Success In Higher Education Research Articles

Assessing the effectiveness of academic coaching interventions for student success in higher education: A systematic review

ABSTRACT Every student has the potential to change the world by making a significant contribution to society. Experiences in higher education significantly shape the development of this potential, for better or worse, leading to interventions to support student success. Among such interventions, academic coaching has been widely used; however, how do we know that it is effective? In this systematic literature review, we describe the characteristics of effective academic coaching interventions, including the format of coaching (individual or group coaching), coaching mode (in-person or distance via technology), coaching topics, coach background, duration, frequency. Focusing on peer-reviewed English journals between 2010 and May 2023, the study found 643 articles, 25 of which met the inclusion criteria following rigorous screening and consensus-reaching processes. Based on the findings, effective coaching interventions span at least 12 hours over 4 weeks, are preferably in-person, and are best facilitated by professional coaches.

Exploring the Correlation between Self-regulated Learning Strategies and Academic Success in Higher Education

This study aims to determine how many Jordanian university students use self-regulated learning strategies, how much these strategies vary by gender and degree of accomplishment, and what the correlation is between students' strategy possession and their degree of academic success. One hundred twenty male and female students made up the sample. The researcher ensured the validity and reliability of the self-regulated learning techniques questionnaire before administering it to them. The results showed that participants were adequately proficient in listening (mean 3.5, SD 0.8), summarizing (mean 3.7, SD 0.6), and arranging (mean 3.6, SD 0.7), among other tactics. There were clear gender differences; men scored higher on the Listening and Arranging tasks, with the former having a significantly higher mean score (p-value 0.042) and the latter having a slightly higher mean score (3.6). Self-regulated learning strategiesAdditionally, there was a correlation between academic performance and strategy proficiency. High achievers tended to have better scores across the board. However, they were solid in the areas of summarizing (mean 3.9, SD 0.4) and listening (mean 3.8, SD 0.5), where there were strong correlations between the two and academic success (mean 0.59). These findings demonstrate that self-regulated learning strategies are crucial for academic success and that improving these abilities might substantially impact educational performance.

To be or not to be: self-compassion and academic buoyancy in university

PurposeAcademic buoyancy refers to a student’s adaptive response to overcome common academic-related stress and challenges. Guided by social cognitive theory, we investigated the relation between students' academic buoyancy and their endorsement of compassionate and uncompassionate self-responding.Design/methodology/approachStudents from a Minority-serving, Hispanic-serving public university (N = 112) completed an online survey assessing academic buoyancy (Martin and Marsh, 2008) and self-compassion (Neff, 2003). We conducted a hierarchical regression analysis with uncompassionate and compassionate self-responding as predictors and academic buoyancy as the outcome.FindingsCompassionate self-responding (i.e. self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness) explained additional variance above and beyond what uncompassionate self-responding (i.e. self-judgment, isolation and overidentification) explained in the model. Uncompassionate self-responding components emerged as the strongest predictors of academic buoyancy.Originality/valueLimited research exists regarding the relation between self-compassion and academic buoyancy, especially in the higher education setting. This research indicates that student compassionate self-responding is associated with students’ adaptive response to overcoming academic setbacks, stress and challenges. The findings of the current research could have meaningful implications for university officials’ efforts in helping students overcome academic-related setbacks and achieve academic success in higher education. University offices, programs and communities can focus on compassionate self-responding to support students in overcoming common school-related setbacks. Programs could be developed to move students away from uncompassionate self-responding as a means of promoting buoyancy.

Influence of Senior High School Strand on the Academic Performance in College

The influence of a senior high school (SHS) on academic performance in college is an interesting topic that involves exploring how the specific curriculum and focus of senior high school education can impact students’ success in higher education. In this context, this study explored the influence of senior high school strands on the academic performance of Accountancy students. Data for this descriptive study were collected from 128 respondents using a 30-item, self-made data-gathering instrument that has passed rigorous tests for validity and reliability. The data show that age and senior high school strands significantly influence students’ academic performance in foundational knowledge. However, the level of influence of the SHS strand and the level of academic performance have no significant relationship. This suggests that regardless of the specific strand a student pursues during their SHS years, their performance in higher education is not directly affected by this choice. Keywords: Accountancy, senior high school strand, academic performance, Negros Occidental, Philippines

Institutional policies and practices to improve access and success in higher education: the students’ proposals

ABSTRACT Ensuring equal conditions of access and success for all higher education students is a challenging task for educational systems and institutions. Understanding the students’ perspectives and needs regarding educational policies and institutional practices in higher education can be an important contribution to improving the quality of education. This paper aims to identify the main obstacles faced by students and their proposals for the improvement of policies and institutional practices in the Portuguese higher education system to promote access and success for all students. By using a mixed-methods approach, we gathered responses from 1,292 students enrolled in 56 HEIs. Data was analysed through content analysis with a pre-existing grid comprising three dimensions: socio-economic, educational and institutional. Descriptive statistics were carried out for the quantitative data. The results revealed socio-economic factors were the most frequently mentioned as needing improvement, followed by the educational and institutional factors. The results allow concluding that institutional practices and educational policies are directly related. Thus, the institutional and political improvement actions should be seen in a holistic and integrative way, integrating actions to enhance the students’ socio-economic, educational and institutional conditions.

Class attendance and academic performance in geography programs

ABSTRACT Regular class attendance has traditionally been seen as a positive contributor to academic success in higher education. However, progress in educational technologies, evolving learning styles, and self-directed learning have given rise to a debate on the role of physical presence of students in class. This study aimed to analyse the impact of class attendance on academic performance. For this, class attendance was daily registered across multiple geography courses in various universities over five academic years. Results showed that the average class attendance was 67.6%, although a decline in class attendance as courses progressed was observed. Despite this, only a relatively low proportion of students failed their subject (16.8%). Nevertheless, statistical analysis showed significant differences in final grades between students with high and low attendance. Generally, students with above-average attendance were prone to earn an above-average final grade, and vice versa. Therefore, it could be established that class attendance was an indicator of academic success, while significant levels of absenteeism could work as indicators of worse academic performance. Recognizing the importance of in-person attendance is crucial, but addressing forthcoming challenges is equally important. Future research should explore the use of emerging technologies and learning styles to foster more suitable learning environments.

Complicity and Conformity: perpetuating race and class hierarchies in UK higher education

ABSTRACT Drawing on tenets of Critical Race Theory such as Whiteness, interest convergence, intersectionality and White supremacy this paper examines how some academics of colour are able to accelerate their success in higher education by performing Whiteness by using their privileges and capitals as a means by which they are able to identify with their White colleagues which enables them to perform Whiteness (albeit as outsiders). At the same time, by allowing privileged academics of colour entrance into the White space of higher education, White groups are able to perform inclusion. Drawing on interviews with 34 academics of colour, this paper argues that by performing and enacting Whiteness, some academics of colour mirror successful White behaviours within White normative frameworks. As a result, they are rewarded and gain entrance into the White space of higher education, but the main beneficiaries from this process are White groups, leaving the structures and institutions of racism intact. Consequently, they are complicit in upholding White supremacy, and by doing so protect the interests of White groups.

Collaborative approaches to embedding academic literacy instruction in the curriculum: examples from UK universities

ABSTRACT The development of academic literacy is fundamental to student success in higher education. Universities offer various types of student support, ranging from generic courses to discipline-specific academic literacy instruction. The approach that has been advocated as the most inclusive and systematic is the embedding of academic literacy instruction into subject curricula. Embedding is best facilitated when English for academic purposes (EAP) specialists, with their linguistic and pedagogical expertise, work in collaboration with subject lecturers. Whilst there are several published examples of embedded academic literacy instruction led by EAP practitioners, there is still little evidence of collaborations in which subject lecturers assume some responsibility for students’ academic literacy development. Although there has been a growing trend towards collaborative and embedded activities, they remain largely invisible(Tibbetts and Chapman 2023. A guide to in-sessional English for academic purposes: Paradigms and practices. London: Routledge). This study aimed to offer detailed insights into current initiatives in UK universities and to identify factors that facilitate or constrain collaborations and institution-wide provision of embedded academic literacy support. For this purpose, we conducted open interviews with EAP leaders at fifteen universities. The findings indicate that the type of institution as well as the representation of EAP staff in departmental committees are important factors for the implementation and sustainability of collaborative and embedded academic literacy provision. Based on the findings, we propose some steps that EAP leaders can take to reduce the structural and perceptual barriers preventing the expansion of this provision across institutions.

Mentors and sponsors: Making a difference for racially and culturally minoritised academics in Australian universities

AbstractMentorship and sponsorships play a significant role in faculty experiences, career trajectories, well‐being and academic success in higher education. In this study, 23 racially and culturally minoritised (RACM) academics were interviewed about their experiences working in Australian universities, and all spoke about the key importance of their mentoring experiences. Mentorship was understood as both enabling and constricting, with unspoken rules of conduct and an embedded hierarchical relationship that could perpetuate the exclusion of both marginalised scholars and scholarship. In this paper, the theory of practice architectures, part of a wider ‘practice turn’ within education and the social sciences, was used to conceptualise the qualitative analysis of how mentoring arrangements are experienced by RACM academics in Australian universities. Here, we view academic mentoring as a social architectural practice whose power is articulated in discursive, material‐economic and social‐political arrangements and enacted through language (sayings), actions (doings) and relationships (relatings). This study offers insight not only into the structural and experiential landscape of mentoring for RACM academics but also provides an opportunity to envision pathways for its transformation.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging: A Health Humanities Consortium Initiative.

The Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (JEDIB) committee formed in 2022 in order to support diversity and inclusion in the Health Humanities Consortium and to advance best practices for equity and inclusion in the field of medical and health humanities. This Forum Essay describes our first year of work, including participant-led commitment statement crafting and strategic planning. Health humanities-specific JEDIB work is described in detail in essays about disability justice; gender, sex, sexuality, and reproductive justice; and Indigeneity from a decolonial standpoint. The authors offer transferable techniques for other organizations and institutions with particular attention to heath care and health professions education. Another essay analyzes US institutional and demographic data to show that as an academic program, health humanities gives robust indicators of contributing significantly to student diversity and inclusive success in higher education and medical education. The Forum closes with a reflection on joining the work of equity and inclusion and what new priorities and awareness can emerge to inform health equity scholarship and epistemic justice.

Developing University Students’ Assessment Literacy - Theory and Practice

Assessment literacy skills are increasingly recognized as being important for student success in higher education. However, as a field of study, it is not well-researched except in the context of language assessment. This paper delves into critical theoretical underpinnings and practical strategies that can be used to develop assessment literacy among university students. Based on a constructivist view, this paper discusses how social interactions and cultural practices interplay to shape students’ conceptual understanding of assessment. It argues that effective assessment literacy embodies understanding the purposes of assessment, interpreting criteria, and using feedback to improve constantly. This means integrating the development of assessment literacy into curriculum design using experiential learning and developing self-regulated learning strategies. The goal is to provide a primer for university educators and instigate reflection and debate on how best to support students when engaging with diverse assessment practices to enhance their academic achievement and skills for lifelong learning.

EXPLORING THE SCHOOL LEARNING EXPERIENCES OF INDIGENOUS STUDENTS IN EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS TO EDUCATIONAL CONTINUITY

This study explores the school learning experiences of Indigenous (Orang Asli) students who have successfully pursued higher education in Malaysian institutions. Employing a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design, the research involved five Orang Asli students from various tribes currently enrolled in higher education institutions. The study aimed to explore their school learning experiences, factors influencing their success, and suggestions for improving educational continuity among Orang Asli students. Findings revealed four main themes affecting the educational experiences and success of Orang Asli students: (1) Distance and transportation, (2) Local language and culture, (3) Academic, parental, and community support, and (4) Family economic status. The study found that distance and transportation challenges were mitigated through the provision of dormitories, while language and cultural barriers were addressed through teaching approaches sensitive to individual student needs. Academic support from schools, parental motivation, and financial assistance from various parties emerged as crucial factors in Orang Asli students' success in pursuing university education. Based on these findings, the study proposes several measures to enhance educational continuity for Orang Asli students, including constructing schools near Orang Asli settlements, improving teaching and learning methods, implementing more structured support programs at the university level, and enhancing financial aid systems. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by Orang Asli students and the factors influencing their success in higher education, providing insights for developing more effective strategies to increase educational continuity within the Orang Asli community.

Path modeling of factors that predict self-regulated learning

Students can encounter significant challenges when transitioning from high school to university. Students must possess the necessary skills to adjust to the self-directed learning atmosphere of the university, however frequently lack the ability to take responsibility for their own learning. This study employs path-modeling techniques to investigate and analyze the multifaceted relationships between various factors, that can predict self-regulated learning as they impact learners' academic achievements in higher education settings, as informed by an extensive review of existing literature. The population for this study were university undergraduates using a researcher-designed questionnaire for data collection. The data collected was modelled reflectively using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results show that the measurement model assessment showed strong reliability and convergent validity of the latent constructs. However, only technology significantly predicted self-regulated learning as contributing to students' academic success in higher education. The findings from this study contribute significantly to understanding the nuanced pathways through which various learning indicators interact to predict students' self-regulation as influencing students' academic performance in the higher education space. Insights gained from the analysis offer valuable implications for relevant stakeholders aimed at fostering properly tailored conduct that enhances students' academic success in higher education.

Impact of an OT Mentorship Program on Student Success in Higher Education

Abstract Date Presented 03/22/24 This study aimed to determine the impact of an OT mentorship program on student success for a diverse student population on academic probation. Findings indicate that an OT mentorship in higher education can support student success and well-being. Primary Author and Speaker: Brianna Marie Ramos Additional Authors and Speakers: Isabella Piedrahita Garcia, Menesis Peguero, Sruthi Shaji Contributing Authors: Catherine Cavaliere, John A. Damiao

Future Teachers Identify Skills Acquired from a 1:1 Technology Environment

Are high school students ready for their postgraduate education or a career that may not have been invented yet? As teachers focus on career prep and the necessary future-ready skills in the classroom, teachers are using technology to hone skills necessary for students’ future success. The technological skills students need to develop to be successful go far beyond the core academic subjects. Success in higher education or career pursuits requires students to develop a combination of technology through student-centered, project-based learning around the 4Cs (critical thinking/problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity/innovation). Along with knowing how to use a variety of applications, students need to be able to know how to apply the technology to solve problems. This paper aims to understand what technology and 4C skills pre-service teachers who graduated from a 1:1 technology high school possess. The findings show that the respondents are more prepared and comfortable using their 4C skills than their technology skills. This paper will address the potential implications of technology and 4C skills deficiencies and strengths on future teaching practices. The literature on technology skills and 4C skills has historically focused on one set of skills or the other in isolation. This research addresses this gap in the literature by comparing the acquisition of the two skill sets to each other in the same (1:1 technology) environment. 

Immersive learning in a block teaching model: A case study of academic reform through principles, policies and practice

Universities across the globe are considering how to effect meaningful change in their higher education (HE) delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting student learning preferences. This paper reports on a descriptive case- study of whole-of-institution curriculum reform at one regional Australian university, where more traditional 13-week semesters have been replaced with a 6-week immersive block model known as the Southern Cross Model. Based on a synthesis of literature in best practice HE pedagogy and principles, the case study draws on both a review of policy and staff interviews (N = 5) to outline the key changes necessary for successful HE transformation. Analysis revealed themes related to the vital roles of leadership, capacity building, monitoring the transition, staff adoption, and adequate technical systems in implementing a radical, multifaceted institutional transformation. Implications for practice at institutions considering reforming their curriculum model are also discussed. The findings from this case study indicate that an institutional transformation to an immersive block model requires both a considered change in institutional policy and process, as well as the appropriate resourcing of roles, governance committees, technical solutions, and, importantly, communities of practice.

Immersive learning in a block teaching model: A case study of academic reform through principles, policies and practice

Universities across the globe are considering how to effect meaningful change in their higher education (HE) delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and shifting student learning preferences. This paper reports on a descriptive case- study of whole-of-institution curriculum reform at one regional Australian university, where more traditional 13-week semesters have been replaced with a 6-week immersive block model known as the Southern Cross Model. Based on a synthesis of literature in best practice HE pedagogy and principles, the case study draws on both a review of policy and staff interviews (N = 5) to outline the key changes necessary for successful HE transformation. Analysis revealed themes related to the vital roles of leadership, capacity building, monitoring the transition, staff adoption, and adequate technical systems in implementing a radical, multifaceted institutional transformation. Implications for practice at institutions considering reforming their curriculum model are also discussed. The findings from this case study indicate that an institutional transformation to an immersive block model requires both a considered change in institutional policy and process, as well as the appropriate resourcing of roles, governance committees, technical solutions, and, importantly, communities of practice.

The Development and Content Validation of the Self-Assessment for Student Success (SASS): An Instrument Measuring Areas Impacting Student Success in Higher Education

The Self-Assessment of Student Success (SASS) is a self-report tool that aims to provide students in higher education the opportunity to determine their strengths and limitations within five domains: resilience, stress management, social supports, quality of life, and study skills. Content validity of the SASS was determined by having nine content experts rate test items. Item level content validity index (ICV-I), scale level validity (S-CVI), and Kappa indices were calculated based on responses. Thirty-two of 34 items show strong I-CVI scores. Two items were revised based on feedback. This study provides evidence of content validity of the SASS.

Enhancing adult learner success in higher education through decision tree models: A machine learning approach

This article explores the use of machine learning, specifically Classification and Regression Trees (CART), to address the unique challenges faced by adult learners in higher education. These learners confront socio-cultural, economic, and institutional hurdles, such as stereotypes, financial constraints, and systemic inefficiencies. The study utilizes decision tree models to evaluate their effectiveness in predicting graduation outcomes, which helps in formulating tailored educational strategies. The research analyzed a comprehensive dataset spanning the academic years 2013–2014 to 2021–2022, evaluating the predictive accuracy of CART models using precision, recall, and F1 score. Findings indicate that attendance, age, and Pell Grant eligibility are key predictors of academic success, demonstrating the strong capability of the model across various educational metrics. This highlights the potential of machine learning (ML) to improve data-driven decision-making in educational settings. The results affirm the effectiveness of Decision Tree (DT) models in meeting the educational needs of adult learners and underscore the need for institutions to adapt their strategies to provide more inclusive and supportive environments. This study advocates for a shift towards nuanced, data-driven approaches in higher education, emphasizing the development of strategies that address the distinct challenges of adult learners, aiming to enhance inclusivity and support within the sector.

Enhancing Student Success in Higher Education: A Human-Centered Design Thinking Approach

Higher education institutions increasingly recognize the need to revolutionize approaches to student success. This study employs Human-Centered Design Thinking (HCDT), addressing the challenges faced by students and developing initiatives aimed at improving retention, progression, and graduation rates. Approximately 90 undergraduate students participated in the HCDT sessions, sharing insights about their academic progress. Through a collaborative process, students innovatively designed strategies to overcome these challenges. The HCDT process produced four key themes: proper and timely advisement; courses, schedules, and majors responsive to student demand; reciprocal communication clarity within and about courses; and resource knowledge availability and access. This study features the transformative potential of HCDT in higher education, placing students at the forefront of understanding challenges and designing strategies. By embracing this human-centered approach, institutions can significantly enhance retention, progression, and graduation rates, contributing to an inclusive and supportive educational environment.