College Academic Performance Research Articles

Awareness and practice of mental health promotion among students at the University of Calabar, Nigeria. Authors

Background: Mental health is vital to university students' overall well-being and academic performance. In Nigeria, cultural and institutional barriers often limit mental health awareness and support. This study explores the awareness and practices of mental health promotion among students at the University of Calabar, Nigeria, to address gaps and improve intervention strategies. Materials and Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was adopted, utilizing quantitative surveys (n=500) and qualitative interviews (n=25) with students and university staff. Data collection focused on mental health awareness, help-seeking behaviors, and the accessibility of mental health services. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative responses. Results: Findings revealed that while 60% of students were aware of basic mental health issues, only 30% actively engaged in mental health-promoting practices. Significant barriers were identified, including stigma, lack of information, and cultural beliefs. Additionally, 45% of students associated mental health challenges with spiritual causes. Female students demonstrated more positive attitudes towards seeking help than males. Only 12% of students had accessed professional mental health support, with most relying on informal sources such as friends or religious leaders. Conclusion: The study highlights significant gaps between mental health awareness and practice among University of Calabar students. Addressing stigma, increasing the visibility of mental health services, and integrating mental health education into university curricula are critical steps. Evidence-based recommendations for promoting mental health include peer-led initiatives, enhanced accessibility to services, and culturally sensitive interventions.

The alternative education pathway to higher education in non-anglophone contexts: themes and implications from a systematic scoping review on IBDP

ABSTRACT As an exemplary alternative education pathway to higher education, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) has gained significant global traction, with an increasing number of graduates in non-Anglophone contexts. Employing a systematic review method to analyse studies in emerging contexts from the past 20 years, this research examined IBDP’s contributions to higher education, including university preparation, academic performance, and post-graduation trajectories. The findings highlight themes pertinent to other international education frameworks: (1) higher education outcomes are largely influenced by school environments and student demographics, (2) tensions exist between globalised curricula and localised educational systems, and (3) the dual examination requirements within national university admission processes pose obstacles to the programme’s successful implementation and scaling-up. This study recommends that future research and policy on international and alternative education programmes should focus on the following: less advantaged school populations, long-term impacts, and admission recognition processes within national higher education institutions and systems.

The effects of free tuition policy on university academic performance in Chile

AbstractIn 2016 Chile initiated a policy of free tuition for students from families in the lower half of the income distribution to improve access to and completion of higher education. The empirical effectiveness of the policy has not yet been completely demonstrated. This study analysed the difference in levels of academic performance of students enrolled in 12 Chilean universities with and without free tuition. The study used a regression discontinuity design with a running discrete variable locally randomised. The results show that the academic performance of students receiving free tuition was equivalent to that of students paying the full cost. There was no difference in the course pass rate of those with or without free tuition. Over time the effects of the policy could reduce inequality in the professional labour market. In addition, the study suggests that there may be complementary practices that further improve university student achievement and completion rates.

Exploring the nexus between university sustainability practices and academic performance: An empirical analysis of the QS sustainability ranking and four world university rankings.

Universities, as agents of change, are expected to contribute to society's most pressing challenges, particularly the 21st century's central issue of sustainability. Amid growing expectations from governments, society, and an increasingly conscientious student body, universities have undergone significant institutional adjustments to incorporate sustainability into their core missions of education, research, and outreach. As universities worldwide increasingly engage in sustainability practices, the question arises: How do these sustainability endeavours correlate with academic performance on a global scale? This article, using data from the QS Sustainability Ranking and four prominent academic ranking (THEWUR, ARWU, QSWUR and USWUR), investigates this link. The study explores whether sustainability relates to the academic performance of universities, the validity of the relationship when academic scores of the four rankings are aggregated, and its dependence on country-level sustainability performance scores. Findings reveal that sustainability practices have a reflection on the university rankings, providing a global competitive advantage for universities. While this study incorporates aggregated scores as a methodological innovation addressing the lack of uniformity among ranking systems, it recommends the inclusion of university-level control variables (such as faculty expertise, university budget, infrastructure) and government and policy variables in future studies to ensure robustness of the results.

Polyvictimization and academic performance among college students: Examining differences across sexual and gender identity

Objective: The current study examines the relationship between polyvictimization and academic performance in college across gender and sexual identity. Participants: Participants were from the Spring 2019 administration of the American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment-II. Methods: Multinomial logistic regression models and negative binomial regression models with and without interaction terms were used to explore if gender and sexual identity are related to academic performance, and if they are differentially related to academic performance when experiencing polyvictimization. Results: The effects of polyvictimization on academic performance are largely similar across all groups, but those identifying as trans/non-binary + and those identifying as a sexual minority had the greatest probability of experiencing academic performance issues. When the effects are different, they show a stronger association for students who are heterosexual and students who are cisgender. Conclusions: These similarities suggest that a need exists to target all students at risk for polyvictimization for intervention efforts.

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

Identifying the Determinants of Academic Success: A Machine Learning Approach in Spanish Higher Education

Academic performance plays a key role in assessing the quality and equity of a country’s educational system. Studying the aspects or factors that influence university academic performance is an important research opportunity. This article synthesizes research that employs machine learning techniques to identify the determinants of academic performance in first-year university students. A total of 8700 records from the Complutense University of Madrid corresponding to all incoming students in the academic year 2022–2023 have been analyzed, for which information was available on 28 variables related to university access, academic performance corresponding to the first year, and socioeconomic characteristics. The methodology included feature selection using Random Forest and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) to identify the main predictors of academic performance and avoid overfitting in the models, followed by analysis with four different machine learning techniques: Linear Regression, Support Vector Regression, Random Forest, and XGBoost. The models showed similar predictive performance, also highlighting the coincidence in the predictors of academic performance both at the end of the first semester and at the end of the first academic year. Our analysis detects the influence of variables that had not appeared in the literature before, the admission option and the number of enrolled credits. This study contributes to understanding the factors that impact academic performance, providing key information for implementing educational policies aimed at achieving excellence in university education. This includes, for example, peer tutoring and mentoring where high- and low-performing students could participate.

The University Student is Seen as a Customer: A Qualitative Analysis to Enhance Academic Performance from Satisfaction

In this article a study is carried out to identify the aspects of student satisfaction that allow improving university academic performance through applied educational research with a qualitative approach. Likewise, it is specified that the study problem is: how to enhance academic performance based on the satisfaction of the university student seen as a customer? The theoretical framework states that the way to be able to plan, know, and evaluate the satisfaction of students concerning the service they usually receive in academic terms is considered a relevant factor concerning the quality of education at the national level, such efforts demanding an objective of excellence in education. The study subjects were 06 teachers of the Administration and Marketing career of a private university in Lima. As main results, 02 axes were evidenced: how satisfaction influences university academic performance and the elements to know which motivational strategies improve university academic performance. A discussion of the results was carried out, contrasting what was obtained in the qualitative focus group instrument to affirm or not the delimited category and the emerging categories of the study subjects with the scientific literature. Likewise, in conclusion, we have the reflection to reinforce the importance of student satisfaction to improve student performance in their educational experience at an integral level.

Diagnosis of the Current State of University Academic Performance: Applied Educational Research in the Peruvian Context

The present study is quantitative applied educational research that first analyzes a theoretical framework that affirms that the academic performance of students constitutes a central element in university education since it represents a measure of the learning achieved by individuals and, at the same time, an indicator of the quality of higher education institutions and systems. Likewise, it is specified that the problem of the study is: How does the academic performance of university students’ impact in the Peruvian context? Considering that there are factual realities that need to be reviewed in a relevant way, such as difficulties in grades and GPA, difficulties in-class participation, difficulties in delivering assignments and projects on time, inadequate interaction with professors and classmates, and absenteeism. A case study was used, selecting 106 students from a private university in Lima through a non-probabilistic and intentional sampling. The technique applied was the survey and the instrument was a questionnaire. A total of 20 questions were asked considering a work structure called "Construction and Validation of the RAU scale of University Academic Performance" composed of three dimensions (contribution to academic activities, dedication to study, and lack of organization of teaching resources). As a main result, the importance of formative management of students' motivation became evident. It is concluded that it was possible to obtain two dimensions resulting from the model, which are the formative metacognitive dimension and the formative socio-humanistic dimension.

Influence of Physical Facilities on Students’ Academic Performance in University for Development Studies, Tamale

Influence of Physical Facilities on Students’ Academic Performance in University for Development Studies, Tamale

Mental health and academic performance in university students: Systematic review

Introduction: Mental health is an important part of public health, as its lack leads to a variety of mental disorders that are health problems in societies around the world. Mental health can be affected by biological, psychological, social and economic factors. In the university environment, these factors constitute an aspect that requires special attention, given the negative influence they could exert on the academic performance of students.Objective: Analyze the relationship between mental health and academic performance in university students.Methods: The systematic review of available scientific literature was carried out, using a systematic procedure based on the search, selection, review, interpretation and synthesis of the proven evidence from the years 2006 – 2023. The search was based on the study of the variables: mental health and academic performance.Results: After the analysis of the different articles, three main themes were identified: mental health: generalities; importance of mental health in academic performance and professional support: guarantee of good academic performance in university students.Conclusions: It is concluded that mental health in the university environment affects the student's academic performance. Work must be done on the development of skills to manage emotions and address imbalances that affect the mental health of students, otherwise it will be reflected in the learning process, in the family environment and the social environment, resulting in possible dropouts and the occurrence of psychosomatic diseases in the medium and long term.

The relationship of university entrepreneurial orientation, academic innovation performance, and accreditation as moderation

This study investigates the empirical relationship between university entrepreneurial orientation (U-EO), accreditation, and academic innovation performance based on the concept of an entrepreneurial university. The purpose of this study is to determine whether academic innovation performance and U-EO are positively correlated, as well as whether accreditation can enhance this relationship. 489 Indonesian university departments participated in this study, which was conducted via random selection. The ENTRE-U scale is used for measuring U-EO, and the number of publications, patents, and spin-offs that lecturers produce is used to measure academic innovation performance. Hierarchical regression and econometric methods are used to test variable relationships. The results of this study show a positive correlation between academic innovation performance and U-EO. The performance of the department in generating publications, patents, and spin-offs can be improved by raising the U-EO. The positive correlation between academic innovation success and U-EO can be reinforced by accreditation. This study has implications for departments and universities seeking to maximize academic innovation performance through publications, patents, and spin-offs. This research adds insight into the entrepreneurial orientation of non-profit organizations, which still needs to be researched, there are universities, and strategies for improving their academic innovation performance as university entrepreneurial.

Assessing prevalence, factors and health consequences and academic performance of undergraduate students with breakfast skipping during COVID-19 using statistical modeling: a cross-sectional study

The study was conducted in order to study breakfast skipping (BKS) frequency, factors associated with, health consequence and undergraduate students academic performance during Covid-19 pandemic as earliest studies focusing on this area. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 2225 of undergraduate students. The study was carried between the period of 15/1/2020 to 3/4/2020 using an online self-report Breakfast Eating Habit Survey (BEHS). The BEHS survey was divided into two sections. The first sections included sociodemographic information (gender, BMI, age, smoking, residency, parental education, family income, studying system and stage (public or private), and studying institution (university or institute) academic performance. The second part included questions regarding breakfast eating habits including frequency of skipping meals, factors related to BKS health consequences and types of snacks. Logistic regression is a common technique used for modeling outcomes that fall into the range of 1 and 0. For this purpose, a logistic regression was performed to find adjusted odds ratio and crude odds ratio. The results showed that the majority of participants were female (1238, 55.7%). Out of 2,224 students, 2059 are aged between 18 to 24 years. Most of the participants were from first level (26.5%), second level (32.8%), third level (17.6%) or the fourth level (21.3%). Over 92% of participants were single and about 68% came from families of medium income families. The statistical analysis showed that the odds of BKS is reduced among students who live in accommodation by 54% (odds ratio = 54%, CI (41–71%), p value = 0.000). It seems that students with low income and normal or higher BMI are more likely to skip breakfast more regularly. The odds of skipping breakfast among students with BMI of 18–24.9 is reduced by 41% (odds ratio = 59%, CI (27%-93%), p value = 0.027) and the odds of BKS is reduced among students with BMI of 25–29.9 by 45% (odds ratio = 55%, CI (31–95%). Additionally, students with medium or high incomes are more likely to skip breakfast as much as twofold in comparison with students with low income (medium income (odds ratio = 1.85, CI (1.08–3.17), p-value = 0.024), high income (odds ratio = 1.98, CI (1.12–3.51), p-value = 0.019). The most common reasons for skipping breakfast included include time constraint, not hungry, breakfast is not ready, afraid to be overweight and lack of appetite. The consequences of skipping breakfast were feeling hungry throughout the day, feeling tired, and not paying attention in class and low academic performance. To concluded, BKS during Covid-19 is more common among students with higher BMI, higher income and living in accommodation. The main reason is time constraint and the most common health problems are being tired and luck of attention.

Integration of Information Communication Technology, Strategic Leadership and Academic Performance in Universities in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Information communication technology has become an integral part of the management of higher educational institutions worldwide. There is no aspect of our lives that technology has not penetrated and brought lasting impact. This study delves into the intricate dynamics of how ICT influences management and learning processes in higher learning institutions. It sought to critically examine the impact of the integration of information communication technology in the strategic management of institutions of higher learning, specifically focusing on North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. It aims to critically assess the integration of ICT and its impact on financial management, human resource management, and the overall enhancement of faculty and employee effectiveness in Congolese higher learning institutions. The study was conducted within selected institutions of higher learning in North Kivu in Congo. The study engaged a sample size of 124 staff from select universities who participated in this study. The study was guided by the positivist research philosophy, and it employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. This study utilized purposive sampling technique to get the sample size. Data collection was done through questionnaires. Data analysis entailed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics used mean and standard deviation which served as key metrics. The F- test was used to make statistical inferences. Analysis of qualitative data was done using the use of content analysis. The study established that ICT usage, ICT accessibility, and ICT integration both have significant influence on academic performance. Furthermore, the study determined that strategic leadership played a mediating role in the relationship between ICT integration and academic performance. It is, therefore, advisable for managers of these institutions to invest in ICT so that they can improve performance and increase service delivery to all the stakeholders.

New intake adaptation to school routines and academic performance in universities in South- South, Nigeria

New intake adaptation to school routines and academic performance in universities in South- South, Nigeria

A Correlational Study between the level of academic performance and the level of academic stress among Young Adults

Introduction: Stress may decrease cognitive capacities and learning in young adults , affecting academic performance. The primary aim of the research was to examine the correlation between academic stress and academic performance. Method: The samples (male 50, female 50, aged 17-23 years) were taken from different universities in India. Academic stress was measured by the (ASS) Academic stress scale and academic performance was measured by Birchmeier, C. et al., from Saginaw Valley State University (APS) Academic performance scale. The data was analysed using SPSS (version 16). Result: Research indicates a significant negative association (r = -0.60, p < 0.001) between academic stress and performance, with higher stress levels resulting in decreased performance. Multiple regression analysis shows that academic stress significantly impacts academic performance (β = -0.45, p < 0.001). Students with high stress performed less well academically compared to those with low or moderate stress (F (2, 97) = 12.34, p < 0.001). Female students reported much greater academic stress across every dimension than male students. For AST, females (M = 46.16) had significantly higher stress levels than men (M = 35.26); t (98) = 3.75, p =.001. Conclusion: The findings indicate that students are likely to achieve higher academic performance when they experience lower levels of academic stress.

Effect of Internet Addiction on Sleep Quality and Academic Performance in Undergraduate Dental Students

Abstract Aim This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Internet addiction and its effect on sleep patterns and university academic performance among dental undergraduates. Methodology A total of 400 dental undergraduates were targeted in a cross-sectional setting. The students were invited to fill out a pretested questionnaire consisting of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Internet Addiction Test. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software (version 20.0). Frequencies and percentages along with mean and standard deviation were calculated. Results A total of 274 study subjects participated in the study out of which the majority of respondents were females (N = 230; 83.9%). Seventy-six percent of the population was using the Internet for 0 to 6 hours. Excellent academic performance scores have not been reported in any of the years except the second year. The mean global PSQI score and Internet addiction score both are seen to be reducing as the year of study increases. Internet addiction is positively associated with poor PSQI scores. Conclusion The authors concluded that adequate sleep is undoubtedly the most important factor. Internet usage is a dynamic issue; the students need to manage it in a strict schedule to manage a decent total sleeping time.

Mothers' parenting styles, academic self-efficacy and academic performance: Chinese-Spanish Cross-Cultural Study

This study aims at investigating and highlighting the diversity in mothers' parenting style and self-esteem and their correlations with academic achievements across cultural contexts. A total of 200 university students (100 from China and 100 from Spain) was taken by means of the purposive sampling method. During the course of the 2021-2022 Academic Year, the Parenting Style Scale (S-EMBU) and Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES) were used to assess mothers' parenting styles and self-efficacy. It was found out that there were several cultural differences in the way parents approach their children, with the Spanish mothers applying warm and affectionate attitudes and the Chinese parents using stricter methods. As for the difference, no statistical significance was found between the two groups related to academic self-efficacy. In the findings, the rejection type of parenting was associated negatively with self-efficacy and academic performance while warm parenting that is emotional in nature was positively associated with these outcomes among university students. Furthermore, a positive connection between academic self-efficacy and academic success is also observed. The research identified specific parenting behaviors of mothers that significantly affect students’ academic performance in university, which reveals the critical role of parents in student’s academic success. Generally, the study shows the significance of cultural variation in parental involvements into university students' academic performance and the key role of parenting in the students' academic success. The research also considered parenting styles and academic self-conceptualizations between the Chinese and the Spanish university students. While it is true that there were notable cultural differences in parenting styles between Spanish mothers who showed warmer and more expressive styles and Chinese mothers, there were no significant differences in subjects’ self-efficacy in learning processes between the two groups. These results emphasize the significant role of parenting in the predictability of academic achievements among university students. In this sense, parental styles that involve emotional warmth were found to correlate with higher levels of academic self-efficacy and better academic performance. The research shows that positive ways of parenting including fostering emotional closeness and caring could help improve children's school performance.

Examining the Interplay of Classroom Learning Environment, Support, and Acquisition: Insights from Applied Undergraduate Education in China

The classroom learning environment aids students in acquiring knowledge and improving their abilities, with learning acquisition serving as the cornerstone of curriculum evaluation. Traditional approaches to curriculum assessment predominantly rely on explicit indicators like university reputation, resource allocation, and academic performance, often neglecting the implicit measure of learning acquisition. A shift towards a student-centered perspective suggests that curriculum evaluation should prioritize students’ subjective experiences. In line with this perspective, this study endeavors to investigate the interplay among the classroom learning environment, learning support, and learning acquisition within applied undergraduate universities in China. Employing a descriptive research methodology through a survey, participants responded to a questionnaire. A total of 411 students majoring in law, art, and engineering from Henan CJ University in China were included in the study. Findings revealed no significant correlation between respondents’ gender, age, major, and the classroom learning environment, learning support, and learning acquisition. However, notable associations were identified between the classroom learning environment and learning support, the classroom learning environment and learning acquisition, as well as learning support and learning acquisition. This research underscores that an enhanced classroom learning environment corresponds to better learning support, resulting in improved learning outcomes.

Tech‐infused classrooms: A comprehensive study on the interplay of mobile learning, ChatGPT and social media in academic attainment

AbstractMobile learning (M‐learning), ChatGPT and social media are integral to university education, improving accessibility, personalization and interactive engagement in the learning process. This paper aimed to investigate the role of M‐learning, ChatGPT and social media in university students' academic performance. It was a cross‐sectional quantitative investigation, and data were collected from 600 university students through a self‐developed questionnaire having four subscales (M‐learning, ChatGPT, social media and academic performance). Simple linear regression and process macro were deployed to test study hypotheses. The analysis revealed that M‐learning is a significant contributor to students' academic performance at the university level (β = .460, t(598) = 12.663, p < .001). Social media were found to be significantly mediating the relationship between M‐learning and academic performance with coefficient B = .267, SE = .038, t(597) = 7.08, p < .001, 95% CI [0.193, 0.341]. ChatGPT was significantly contributing to academic performance (B = .288, t(596) = 2.50, p = .013), but the interaction term had an insignificant effect on the relationship between M‐learning and academic performance (β = .292, t(596) = −0.43, p = .668). The study suggests that M‐learning can improve students' performance. The influence of social media and the non‐moderating role of ChatGPT indicate the need for strategic integration of these tools to enhance university students' outcomes. It is recommended that university students should judiciously use social media to enhance M‐learning. In contrast, universities should foster this integration to achieve educational aims and explore how AI tools like ChatGPT can be optimally deployed to improve learning.