Previous Academic Achievement Research Articles

Hope, but not optimism, predicts academic performance of law students beyond previous academic achievement

This longitudinal study examined the relative associations of initial levels of hope and optimism with subsequent academic performance and life satisfaction among first-year law students ( N = 86). Path analysis showed that hope, but not optimism, predicted better academic performance, while controlling for Law School Admission Test scores and undergraduate grades. Both hope and optimism uniquely predicted greater life satisfaction at the end of the first semester.

The Effectiveness of Private Voucher Education

In this article the authors analyze the effect of private voucher education on student academic performance using new data on Chilean students and a novel identification strategy. Most schools in Chile provide either primary or secondary education. The authors analyze the effect of private voucher education on students who are forced to enroll at a different school to attend secondary education once graduated from primary schooling—structural switches. Moreover, the data set the authors use in this article contains information on previous academic achievement and thus allows them to identify differences in students’ unobservable characteristics. Using a number of propensity-score-based econometric techniques and the changes-in-changes estimation method, the authors find that private voucher education leads to small, sometimes not statistically significant differences in academic performance. The estimated effect of private voucher education amounts to about 4% to 6% of one standard deviation in test scores. In contrast, the literature on Chile based on cross-sectional data had previously found positive effects of about 15% to 20% of one standard deviation.

Explaining the academic achievement at school leaving for pupils with a history of language impairment: Previous academic achievement and literacy skills

The relationships are explored between language and literacy and academic success at 16 years in an English sample of 62 young people with a history of specific language impairment identified at 8 years. Data were available from national assessments at 16 and 14; in addition the pupils had completed a range of standardized tests to examine language, literacy and non-verbal ability at 10 years and 8 months and at 16 years. Concurrent measures of literacy had the highest correlations with academic performance. However, analysis revealed a complex model identifying relationships between academic performance at 16 and previous academic attainments in secondary school (national assessments at 14) and a measure of language (listening to paragraphs, Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals 3 or CELF-RUK; Peers et al., 1999). Standardized measures of literacy, non-verbal ability and listening to paragraphs (CELF-RUK) taken at age 11 accounted for over 50% of the variance in performance on Key Stage 3 (KS3) assessments at 14 in English, maths and science. Current gaps in our understanding of the factors that support successful school performance are discussed.

Admission selection criteria as predictors of outcomes in an undergraduate medical course: A prospective study

Background: In 1998, a new selection process which utilised an aptitude test and an interview in addition to previous academic achievement was introduced into an Australian undergraduate medical course.Aims: To test the outcomes of the selection criteria over an 11-year period.Methods: 1174 students who entered the course from secondary school and who enrolled in the MBBS from 1999 through 2009 were studied in relation to specific course outcomes. Regression analyses using entry scores, sex and age as independent variables were tested for their relative value in predicting subsequent academic performance in the 6-year course. The main outcome measures were assessed by weighted average mark for each academic year level; together with results in specific units, defined as either ‘knowledge’-based or ‘clinically’ based.Results: Previous academic performance and female sex were the major independent positive predictors of performance in the course. The interview score showed positive predictive power during the latter years of the course and in a range of ‘clinically’ based units. This relationship was mediated predominantly by the score for communication skills.Conclusions: Results support combining prior academic achievement with the assessment of communication skills in a structured interview as selection criteria into this undergraduate medical course.

The impact of supplemental instruction on learning competence and academic performance

This study investigated the effects of supplemental instruction, a peer‐assisted learning approach, on students, learning competence and academic performance. The supplemental instruction intervention facilitated by senior students focused on developing students’ use of study skills and enhancing their motivation and academic performance. Pre‐ and post‐intervention learning competence measures (the 10 scales of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory) were available for 430 first year undergraduate business students (Supplemental Instruction, n = 109; Non‐Supplemental Instruction, n = 321) from a university in Hong Kong. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that supplemental instruction had a significant effect on academic performance, both directly and indirectly via enhancement of student learning competence, after controlling for pre‐intervention learning strategy scores and previous academic achievement. This study provides evidence that supplemental instruction can be a very effective instructional strategy for promoting undergraduate student learning.

Connections between learning experience, study behaviour and academic performance: a longitudinal study

Background: Whilst past studies have established the joint influence of student learning experience and study behaviour on academic achievement, few attempts have been made to determine their causal ordering in a longitudinal framework. Purpose: This study explored the reciprocal relationship between learning experience and study behaviour, and examined their relative impact on university students' academic performance. Sample: Participants were 396 undergraduate students from a university in Hong Kong (191 men, 205 women). Design and methods: Students' learning experience and study behaviour were evaluated using the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI). A two-wave cross-lagged structural model was constructed to examine the reciprocal effects between learning experience and study behaviour measured over a 12-month period. Results and conclusions: The findings showed that after controlling for previous academic achievement, student learning experience measured at Time 1 exerted significant influence on study behaviour measured at Time 2, and study behaviour measured at Time 1 also exerted significant impact on learning experience at Time 2. Both constructs were significantly predictive of current academic performance. Conclusions: Results from this study outlined linkages between learning experience and study behaviour in influencing academic achievement. As the current study is based on students from a single university, further studies with different student populations are recommended. The implications of fostering motivation and enhancing university learning experience are discussed.

Students' approaches to learning and their performance in the Extended Project pilot

Within the new framework set out in the final report of the Working Group on 14–19 Reform (2004), an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) was proposed in England to foster the development of students' independent study skills. Widespread national provision of a fully accredited EPQ, as a stand‐alone Level 3 qualification, began in September 2008, preceded by a fully evaluated pilot. A survey of students taken during the pilot explored the relationship between students' approaches to learning and their achievement on the EPQ, in addition to assessing the extent to which the new qualification fulfilled its aims. On the basis of questionnaire responses from students, a set of models was fitted to describe the extent to which attainment and engagement with the pilot EPQ were influenced by learning approach. Results showed that, notwithstanding the contribution of previous academic achievement, attainment on the EPQ was positively related to intrinsic motivation; clearly a desirable attribute for lifelong learning but also an indication that the qualification may encourage students to be more innovative and creative about their learning. Furthermore, students' engagement with the project appeared independent of their prior achievement – a feature which has the potential to help lower the barriers to participation.

Hope uniquely predicts objective academic achievement above intelligence, personality, and previous academic achievement

A 3-year longitudinal study explored whether the two-dimensional model of trait hope predicted degree scores after considering intelligence, personality, and previous academic achievement. A sample of 129 respondents (52 males, 77 females) completed measures of trait hope, general intelligence, the five factor model of personality, divergent thinking, as well as objective measures of their academic performance before university (‘A’ level grades) and final degree scores. The findings suggest that hope uniquely predicts objective academic achievement above intelligence, personality, and previous academic achievement. The findings are discussed within the context of how it may be fruitful for researchers to explore how hope is related to everyday academic practice.

Jurisprudence Meets Epistemology: Facilitating Legal Understanding and Meaningful Learning in Legal Education with Concept Maps

This paper offers insight into some of the factors beyond previous academic achievement that may influence the performance of undergraduate Law students in Australia. A survey of interests, attitudes and expectations was conducted with commencing LLB students at the Melbourne Law School in 2007. The paper reports on the survey responses of students who went on to achieve very high marks in their first semester, students who achieved very low marks and students who did not complete first semester. Significant differences between the performance subgroups were identified regarding initial levels of interest in studying law, expectations of workload and academic support, and confidence in ‘readiness’ to undertake a range of academic tasks. These findings have implications for Law School selection committees, first year teachers, and staff involved in orientation and academic support programs. Better information for prospective students about the nature and demands of a Law course is also indicated.

A Longitudinal Examination of the Bi-Directional Links between Academic Achievement and Parent-Adolescent Conflict.

We examined reciprocal associations between parent-adolescent conflict and academic achievement over a two-year period. Participants were mothers, fathers, and adolescents from predominantly White, working and middle class families (N = 168). After accounting for previous academic achievement, parent-adolescent conflict predicted relative declines in academic achievement two years later. After controlling for relationship quality at Time 1, lower math grades predicted relative increases in parent-adolescent conflict two years later among families with less education.

Delegation of Authority, Interdependence, and Productivity: Managing Writing Response Groups through an Organizational Approach

This study of writing response groups in six high school English classrooms tested Cohen, Lotan, and Leechor's (1989) conceptualization of the delegation of authority in task groups. The study compared two treatments that differed in type of supervision of the groups and in type of interdependence within the groups: one treatment included full delegation of authority by the teacher and reciprocal interdependence, whereas the other treatment included partial delegation of authority and sequential interdependence. There was support for the hypothesis that with controls for untreated status problems and for teachers' rigor of implementation of the treatments, with full delegation of authority and reciprocal interdependence, the rate of high-quality talk about writing would be more strongly correlated with achievement in writing than under the condition of partial delegation of authority and sequential interdependence. Results supported the hypothesis that with controls for the rigor of implementation of the treatments and for students' previous academic achievement, students' individual achievement in writing would be greater with full delegation of authority and reciprocal interdependence than under the condition of partial delegation of authority and sequential interdependence.

Predicting University Success in Psychology: Are Subject-Specific Skills Important?

The relationship between previous academic achievement and subsequent success at university was explored in a retrospective study of 56 UK psychology students. It was found that the subjects studied at A-level, and the grades obtained, did not predict performance at university. In contrast, GCSE grades, in particular those achieved in Science and English, were significant predictors of final year marks. Once at university, first and second year results had an incremental ability to predict final year performance, with an additional effect of undertaking a work placement. The implications of the results are discussed within the context of recent literature relating to cognitive and non-cognitive predictors of academic performance.

Teaching Teachers to Build Equitable Classrooms

Whether they are the outcome of global immigration trends, residential living patterns, or educational reform efforts such as detracking, heterogeneous classrooms pose considerable pedagogical challenges for educators. This article describes a systemic approach to restructuring the classroom with the goal of establishing and maintaining an equitable environment by creating curriculum, instruction, and assessments deliberately and purposefully to address the range of previous academic achievement and academic skills, the linguistic variability, and the intellectual diversity found in heterogeneous classrooms. A reconceptualization of intellectual competence, academic ability, or just plain being smart is at the core of teachers' efforts to build equitable classrooms. In practice, to narrow the achievement gap and to build equitable classrooms, teachers need to work toward equal-status, balanced interaction among students working together in small learning groups. The article also details the necessary conditions for teachers to learn and to practice equitable pedagogy.

P.4.10 Different response to a dexamethasone and prednisolone test in treatment-resistant depressed patients

أوضحت بعض الدراسات أن الصحة العقلية لطلاب الطب مرتبطة بالمجموعة العرقية, والأنشطة اللامنهجية, والمستوى التعليمي للوالدين والإنجاز الأكاديمي السابق. بينما هناك دراسات أخرى أوضحت خلاف ذلك. تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى استكشاف العلاقات المحتملة بين المظهر الاجتماعي الديموغرافي لطلاب الطب وصحتهم العقلية قبل وأثناء السنة الأولى من التعليم الطبي.تم عمل هذه الدراسة الاستباقية على مجموعة من طلاب الطب في ماليزيا. حيث تم قياس أعراض الاكتئاب, والقلق, والإجهاد باستخدام مقياس الاكتئاب والقلق والإجهاد ذا 21- بند على خمس فترات مختلفة: أثناء المقابلة الشخصية قبل بداية الدراسة (الفترة صفر), بعد شهرين (الفترة 1), وبعد 4 أشهر (الفترة 2), وبعد 6 أشهر (الفترة 3) ووقت الاختبارات النهائية للسنة الأولى (الفترة 4). وعملت قياسات إحصائية (انوفا) متكررة لتعيين العوامل المرتبطة بمعايير الصحة العقلية خلال هذه الفترات الخمس.كان المستوى التعليمي المرتفع للوالد هو العامل الأساسي المرتبط بانخفاض كبير في أعراض الإجهاد, والقلق, والاكتئاب. أما النشاط اللامنهجي والمستوى التعليمي المرتفع للأم فقد كانا من العوامل المصاحبة لانخفاض أعراض الإجهاد والقلق. وكان العرق الملاوي مرتبطا بأعراض القلق بينما سجل الإناث درجات منخفضة مقارنة بالذكور بالنسبة للاكتئاب.يجب تقديم ما يقي من هذه الأعراض ويدعم صحة طلاب الطب.The mental health of prospective medical students has been associated with ethnic group, extracurricular activity, parents’ educational level and previous academic achievement in some studies but not in others. The aim of this study was to explore relations between medical students’ socio-demographic profiles and mental health before and during the first year of medical education.A cohort of medical students in Malaysia was studied prospectively. Stress, anxiety and depression symptoms were measured on the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale during the interview before the onset of medical education (time 0), after 2 months (time 1), 4 months (time 2) and 6 months (time 3) and at the final examination (time 4). A repeated-measure ANOVA was performed to determine factors associated with mental health over the five intervals.Significantly lower scores were found for stress, anxiety and depression with higher father’s educational level and lower scores for stress and anxiety with extracurricular activity and higher mother’s educational level. Malay students had more anxiety symptoms than students of other races, and female students had lower scores for depression than males.Measures should be provided to prevent these symptoms and support medical students’ well-being.

What factors influence Hong Kong school students in their choice of a career in nursing?

Chronic and recurrent shortages of nurses, coupled with the increasing demand for high quality and motivated nurses and competition for secondary school leavers from other professions, are issues which prompted this investigation of senior school students’ career choice. Using a descriptive survey design, and a questionnaire developed for the study, 1246 Form 6 students in Hong Kong were surveyed, of these 28% respondents reported that they were interested in studying nursing. The findings indicated that students’ decision to choose or not choose nursing was significantly influenced by the demographic factors: gender ( χ 2=42.72, p<0.0005), biology subject pursued ( χ 2=18.94, p<0.0005), previous academic achievement ( χ 2=34.33, p<0.0005) and mother's occupation ( χ 2=21.08, p=0.012); and their perception of nursing as a career score ( t=14.21, df=1237, p<0.0005). Students’ intention to study nursing was also significantly affected by social influence: parents ( χ 2=11.53, p=0.001), school career masters ( χ 2=5.52, p=0.019) and friends ( χ 2=4.83, p=0.028); past experience with career activities ( χ 2=84.479, p<0.005); and working in hospital ( χ 2=31.742, p<0.005). Backward elimination logistic regression analysis concluded that being female ( p<0.0005), biology study at Form 5 and A-level ( p<0.0005), total perception scores ( p<0.0005), and participation in career activities ( p<0.0005) were found to be predictors of the students’ intention to study nursing. Results of this study can be used by nurse leaders and recruiters to develop strategies and help school leavers perceive nursing in a more positive way. Expanding the informational sources about nursing can facilitate the recruitment process.

Evaluation of Factors Related to Student Performance in a Distance-Learning Business Communication Course

Because most previous studies on college student performance have focused on conventional learning environments in Western cultures, in this study the authors evaluated factors related to student performance in the open and distance-learning environment in Hong Kong. Using two-way cross-tabulations with chi-square testing and equality of academic performance by proposed factors, the authors examined 168 students in a distance-learning business communication course. Results show that tutorial attendance, gender, relevant academic background, previous academic achievement, and relevant learning experience were related to student performance. The results are mostly similar to those of prior studies despite differences in culture, teaching mode, and subject.

Socioemotional Factors Contributing to Ad justment Among Early-Entrance College Students

This study investigates the influence of self-concept and perceived family environment on psychosocial adjustment among early-entrance college students. Participants included 104 male and 76 female juniors at the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS). Scholastic aptitude, previous academicachievement, and family environment were employed as latent independent variables. Self-concept, personal adjustment to TAMS, and academic achievement at TAMS were the latent dependent variables of the study. A series of regression models was used to assess the predictive utility of independent measures. The final model indicated that a combination of self-concept and family environment variables was able to predict psychosocial adjustment. Specifically, family cohesion, conflict, and expressiveness and overall self-concept were predictive of adjustment to college as 4-neasured by the total score of the Student Adjustment to College Questionnaire. For TAMS students, family cohesion, organization, control, Colflict, and overall self-concept were found to predict academic achievement as measured by first semester grade-point average. It is recommended that applicant self-concept should be considered when educating students about considering early entrance to college, making program decisions, and instituting retention strategies for early-entrance college programs.

Impulsive/careless problem solving style as predictor of subsequent academic achievement

A previous study (D’Zurilla, T. J. & Sheedy, C. F. (1992). The relation between social problemsolving ability and subsequent level of academic competence in college students. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 16, 589‐599) has shown that social problem-solving ability significantly predicts academic performance in college students after accounting for their academic aptitude. In this study we use a recently proposed five-dimensional model of social problem solving to investigate which social problem solving dimension is responsible for this eAect. To further assess the cross-cultural validity of previous findings, our study was performed in a diAerent educational system (that of Spain). Also, we used a measure of previous academic achievement instead of one of academic aptitude. Despite these diAerences, our results are remarkably similar to previous ones. Furthermore, we found that the dimension responsible for this relationship was impulsive/careless problem-solving. This establishes some interesting links between social problem solving theory and existing research on impulsivity as predictors of GPA. # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-reported personality and school achievement as predictors of teachers perceptions of their students

This study focuses on how certain school behaviors and attitudes in students as perceived by their teachers are related to personality characteristics evaluated by means of self-reports and previous school achievement. The subjects who took part in this research were 470 male and female students from 12 primary schools. Teachers perceptions of students behaviors and attitudes were assessed by a rating scale; the personality measures used were the Junior versions of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire [Eysenck, S. B. G., Garcia-Sevilla, L., Perez, J. (1994). Diferencias de personalidad entre jóvenes catalanes e ingleses. [Personality differences between Catalan and English Youngsters]. Revista de Psicolologı́a General y Aplicada, 47, 467–469], Sensation-seeking Scales [Perez, J., Ortet, G., Pla, S., Simo, S. (1986). A Junior Sensation-seeking Scale (J-SSS). Personality and Individual Differences, 7, 915–918] and A junior questionnaire for the measurement of sensitivity to punishment and sensitivity to reward [Torrubia, R., Garcia-Carrillo, M., Avila, C., Caseras, F. X., and Grande, I. (in preparation)]. The results showed that academic achievement and personality dimensions and traits related to socialization contribute to teachers perception of their students. Nevertheless it must be noticed that the degree of influence of these variables depends on the type of attitude or behavior considered. Perception of academic attitudes is mainly predicted by previous academic achievement whereas perception of maladjustment is mainly predicted by personality. Furthermore, some gender differences found in this study are also discussed.

Hope and coping with cancer by college women.

The relations of dispositional hope to various self-reported cancer-related coping activities were examined in 115 college women. Dispositionally high- as compared to low-hope women were more knowledgeable about cancer, and this relationship remained when the shared variances due to previous academic achievement, experience with cancer among family or friends, and positive and negative affectivity were removed. Additionally, high- as compared to low-hope women reported more hope-related coping responses in four separate imagined phases of cancer (prevention/risk, detection, temporal course, and impact), and these relationships remained when shared variances related to previous academic achievement, knowledge about cancer, experience with cancer, and negative affectivity were removed. Hope is discussed as means of maintaining a "fighting spirit" for coping with cancer.