Students’ continuity norms in the university and exam calendar: do they affect university academic performance? / Normas de permanencia y calendario de exámenes: ¿afectan al rendimiento académico universitario?

Students’ academic performance is a key factor in evaluating the efficiency and quality of university degree programmes. Not only do personal characteristics and the students’ own performance affect these results, but so does the university’s academic organization. Based on a database that contains the overall results by course and exam period in three different degree programmes from 2007–15, we estimate what external factors influenced the percentages of students sitting for and passing exams. The analysis of the data panel shows that the order of the exams and the students’ continuity norms established by the university to penalize failing grades are two incentives that improve student performance only in the ordinary exam periods. These results also imply first keeping the incentive system at the university and secondly strategically using the exam calendar for the courses with the worst overall results.     

Learning strategies: differences according to year of study in undergraduate psychology students and Master’s students / Estrategias de aprendizaje: diferencias por curso académico en estudiantes universitarios de psicología y máster

The strategies used by students are an important element of the teaching/learning process. The CEVEAPEU Questionnaire was administered to 310 students to analyse the use of 25 learning strategies in undergraduate psychology students and students of a Master’s in Education, and to explore any differences according to their year of study. Greater use of strategies was reported in the advanced years in comparison with the initial years, with the exception of strategies related to social skills and the transfer of knowledge, which were particularly notable in the third year in comparison with other years. Furthermore, no changes were noted between students of the first year and the second year, or between those of the third year and the fourth year. These findings indicate that the strategic profile of university students varies according to the academic year they are following and that, in general, it is better in the middle and advanced stages. This aspect should therefore be taken into account in order to improve the quality of teaching/learning processes in higher education.