Significant Predictors Of Students Research Articles

Is learning mathematics still creative and enjoyable during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Creativity in learning is an enjoyable experience for most students who are studying mathematics. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented experiences to students, learning mathematics is questionably creative and enjoyable nowadays. This study intends to measure the level of creativity and how enjoyable is learning mathematics amidst the pandemic. The study develops statistical models to capture the different factors that significantly influence the students' creativity and enjoyable experience in learning mathematics. A selected secondary data from the existing study was utilized and analyzed through some descriptive measures and a regression method as well as its diagnostics. Results revealed that the mean perception scores (scale of 1 to 10) for the level of creativity and enjoyment are 5.27 and 5.17, respectively. This implies that there is only moderate creativity and enjoyment in learning mathematics amidst the pandemic. Findings showed that the predictors of students' level of creativity in learning mathematics are "synchronous learning modality", "learning environment" and "health aspect". In addition, it is revealed that "age", "learning environment", and "health aspect" are significant predictors of students' level of enjoyment. Thus, teachers must maintain a lively and motivating learning environment for students by giving them interesting and enjoyable mathematics learning activities. Furthermore, teachers and students are advised to do physical exercise and maintain a good diet to become healthy amidst the pandemic.

Examination of Individual and Environmental Factors Affecting Reading Comprehension with Structural Equation Model

This study aims to examine the individual and environmental factors affecting the reading comprehension level through the structural equation model. To test the research questions, the relational scanning model, one of the quantitative research methods, was adopted. The research was conducted in Ankara in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years. The research group consists of 365 fourth-grade students and their parents. Reading comprehension scale, prosodic reading scale, reading attitude scale, reading motivation scale, vocabulary knowledge scale, meaningless word list (short-term memory) pre-knowledge test, and family effectiveness scale in creating reading culture were used in data collection. In the analysis of the data, the AMOS program was applied to create the structural equation model. According to the findings obtained from the structural equation model, all variables in the model are significant predictors of students' reading comprehension scores. Individual factors have higher predictive power than environmental factors. Among the individual elements, the variable with the highest predictive power was determined as "prior knowledge," and then "vocabulary", "Family participation in reading" was the variable with the highest predictive power among environmental factors. It is observed that the family income level significantly predicts reading comprehension. Among the environmental factors, the variable with the lowest predictive power is "parental education level". As a result, a model has been obtained that will help educators in the applications to be made, in which the factors affecting reading comprehension can be classified according to a specific structure and level of influence.

Risk and protective factors associated with depression in young people: what do Nigerian university students know?

University students appear to experience a significantly higher rate of depression compared to the general population. However, there is limited data showing how much Nigerian university students know about the risk and protective factors related to depression. To assess the knowledge of risk and protective factors associated with depression in young people among students of a Nigerian university. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among simple randomly selected students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Two validated self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and multivariate binary logistic regression were used for the data analysis. Out of 1591 participants, about 47% and 60% had good knowledge of risk and protective factors related to depression, respectively. The course of study, year of study, contact with a depressed person, and personal experience of depression significantly predicted students' knowledge of risk factors for depression. Similarly, course of study, year of study, and gender were the significant predictors of students' knowledge of protective factors against depression. The students had good knowledge of protective factors against depression, but were poor in knowledge of its associated risks. Therefore, provision of mental health services in the universities is recommended.

Success factors for English as a second language university students’ attainment in academic English language proficiency: exploring the roles of secondary school medium-of-instruction, motivation and language learning strategies

Abstract Displaying a strong competence in English as a second language (L2) is a major advantage for university graduates in personal development and career advancement. There are limited studies that have explored how the implementation of English-Medium-Instruction (EMI) in non-Anglophone universities can affect students’ academic English proficiency. This mixed-method study explores how both the learners’ variables (motivation and L2 learning strategies) and the medium-of-instruction policy implemented at secondary and university settings can contribute to students’ success in academic English learning at a bilingual university in Hong Kong. The findings of a large-scale questionnaire reveal that the effect of medium-of-instruction in students’ secondary school education is not a significant predictor of students’ academic English language proficiency at university. The findings suggest that university students who previously attended secondary schools which adopt medium-of-instruction other than English tend not to be disadvantaged in improving their academic English proficiency. Institutional factor (i.e. provision of EMI lectures at university) and learners’ variables, including students’ L2 strategy use and motivation, are statistically significant predictors of the student’s English language proficiency. The implications for higher education policy in Hong Kong and worldwide will be discussed.

Motivational Climate, Basic Psychological Needs, and Students’ Self-Talk in Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between students’ perceived motivational climate (mastery and performance), satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and self-talk (positive and negative) in physical education (PE). Six hundred six students (282 males, 315 females, 9 did not provide their gender), aged 10 to 17 years old (Mage = 13.32 ± 2.12), from seven primary schools (n = 250), five secondary schools (n = 131), and eight high schools (n = 225) in Greece voluntarily participated in this study. During a PE class, students completed online a number of valid and reliable questionnaires measuring perceived motivational climate, basic psychological needs, and self-talk. Results showed that students’ positive self-talk was positively related to mastery motivational climate, autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In contrast, negative self-talk was positively related only to performance motivational climate and negatively related to perceived mastery climate, competence, and relatedness. Separate hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceived mastery climate and competence were the most significant predictors of students’ positive self-talk. On the contrary, perceived performance climate, competence, and autonomy were the most significant predictors of students’ negative self-talk. On the basis of the results, it seems that PE teacher-initiated motivational climate and satisfaction of basic psychological needs is strongly related to students’ self-talk.

On Students' Willingness to Use Online Learning: A Privacy Calculus Theory Approach.

Online learning platforms frequently collect and store learners’ data to personalize content and improve learning analytics, but this also increases the likelihood of privacy breaches which may reduce learners’ willingness to use online learning. This study aims to examine how perceptions of benefits, privacy, risk, and trust affect students’ willingness to use online learning. We used the Privacy Calculus Theory as a theoretical framework for this study. To test the model, we surveyed 203 undergraduate students who used online learning. The results of the AMOS analysis revealed that students’ risk perception has a significant negative effect on their willingness to use online learning, while their benefit perception and trust perception have positive effects. Furthermore, the study found that improved trust can reduce perceived risk and improve willingness to use online learning. Interestingly, privacy perception is not a significant predictor of students’ willingness to use online learning, although it is a high concern factor. Discussion and conclusion are discussed at the end.

Students’ evaluation of the trustworthiness of historical sources: Procedural knowledge and task value as predictors of student performance

Evaluating the trustworthiness of sources is important in today's society. However, research has shown that students struggle when applying this skill. This study in history education aims to gain insight into students' procedural knowledge about evaluating the trustworthiness of sources and into the value students attach to learning this skill. Grade 9 students (N = 132) performed tasks and filled out a questionnaire. Students applied more correct criteria of trustworthiness than they reported knowing. They considered this skill somewhat important and useful, but less interesting. Procedural knowledge and task value were significant predictors of students' task performance. Therefore, it is important to make students aware of the knowledge they implicitly possess and to make learning this skill more interesting for students.

Sense of Classroom Community in Interior Design Studios: In–Person Learning versus Online Learning Approaches

Numerous studies have observed the importance of sense of community in online learning. However, developing sense of community in online interior design studios is yet to be explored. The primary purpose of this study was to assess students’ perceptions of the sense of classroom community (SCC) and learning experiences after switching their in–person to online design studios during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic. Additionally, we examined students’ characteristics that affect SCC in online learning and the impact of SCC on students’ academic motivation and comfort levels. An online survey was administered to 100 undergraduate students enrolled in design studios at an accredited interior design program at a large public U.S. institution. From this, 57 students responded to the survey. The SCC questionnaire was based on the four dimensions of Rovai's classroom community scale. Additional items included open–ended questions and students’ characteristics such as their overall grade point average (GPA), family home environment, students’ prior online learning experience, and adaptation time to the Zoom platform. The results showed that the SCC scores of four dimensions (trust, spirit, learning, interaction) were significantly less among students during their online than in–person studios. Students’ characteristics had a mixed impact on SCC dimensions. Additionally, SCC was a significant predictor of students’ academic motivation and comfort levels in online learning. The study results are important as they make a valuable contribution to the growing area of research on online learning by advancing the understanding of students’ SCC and learning in online design studios.

Nursing students’ willingness to work in COVID-19 pandemic: The role of knowledge and perceived competence: An Example FromTurkey

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate nursing students' willingness to work voluntarily during the COVID-19 pandemic and related factors. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 3rd and 4th year nursing students from March to May 2021. The Competency Inventory of Nursing Students assessment scale and data collection form prepared by researchers were used as data collection tools. Multivariable and univariable binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the factors affecting nursing students’ willingness to voluntarily work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: This study was conducted with 240 nursing students (response rate=69.2%). In this study, 47.9% of the students stated that they were volunteer to work in the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings showed that as the "Nursing Students' Competency Scale" score increased, the probability of volunteering to work during the pandemic period increased [OR = 1,005; 95% CI, 1,001-1,01] (p = .033). Nursing students who used official sources to learn about COVID-19 disease, compared to others [OR = 3,241; 95% CI, 1,494 - 7,028], were more likely to be willing to work during the pandemic (p = .003). The level of knowledge was not a significant predictor of students' willingness to work during the pandemic period (p=.326). Conclusions: The findings obtained in this study reflect the significance of directing students to obtain information from the right sources and developing their perceptions of competence in nursing education to create support for the healthcare system by volunteering nursing students during the pandemic period.

Reflective-Thinking and Resilience as Predictors of Professionalism in Master of Social Work Students

ABSTRACT Social work students are expected to learn about and demonstrate several professional competencies during their academic and fieldwork studies. This study explored the associations between professionalism, resilience, and reflective thinking in a sample of 212 students enrolled in a Master of Social Work program. The sample was predominantly female, aged 20 to 29, with an international student enrollment status. Students completed a demographic questionnaire, the Professionalism Assessment Tool (PAT), Reflective Thinking Scale (RTS), and Resilience at University (RAU) instruments. Multilinear regression analyses with bootstrapping identified three RTS variables—Critical Reflection (p = .005), Habitual Action (p = .022), and Understanding (p = .026)—as significant predictors of students’ performance on the PAT Relationships With Others subscale. The RAU factor, Maintaining Perspective, was determined to be a strong predictor in three key PAT subscales: Citizenship & Professional Engagement (p = .01), Lifelong Learning & Adaptability (p = .003), and Relationships With Others (p = .004). The outcomes highlight the importance and relevance of reflective-thinking and resilience skills for social work students’ acquisition of desirable knowledge, attributes, and practices related to professionalism. The implications for social work education curricula and recommendations for further research are also discussed in the article.

What Is the Current State of Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitudes Toward Breast Cancer? A Cross-Sectional Survey Among Health and Non-health College Students.

ObjectiveTo document breast cancer (BC) knowledge, awareness, and attitudes among female undergraduate students studying at health and non-health colleges.MethodsA 3-month cross-sectional study was conducted among female undergraduate students studying at health and non-health subject colleges affiliated to a public university. Convenience sampling was employed, and a previously validated questionnaire available in English and Arabic languages was used. Multiple linear regression was used to report the predictors of BC knowledge. A two-tailed p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. The study was approved by an ethics committee.ResultsA total of 506 responses were analyzed. The mean knowledge score was 13.98 ± 4.1. The findings of the surveyed students suggested that more than 55% of the students had an acceptable level of knowledge. By education sector, approximately 70% and 40% of health and non-health college students, respectively, had an acceptable level of knowledge. The mean difference in knowledge scores between students of health and non-health colleges was significant (p < 0.001) as students at health colleges had a higher score. Age, college type and the presence of the disease in family/relatives were significant predictors of students' BC knowledge (p < 0.05).ConclusionBy comparing it with previous evidence, the knowledge of BC has improved. The role of awareness campaigns as an information medium for students from non-health backgrounds is greatly appreciated. Moreover, the internet and electronic media have emerged as new sources of information for non-health college students, and therefore, more efforts are needed to utilize this medium in empowering this student population in understanding of this disease.

Exploration of Students' Perception of Academic Misconduct: Do Individual Factors, Moral Philosophy, Behavioral Intention, and Judgment Matter?

Using Reidenbach and Robin’s Multidimensional Ethics Scale, this study designs three scenarios related to academic dishonesty (AD) dilemmas to explore students’ moral philosophies, behavioral intentions, and ethical judgments and further examines whether students with different individual factors (i.e., culture of place, gender, and educational level) have differences in the above variables. A total of 605 students from two areas, Taiwan and Mainland China, participated in this study. The results indicated that Taiwanese students had stricter moral equity, relativism, and contractualism philosophies in the duplicate submission scenario than Mainland China students. They also had stricter moral equity and relativism philosophies in the incomplete citation scenario. Similarly, relatively harsh relativism and contractualism philosophies accompanied by a low level of willingness to be a perpetrator in the failure to cite research published in other countries scenario were found. In addition, females applied relatively harsh moral equity and utilitarianism to all scenarios, reporting that they and their peers were less likely to engage in all AD activities. Graduates had a stricter egoism attitude toward duplicate submission and had stricter moral equity, relativism, and contractualism philosophies toward the behavior of incomplete citation. Graduate students also had strict moral equity, relativism, egoism, and contractualism beliefs in the failure to cite the foreign research scenario. Finally, regression analysis showed that moral equity, contractualism, and self-behavioral intention are significant predictors of students’ ethical evaluations in the three scenarios.

Teachers’ Emotional Expressiveness and Coping Reactions to Students’ Emotions: Associations with Students’ Social-Emotional Competences and School Adjustment

ABSTRACT Beside research evidence on the importance of teachers’ emotion socialization behaviors and students’ social-emotional outcomes, there is less evidence on teachers’ discrete emotion socialization behaviors and students’ social and emotional outcomes. The current study investigated early childhood teachers’ self-reported expression of emotions and coping strategies with students’ negative emotions as potential predictors of young students’ social-emotional competence and school adjustment. Administration of the Self-Expressiveness in the Classroom Questionnaire (SEQ), the Coping with Children’s Negative Emotions Scale (CCNES), the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE) and the Teacher Rating Scale of School Adjustment measures resulted in data from 832 kindergarten and first grade primary teachers and 662 of their students. Research Findings: Teachers’ positive expressions of emotions were significant predictors of students’ social and emotional competences and school adjustment, teachers’ responses to students’ negative emotions were not significant predictors of students’ social and emotional competence and school adjustment, whereas the interaction between teachers’ expression of emotions and teachers’ responses to students’ negative emotions predicted students’ social and emotional competences and school adjustment. Practice or Policy: Findings contribute to our understanding of the intersection of teachers’ self-reported expressiveness and coping reactions with students’ negative emotions for students’ social and emotional behavior at schools.

Exploring the Factors That Influence College Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy in Blended Learning: A Study From the Personal, Interpersonal, and Environmental Perspectives

Academic self-efficacy is identified as one of the strongest predictors of students’ academic performance. However, few studies have explored the factors that influence students’ academic self-efficacy in a blended learning environment. By developing a comprehensive model, this study investigates the main factors that influence students’ academic self-efficacy in blended learning from the personal, interpersonal, and environmental perspectives. The relevant information was acquired through a questionnaire survey. The participants included 366 college students at a university in central China. Hierarchical regression analysis shows that intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, instructor support, performance expectancy, and facilitating conditions are significant predictors of students’ academic self-efficacy in blended learning. The findings expand the understanding of students’ academic self-efficacy in technology-enhanced learning environments and provide valuable insights that could help to improve the appropriateness of instructional design in blended learning courses.

Exploring the Effect of Online Course Design on Students’ Knowledge Transfer and Retention through Learning Analytics

There is a vast amount of data collected on e-learning platforms that can provide insight and guidance to both learners and educators. However, this data is rarely used for evaluation and understanding the learning process. Hence, to fill this gap in the literature this study explored the effect of online course design on students’ transfer and retention of knowledge through learning analytics. The aim was to reveal study behaviours of participants over a short time while exploring their academic performance. Using a mixed method approach, this research is conducted in two different countries in a limited time. The results showed that the more times students visited the learning module and the longer these visits, the higher the students’ transfer knowledge scores in this module. Most importantly, the only variable found to be a significant predictor of students’ transfer learning outcome was the number of sessions in the module website.

The impact of learning strategies on the academic achievement of university students in Saudi Arabia

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the learning strategies adopted by Saudi university students and explore the differences in the use of learning strategies due to gender and academic achievement.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive analytic approach and adopted the brief “ACRA-C” learning strategies scale. The study sample consisted of 365 students enrolled at a Saudi university selected using the random clustering technique.FindingsThe study revealed that microstrategies and study habits are the most preferred strategies by Saudi university students. Statistically significant differences in the use of learning strategies were found between male and female students in favor of the female students. The study also found that learning strategies are a significant predictor of students' academic achievement.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was limited to one college in one Saudi university. Future studies should use larger samples from different colleges and universities in Saudi Arabia and incorporate a variety of measures of academic achievement, such as students' grades in specific courses rather than the overall grade average.Originality/valueWhile there are a number of studies that investigated the use of learning strategies by students, there is a lack of such research in the higher education context of Saudi Arabia. Hence, the current study contributes to closing this gap in the literature by looking at the use of learning strategies by university students in Saudi Arabia and the relationship between strategy use, gender and academic achievement.

Factors affecting students' knowledge sharing over social media and individual creativity: An empirical investigation in Pakistan

Despite the increasing use of social media technologies (SMTs) among university students, little is known about knowledge sharing over SMTs and individual creativity, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. To address the knowledge gap, this study aimed to investigate: (1) SMTs usage for knowledge sharing, (2) factors affecting students' knowledge sharing over SMTs, and (3) the relationship between knowledge sharing and creativity. Using a structured questionnaire, based on the theory of reasoned action and related factors, data were collected from 266 randomly selected business students of a Pakistani public sector university. The findings disclose that students leveraged SMTs for knowledge sharing. The results confirm that behaviour intention is driven by attitude, social norms and enjoyment from helping others. Moreover, facilitation conditions (needed technological resources, skills, and knowledge), ability to share knowledge, perceived reciprocal benefits, and behaviour intention positively influence knowledge sharing. Surprisingly, teacher support does not influence knowledge sharing. Among the investigated factors, behaviour intention is found the most significant predictor of students’ knowledge sharing. Furthermore, the results disclose that there is a positive association between knowledge sharing and creativity. This research provides theoretical and practical implications and directions for further research.

Teachers‘ Experience and Motivation as Predictors of Students‘ Achievement and Interest in Mathematics in Delta North Senatorial District, Nigeria

This study examined teachers’ experience and motivation as predictors of students’ academic achievement and interest in mathematics in Delta North Senatorial District. Two research questions and two corresponding hypotheses that guided the study were answered and tested, respectively. The study employed the correlational research design. Three research instruments which are the Teachers’ Demographics and Motivational Level Questionnaire, Students’ Interest Questionnaire and Students’ Mathematics Achievement Score were used to collect the data analyzed for this study. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using, Canonical Correlation, Multiple Regression. The result obtained from the study revealed that Experience was found to be a significant predictor of students’ academic achievement in mathematics, but did not significantly predict student interest in mathematics. Motivation was also, a significant predictor of academic achievement, but not a predictor of student interest. The combination of the teacher variables highly predicted student academic achievement in mathematics and explained a very large variance in the dependent variable with Motivation being a higher unique contributor in the variance explained than teachers’ experience. The combination of the teachers’ variables did not significantly predict students’ Interest in mathematics. It was recommended that mathematics teachers that are experienced should be made to teach mathematics at the Senior Secondary level in schools and as much as possible, these teachers should be motivated (monetary and non-monetary) by their employers.

Cooperative Learning as a Pathway to Strengthening Motivation and Improving Achievement in an EFL Classroom

The importance of applying cooperative learning and aiming toward an increase in motivation to maximize the effectiveness of the learning process has not sparked an intense research interest in the Bosnian EFL context. Thus, the current study, conducted among 211 high-school participants, explores the impact of gender and grade level on students’ cooperative learning and motivation for EFL learning and aims to determine whether any cooperative learning components are significant predictors of students’ motivation and their EFL achievement. The findings showed no significant gender and grade level differences in cooperative learning and motivation. Additionally, the results revealed that individual accountability and interpersonal skills are significant predictors of participants’ motivation and that promotive interaction and interpersonal skills are significant predictors of their EFL achievement. The research points to the importance of incorporating cooperative learning strategies and motivation-strengthening activities into EFL teaching, which will eventually lead to the improvement in students’ EFL achievements.

Impact of Teacher Professional Characteristics on Students’ Academic Achievement at Secondary School Level

This research paper investigated the effect of teachers' professional characteristics on students’ academic achievement in secondary schools of district Bannu. The population of the study constituted all public secondary schools of district Bannu. For a collection of data and generalization of results, 600 respondents were taken as a sample. The sample was drawn by using the Stratified Random Sampling technique. For data collection, a self-developed questionnaire was used. For students' academic achievement self-developed Achievement test was used. The data was analyzed by using Linear Regression. The results show those secondary school teachers' professional characteristics such as teacher subject knowledge, teaching prowess, teacher-student relationship, and communication skills are significant predictors of students' academic achievement.