A meta-analysis of the relationship between science achievement and science attitude: Kindergarten through college

A meta-analysis of research results for correlation between science achievement and attitude was conducted. Forty-three studies were utilized and 15 variables were coded for each correlation found in each study, yielding 280 coefficients. Overall relationship is moderate (0.16), with differences between elementary, junior high, senior high, and college subjects. Causal ordering results support achievement causing attitude in grades three to eight and mixed results thereafter. Sex differences exist through high school. Other effects are mixed across grade level.     

ADHD and achievement: meta-analysis of the child, adolescent, and adult literatures and a concomitant study with college students

This article presents results from two interrelated studies. The first study conducted a meta-analysis of the published literature since 1990 to determine the magnitude of achievement problems associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Effect sizes were significantly different between participants with and without ADHD (sample weighted r = .32, sample weighted d = . 71; p = .001). Effects were also examined according to the moderators of age, gender, achievement domain (reading, math, spelling), measurement method (standardized tests vs. grades, parent/teacher ratings, etc.), sample type (clinical vs. nonclinical), and system used to identify ADHD (DSM-III-R vs. DSM-IV). Significant differences emerged from the moderator comparisons. The second study, using averaged effect sizes from the first study as a baseline for comparison, investigated achievement levels for an understudied age group with ADHD, namely, college students. Unlike previous studies at the college level, the sample incorporated both student and parent ratings (N = 380 dyads). The results were comparable to outcomes from the meta-analysis for college students and adults. Analyses demonstrated modest (R = .21) but meaningful predictive validity across 1 year to end-of-first-year grades. However, unlike earlier studies with children and adolescents, student ratings were as predictive as parent ratings. Findings are discussed in terms of the impact of moderator variables on ADHD and achievement.     

Students classified as LD and the college foreign language requirement: replication and comparison studies

Two studies examined students classified as having learning disabilities (LD) who had received course substitutions for the college foreign language (FL) requirement. In the first study, 42 students at one university were divided into groups and compared on measures of IQ, academic achievement, FL aptitude, college grade point average (GPA), and FL and English grades. Findings showed that most of the 42 students had been classified as LD in college after experiencing problems in FL courses. Comparisons based on students' performance on measures of FL aptitude, native language skill, and performance in FL courses showed few significant group differences. In the second study, the 42 students from the first study were compared with 86 students at another university who had also been classified as LD and received course substitutions for the college FL requirement. Comparisons on demographic information and measures of IQ, academic achievement, FL aptitude, college GPA, and FL GPA showed few significant differences between the two groups. Both studies suggest that students classified as LD at different universities exhibit similar demographic, cognitive, academic achievement, and FL aptitude profiles and that educators should not make the a priori assumption that students classified as LD require course substitutions for the FL requirement or experience problems with FL learning.     

Monitoring Student Achievement for Accountability: The Demonstration of a Model

Abstract

This study demonstrated a procedural model that can be applied by any school to assess, guide, and account for the progress of its students as well as to analyze its own effectiveness. The model uses equivalent achievement tests to monitor student achievement in subject areas at grade levels, between grade levels, and across subgroups of students. Multiple regression analyses of test scores between grades identify factors associated with achievement Using sixth and eighth grade Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills scores in a matched longitudinal sample of 208 students, the study found small differences in average achievement between boys and girls. Differences between corresponding sixth and eighth grade test means were higher in mathematics than in language. From the sixth grade to the eighth, there was a widening gap in average achievement between high and low I.Q. groups. In multiple regressions of eighth grade test scores on sixth grade measures, I.Q., study skills, and reading were prevalent in the regression equations, but clusters of measures associated with achievement differed between high and low’ LQ. groups. The results of the study have implications for developing and evaluating the achievement of students with varying mental abilities.     

Achievement motivation and self-reported grade point average

This experiment examined the impact of achievement motivation on the accuracy of self-reported grades. Since subjects high in achievement motivation have a greater need for success than subjects low in achievement motivation, we predicted that they would also be more likely to overestimate the degree of their success than low need achievers. This was tested by comparing the grade point overestimations of high and low need achievers. Although there was a general tendency toward oyerestimation, this tendency, as predicted, was significantly greater for individuals high in achievement motivation. The present study considered the implications of this finding as well as the validity of the self-reported grade point average.     

Analysis of engineering discipline grade trends

Among the academic community, there is a perception that there is an upward shift in grade point average over an extended period of time without a corresponding increase in achievement. This trend has become an alarming topic among educators, industry and the general public. Some attribute increases in GPA to improvements in student quality while others point to the emergence of a consumer‐based perception of education that unjustly awards high grades. The objective of this paper is to review various opinions regarding grade inflation, investigate whether grade inflation exists in engineering curricula, and analyze the related factors. Using eight years of detailed course data from a college of engineering, we seek insight into recent grading practices within each engineering discipline. The results indicate an upward trend in grade point average and an increasing prevalence of ‘A’ grades. However, both trends match increases in student achievement potential as measured by ACT composite score. The results also show different grade outcomes among the engineering departments and the importance of class size as a predictor of grades.     

Grade Inflation Marches On: Grade Increases from the 1990s to 2000s

Grade inflation threatens the integrity of college grades as indicators of academic achievement. In this study, we contribute to the literature on grade inflation by providing the first estimate of the size of grade increases at the student level between the mid‐1990s and mid‐2000s. By controlling for student characteristics and course‐taking patterns, we are able to eliminate alternative explanations for grade increases. Our results suggest that grade inflation has occurred across decades, at a small yet non‐negligible rate. Suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Needs for Achievement

Measures of needs for achievement and variety seeking were obtained from students who chose an honors program of independent research during their junior and senior college years and from students with equivalent high grades who chose not to be in honors. The measures of need for achievement from the California Personality Inventory (CPI) and the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) both correlated significantly with choice of an honors curriculum. Scores on the Zukerman Sensation-Seeking scale (SS-scale) and grade point average (GPA) did not correlate with choice of an honors curriculum.     

A self-determination theory approach to predicting school achievement over time: the unique role of intrinsic motivation

Although many studies have examined the relation of academic motivation to school achievement using the Self-Determination Theory perspective, the results have been inconsistent. The present investigation represents the first systematic attempt to use a meta-analysis and controlled, longitudinal studies to examine the relations of specific types of motivation to overall academic achievement. The meta-analysis (Study 1) pointed toward a potentially important role of intrinsic motivation in predicting school achievement. Three empirical studies of high school and college students in Canada (Studies 2 and 3) and in Sweden (Study 4) showed that intrinsic motivation was the only motivation type to be consistently positively associated with academic achievement over a one-year period, controlling for baseline achievement. Amotivation was significantly associated with lower academic achievement in Studies 3 and 4. Interestingly, intrinsic motivation was also associated with reduced amotivation in two of our studies and it was reciprocally associated with higher school achievement in another study. Overall, our findings highlight the unique importance of intrinsic motivation for the future academic success of high school and college students.     

Attitude Toward Self, Social Factors, and Achievement in Mathematics: A Meta-Analytic Review

This meta-analysis integrated 143 primary studies on the relationship of attitude toward self and social factors with achievement in mathematics. Attitude was decomposed into self-concept about mathematics, perception of family support, and perception of mathematics as a male domain. Major findings included: (a) self-concept, family support, and mathematics as a male domain were all related to achievement; (b) the three relationships did not show significant gender differences; (c) the three relationships consistently decreased from the junior high grades to the senior high grades; (d) the relationship between self-concept and achievement varied as a function of ethnicity, whereas the relationship between family support and achievement was consistent across ethnic background; (e) the three relationships all varied across sample selection; (f) the relationship between self-concept and achievement varied with sample size, whereas the relationships of family support and mathematics as a male domain with achievement were sample-size invariant; (g) the relationship between self-concept and achievement increased over time, whereas the relationships of family support and mathematics as a male domain with achievement remained almost unchanged over time; and (h) there were no statistically significant interaction effects among gender, grade, and ethnicity for any of the three relationships.     

A preliminary study of multiple college admission criteria in Taiwan: the relationship among motivation,standardized tests,high school achievements,and college success

ABSTRACT

A new college admission policy will be implemented in Taiwan in 2022. The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between admission criteria and college success. Data was obtained from the Taiwan Higher Education Database; a sample size of 8443 students from 156 universities was used in this study. By using the structural equation model, this study tested a research model that included factors such as motivation, standardized test scores, high school achievements, and college success. The findings revealed that the General Scholastic Ability Test scores (in Chinese, English, Social Studies) and high school average academic grades are significantly associated with college success. A student’s motivation to complete a certain major can significantly predict the quality of student effort and influence college success. These findings highlight the importance of some admission criteria and provide practical implications for educational policy-makers, school administrators, students, and parents.     

高中学业水平考试:功能、命题与成绩使用

高中学业水平考试是新课程改革背景下出现的新型教育考试。它考查中学生的知识掌握水平、学科素养、学习能力,应该成为高校招生的重要评价指标之一,并能为社会用人单位提供有用的信息。高中学业水平考试的命题组卷,应关注的首要指标是试题有无较全面地覆盖课程标准要求的内容,以及试题的难度范围是否足够广泛。作为高考招生的指标之一,高中学业水平考试成绩合格或达到一定等级应该成为一个关键的录用前提条件。至于考生取得哪个等级的学业水平考试成绩可以被录用,则最终取决于招生院校和专业的要求。     

北京地区大学生成就动机的特点研究

大学生的成就动机对大学生的学习、生活有着十分重大的影响作用,是一个人成功与否的关键因素之一。但在当前的就业形势、教育环境的影响下,大学生的成就动机出现了一些新的变化。因此以北京地区6所大学的712名学生为被试,采用成就动机量表（AMS）,调查了当代大学生成就动机的特点。结果表明：（1）总体上,大学生有比较高的成就动机,他们追求成功的动机要明显高于避免失败的动机。（2）亚群体上,大学生的成就动机存在显著的性别差异、专业差异和学校类型差异。男大学生追求成功和避免失败的成就动机都高于女生,理科大学生避免失败的动机显著低于文科和工科大学生,师范类学校的大学生避免失败的动机低于其他类型的学校。在年级因素上没有发现显著的差异。     

Differentiation of Children's Competence Beliefs and Achievement Values,and their Relations to Children's Performance and Choice of Different Activities

ABSTRACT

Results of two studies of children's competence beliefs and achievement values for mathematics and reading are summarized. Approximately 1700 children and adolescents participated in the studies; the participants were in first through 12th grades. The studies were based on an expectancy — value model of achievement choice proposed by Eccles et al. (1983). Results indicated that children's competence beliefs and achievement task values are distinctive belief systems, even in first grade children. During the elementary school years, the strength of relations between children's competence beliefs and adult evaluations of children's competence increased across grade. Children and adolescents’ competence beliefs predict their mathematics performance, whereas their task values predict their intentions to continue taking mathematics.     

Associations of Parenting Styles and Dimensions with Academic Achievement in Children and Adolescents: A Meta-analysis

Parents and researchers alike are interested in how to promote children’s academic competence. The present meta-analysis integrates the results of 308 empirical studies on associations of general parenting dimensions and styles with academic achievement of children and adolescents assessed via grade point average or academic achievement tests. Parental responsiveness (warmth), behavioral control, autonomy granting, and an authoritative parenting style were associated with better academic performance both concurrently and in longitudinal studies, although these associations were small in a statistical sense. Parental harsh control, and psychological control, as well as neglectful, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles were related to lower achievement with small to very small effect sizes. With three exceptions, parenting dimensions and styles also predicted change in academic achievement over time. Moderating effects of child age, ethnicity, reporter on parenting and academic achievement, quality of the parenting and achievement measure, and publication status were identified. It is concluded that associations of academic achievement with general parenting dimensions/styles tend to be smaller than associations of school-specific parental involvement which have been addressed in previous meta-analyses.     

Integration Factors Related to the Academic Success and Intent to Persist of College Students with Learning Disabilities

Despite increased enrollment, outcomes such as grade point average (GPA), persistence, and graduation rates for college students with learning disabilities (LD) continue to lag behind those of their nondisabled peers. Reasons for the differences vary but may include academic and social integration, factors identified as important to the success of college students in general. This research investigated the relative influence of background characteristics, precollege achievement, and college integration variables on the academic success and intent to persist of college freshmen and sophomores with LD. While academic and social integration were not unique predictors of college GPA, both integration variables were unique predictors of intent to persist. The findings suggest that beyond high school achievement and background characteristics, college experiences as captured by academic and social integration are promising constructs to help explain the persistence of college students with LD. Implications for future research and practices for high school and college personnel are discussed.     

Self-Regulation and Academic Measures Across the Early Elementary School Grades: Examining Longitudinal and Bidirectional Associations

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the association between children’s (N = 301) self-regulation and math and reading achievement in kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. Children’s self-regulation was assessed using the Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders (HTKS) task (involving control of gross body movements) and a computerized continuous performance task (CPT; assessing primarily inhibitory control) in kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. Research Findings: Based on cross-lagged structural equation panel models, HTKS task performance positively predicted later math and reading achievement. Math achievement significantly and positively predicted later HTKS and CPT scores. Earlier math and reading achievement moderated the association between CPT scores and later math and reading achievement; inhibitory control–based self-regulation assessed with the CPT predicted higher math or reading achievement in subsequent grades for children with lower math or reading achievement in prior grades. Performance on the CPT moderated the paths from HTKS scores to later reading achievement; behavioral self-regulation assessed with the HTKS task predicted higher reading achievement in subsequent grades for children with low or average CPT performance in prior grades. Practice or Policy: Results from this study have the potential to inform targeted academic interventions focused on enhancing self-regulation in school contexts. The findings highlight the utility of assessing multiple measures of self-regulation.     

Adolescent personality and school and college performance: A follow-up study

This study reports correlations between the High School Personality Questionnaire and various indices of school achievement and compares the validities with prior studies. Three achievement scores are utilized: a self-report of high-school grades, a parental report of high-school grades several years after the testing, and actual college grades several years after the testing. In all cases, the results were similar and substantial, and consonant with typical values from earlier, nonlongitudinal studies.     

Concurrent and predictive validity of the LET-II for average children

Memory tests, such as the Learning Efficiency Test-II (LET-II), have frequently been used to describe the memory characteristics of special populations such as persons with learning disabilities, brain damage, or Alzheimer's disease. Yet, few research studies have examined the memory characteristics of normally functioning children and compared these characteristics to their performance on ability tests or real-life achievement criteria. This study investigates the predictive and concurrent validities of the LET-II for performance on the Kuhlmann-Anderson Tests (K-A), class grades, and actual grade level functioning in reading and mathematics for third and fourth grade children of average intelligence. The LET-II memory factor scores correlated significantly with the K-A scores, class grades and actual grade level functioning in reading. The relevance of these findings for norm-referenced psychological tests, and in particular memory tests, in real-life settings is examined. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Visual Skills and Chinese Reading Acquisition: A Meta-analysis of Correlation Evidence

This paper used meta-analysis to synthesize the relation between visual skills and Chinese reading acquisition based on the empirical results from 34 studies published from 1991 to 2011. We obtained 234 correlation coefficients from 64 independent samples, with a total of 5,395 participants. The meta-analysis revealed that visual skills as a global construct had a medium correlation effect size (r?=?0.32) associated with Chinese reading acquisition. The various visual processing skills differed in their relation to Chinese reading acquisition in different stages. Visual perception, speed of processing visual information, and pure visual memory had low-to-moderate correlations with Chinese reading acquisition in the lower grades (i.e., below second grade), whereas these relations did not retain their magnitude for children in the higher grades (i.e., second through sixth grades). By contrast, visual–verbal association skill was found to account for 34 and 41 % of the variance in children’s Chinese reading acquisition in both lower and higher grade levels, respectively. Greater attention to this construct can significantly benefit reading research and instructional practice. No regional differences between studies in Mainland China and Hong Kong were found in the meta-analysis.