likely to respond. Ringo (2) has al so reported that nonrespondents earned lower grade point averages than respondents.

A Case Study: The Language Laboratory in a Large Suburban School District

This seems to indicate that those students with enough interest and average aptitude did very well, while low aptitude students and those with inadequate motivation failed. It is also suggested that this skill suffered most from the lack of the reinforcement techniques that the printed book can give. As long as the answer can be seen before the response must be made, it will influence those students with weaker will or lesser motivation.