Stressful Effects of a University Faculty Strike on Students: Implications for Coping

This study examines university students' psychological reactions to a two-month faculty strike at a large Canadian university. Of particular interest were relationships between students' experience of angry feelings (state anger) about the strike and perceptions of the extent to which the strike had affected their plans involving important planned life experiences such as graduation, travel, and employment. The role of social support from the internet during the strike in alleviating the intensity of angry feelings was also investigated. Data were collected using an anonymous self-report questionnaire administered a few days after the labour dispute was settled. A total of 289 college students completed the questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted with variables entered as blocks and with state anger and anxiety as dependent variables. The first block of variables entered were individual variables such as age and year of study. The second block included average ratings of the extent to which plans were affected by the strike and how fairly students felt they had been treated. The third block of variables included social support from the internet and self-efficacy. The fourth block was the interaction between internet support and sex. With anger as the dependent variable, results showed that the more unfairly students felt they were treated during the strike and the more their plans had been affected by the strike, the greater their anger. Support provided to students from the internet predicted to lower anger. Further regression results indicated that the more students' plans had been affected by the strike, the greater their anxiety. Higher self-efficacy in students contributed to lower anxiety. Implications of the results are discussed within a social context, particularly the importance of studying how individual and social resources can reduce distress resulting from an interruption of students' academic plans due to a strike.     

Questioning the utility of self‐efficacy measurements for Indians

This study examined the influence of academic self‐efficacy and social support on the academic success of Indian‐American and Caucasian‐American undergraduate students. 200 Indian‐American and Caucasian‐American students completed a demographic form and five surveys. The data showed that academic self‐efficacy had a significant effect on college grade point averages (GPA) for Caucasians, but not for Indians. Regarding social support, the quality of mentoring relationships was found to be twice as high for Indians than Caucasians. The total number of mentors, however, was significantly higher for Caucasians. The results of this study support theories that highlight the importance of social support on Indians’ academic success, and of academic self‐efficacy on Caucasians’ academic success. This study also provides support of the existing literature that the construct of self‐efficacy is culturally biased, and questions the utility of self‐efficacy measurements for the Indian ethnicity.     

Enhancing the First Year Student Experience by Facilitating the Development of Peer Networks through a One-day Workshop

Transition to university involves adapting to a new academic and social environment. Recent research on this process indicates that a significant number of students experience at least some difficulties during this transition, but that this may be alleviated by various institutional measures designed to assist students with the transition, e.g. the fostering of peer study groups. From 1996, the Faculty of Science of the University of Sydney has offered a "Transition Workshop" to all incoming first year science students. Follow-up surveys from the 1997 cohort indicated that students who attended the workshop exhibited significantly better adjustment on a range of measures. Compared to equivalent peers not attending the workshop, attendees also recorded higher levels of academic performance (on average) during their first year of study. A qualitative evaluation found that the workshop facilitated the establishment of strong peer relationships, and that these enhanced study, self-motivation and general enjoyment of university life. These findings suggest that such workshops assist in the development of peer networks and are helpful in easing the transition of undergraduate students.     

How Father’s Education and Economic Capital Impact Academic Performance—An Analysis Based on the Mediating Effect and Moderating Effect

Abstract:

This paper uses survey data from educational tracking upon graduation from middle schools in Q County, Gansu Province, and explores the mechanism in which the level of father’s education and economic capital affect academic performance. The study finds that the academic performance of male students is significantly higher than that of female students, and household registration, family capital, and school social capital adhere together to impact academic performance. Low economic income affects academic performance, and high economic income does not necessarily facilitate academic performance. School education that pays attention to academic performance has a direct positive impact, and parent-teacher relations, objectified cultural capital, and economic capital have a direct negative impact on academic performance. The level of the father’s education mainly plays a direct role in impacting academic performance. Economic capital indirectly facilitates academic performance through the mediating effect of parents’ educational expectations, educational support, and attention to school education, and objectified cultural capital has a moderating effect on the impact of economic capital on academic performance.     

Implementing Outcomes Assessment in an Academic Affairs Support Unit

While outcomes assessment has become a focus for institutions of higher education, assessment in academic support units remain sparse. Traditionally, assessment has been comprised of one-time student satisfaction surveys and/or supervisor evaluations tied specifically to job criteria. Although informative, these methods fail to account for or measure specific student learning outcomes completed by students via their interaction with faculty and staff. This article presents the development and implementation of a program of outcomes assessment at a 4-year public university in the northeast. Results indicate that students come to college with varying expectations of the role of academic advisors and range on a continuum of academic and social preparation to meet the demands of higher education. A majority of students are meeting the stated learning outcomes. Feedback from this assessment model is being used to improve the quality of services provided to successive cohorts of students at this institution.     

Students’ perceptions of the learning environment and attitudes in game-based mathematics classrooms

We investigated whether the introduction of games into college-level mathematics classes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was effective in terms of improving students’ perceptions of the learning environment and their attitudes towards of mathematics. A pre–post design involved the administration of English and Arabic versions of two surveys (one to assess students’ perceptions of the learning environment and the other to assess their attitudes) after modification to ensure their relevance for college-level mathematics students in the UAE. For a sample of 33 classes (352 students), eight of which (90 students) were exposed to mathematics games, students involved in mathematics games perceived statistically significantly more teacher support, involvement, personal relevance, enjoyment of mathematics lessons and academic efficacy.     

Peer-Assisted Student Support: A new approach to learning

The Great Britain Committee of Enquiry into Higher Education (1997) highlighted the significant role that higher education would be required to play in providing the United Kingdom with individuals that could consistently meet the demands of a global market place. Higher education institutions have been entrusted with the task of removing existing barriers to learning and implementing initiatives that will enable students to achieve beyond current expectations. A current initiative by the University of Glamorgan aims to meet some of the challenges laid down by the Great Britain Committee of Enquiry into Higher Education (1997). Peer-Assisted Student Support (PASS) is a scheme directed at facilitating student-centred learning. The initiative encourages students to take responsibility for the learning process in terms of academic achievement and social development. This article offers a unique insight into the scheme, detailing demographic and subject attendance patterns during Semester B of the 1997/98 academic year. Furthermore, the research undertaken also builds on previous work investigating the effect of support mechanisms on academic performance. The article reports that the scheme is primarily dominated by female attendees and students in the under-21 age group. Moreover, whilst the research substantiates previous claims that schemes such as PASS have a positive effect on academic performance, the nature of academic appraisal within the context studied suggests that this generalisation can only be extended to coursework-related assessment.     

Effects of a First-Semester Learning Community on Nontraditional Technical Students

The study consisted of 25 full-time Electronic Technician Certificate students with 16 randomly assigned to an experimental group registered in a team-taught learning community and with nine randomly assigned to a control group registered for individually taught unlinked classes. We hypothesized that the experimental group would have significantly better academic and social integration and more positive perceptions of their experiences than the control class as well as higher course grades and grade point averages, more contact with classmates and instructors, and greater commitment to college and second semester persistence. Both student self-reported surveys and institutional data were analyzed. Results indicated that the team-taught learning community did make a difference to its students and yielded quantitative and qualitative support for hypotheses dealing with student perceptions of academic and social integration. Findings failed to support hypotheses dealing with behavioral outcomes except for strong support for commitment to college.     

Relationship Between Psychosocial Factors and Academic Achievement Among African American Students

Abstract

The authors of this cross-sectional study used surveys based on the noncognitive model of W. E. Sedlacek and C. G. Brooks (1976) to determine psychosocial factors associated with African American students' high school achievement Psychosocial variables explored included community service, academic motivation, social support, and students' methods of handling unfair treatment. Results showed that after gender and absenteeism were controlled for, only the method of handling unfair treatment was positively associated with grade point average (GPA), p < .05. Those findings suggest that students who talk to others about being treated unfairly instead of keeping it to themselves are more likely to have higher GPAs; the findings also have important implications for individuals involved in the counseling and education of high school students. Sedlacek and Brooks's model provides an effective guide for predicting academic achievement and for developing programs to improve academic achievement among students of color. Further research is needed into psychosocial factors and their effects on academic achievement.     

An exploration of school mobility: Risks and protective factors in late elementary

This study explored negative emotional, behavioral, and academic performance outcomes for highly mobile students and potential protective factors. Participants were fourth and fifth-grade students (N = 647, 51% male) from three schools with low socioeconomic status, highly mobile student populations within a large, suburban school district in the midwestern United States. Data were collected through student self-report surveys, teacher-report surveys, and school records. Multilevel moderation analysis tested whether school connectedness (SC) or social and emotional competence (SEC) acted as protective factors for highly mobile students, moderating the effect of school mobility on emotional problems and academic performance. Student mobility was associated with more emotional problems and lower academic performance. In contrast to past research, there was not an association between mobility and behavior problems. Although they did not act as protective factors, SC and SEC were independently associated with fewer emotional problems and stronger reading performance for all students, controlling for mobility. Results build on existing evidence that student mobility has negative effects on emotional and academic outcomes and lend support for interventions focused on enhancing SC and SEC of all students, including those at increased risk due to high mobility.     

转专业大学生适应性调查分析——以安庆师范学院为例

文章以安庆师范学院为例,通过问卷调查及个案访谈,对学生的转专业意愿及转专业学生的适应现状进行分析。结果显示,转专业意愿产生早、专业选择趋于理性,转专业大学生在学业适应、人际适应及能力发展上存在问题。建议多渠道搭建联动管理平台,提高转专业大学生适应水平。     

Changing the System of Student Support in Norway: Intended and Unintended Effects on Students

In 2002 the student finance system in Norway went through a major restructuring. The changes included an increase in student support and an introduction of progression‐dependent grants. Using two student welfare surveys conducted in 1998 and 2005, the paper analyses the effect of the changes on the students. The analysis compares the risk of study delays, the students’ weekly working hours, and the students’ concerns about student loan repayments before and after the changes among different groups of students. Contrary to the intended policy goals, the findings indicate no decline in study delays. However, the findings reveal an increase in the amount of time students spend in paid employment. This may indicate that students respond to short‐term economic incentives. Furthermore, the findings suggest increased social differences in the students’ concern for the student loan repayment after the changes.     

Developing evidence for action on the postgraduate experience: an effective local instrument to move beyond benchmarking

Summative and benchmarking surveys to measure the postgraduate student research experience are well reported in the literature. While useful, we argue that local instruments that provide formative resources with an academic development focus are also required. If higher education institutions are to move beyond the identification of issues and benchmarking practices, the scope of survey results and their reporting need to enable and foster appropriate changes in disciplinary practices. Robust, locally developed instruments can provide detailed, programme-specific information and foster timely changes in practice with direct benefits for postgraduate respondents. Unlike benchmarked surveys, local tools can adapt to explore and examine specific concerns of students, supervisors and academic developers. Coupling high-response rates and follow-on engagement with participant feedback, well-designed local instruments provide clear and irrefutable indicators to programme and university administrators of specific disciplinary strengths and weaknesses in postgraduate pathways. In this paper, we discuss the development of a research student survey specifically designed to support academic development purposes in strengthening and enhancing the postgraduate experience.     

Science adjustment,parental and teacher autonomy support and the cognitive orientation of science students

Research has shown that autonomy support has positive effects on academic development, but no study has examined how systemising cognitive orientation is related to important outcomes for science students, and how it may interact with autonomy support. This prospective investigation considered how systemising and support from teachers and parents influence motivation, self-efficacy and science performance of science students. Totally, two hundred and eighty eight high school students (143 females and 145 males) completed surveys at two times and records of their achievements were collected. Teachers’ autonomy support and systemising were significantly positively related to motivation, self-efficacy and achievement over time, while parental support for autonomy was not directly related to the outcomes. Finally, two significant interaction effects showed that the relation of parental autonomy support to motivation and self-efficacy was moderated by systemising. This is the first study to demonstrate that autonomy support may be especially helpful for individuals with an intrinsic disposition in a domain.     

Testing Stereotype Threat: Does Anxiety Explain Race and Sex Differences in Achievement?

Steele's (1992, 1997) stereotype-threat theory attempts to explain underperformance of minority students in academic domains and of women in mathematics. Steele argues that situational self-relevance of negative group stereotypes in testing situations increases the anxiety these students experience and that these differential anxiety levels explain performance differences. Research shows that manipulation of stereotype threat can affect academic performance. However, there has been little research testing whether anxiety does at least partially explain the relationship between race and achievement. The goal of this study was to examine whether anxiety will explain racial differences in academic performance and gender differences in math performance in the context of a nationally representative sample of high school seniors. Partial mediation was observed, with anxiety explaining significant portions of the racial differences in academic performance. Anxiety also partially explained sex differences in math achievement, although the effect sizes were very small. These results provide general support for Steele's stereotype-threat hypothesis.     

Emergent achievement segregation in freshmen learning community networks

A common assumption about Freshmen Learning Communities (FLCs) is that academic relationships contribute to students’ success. This study investigates how students in learning communities connect with fellow students for friendship and academic support. Longitudinal social network data across the first year, collected from 95 Dutch students in eight FLCs, measure both social and academic relational choices within and beyond the FLCs. Using stochastic actor-based models, the study tests two competing hypotheses. The alignment hypothesis states that students connect with their similar-achieving friends for both academic and social support, leading to an alignment of both types of networks over time. In contrast, the duality hypothesis states dissimilarity between academic support networks and friendship networks: students should connect with better-achieving fellow students for academic support and to more similar peers for friendship. The data support the alignment hypothesis but not the duality hypothesis; in addition, they show evidence of achievement segregation in FLCs: the higher the students’ achievement level, the more they connect with other students for both academic support and friendship, relating in particular to peers with a similarly high achievement level. The results suggest that lower-achieving students are excluded from the support provided by higher-achieving students and instead ask similar lower achievers for support. They thus cannot benefit optimally from the academic integration FLC offer. The article concludes with recommendations of how to support students in an FLC so that they can reach optimal achievement potential.     

Changing the Minds of New College Students

With the unprecedented expansion of access to higher education internationally, today’s students enter university with a broader range of expectations, motivations and support networks than their predecessors. One of the primary determinants of student success is their ability to assimilate into the academic culture, which includes aligning their expectations and motivations closely with the prevalent norms of the academic community. This article synthesizes current conceptual and practical approaches to facilitating the assimilation of students from diverse demographic, economic and academic backgrounds into the academic community. These approaches are illustrated through programmatic developments at a large urban university in the Midwestern United States.     

The effects of autonomy support on student engagement in peer assessment

Although peer assessment is widely implemented in higher education, not all students are highly engaged in it. To enhance student engagement in peer assessment, we designed and developed a web-based tool, autonomy-supportive peer assessment (ASPA), to support students’ need for autonomy when they conducted peer assessment. Students’ sense of autonomy, and their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement in peer assessment were examined via interviews and surveys. We also examined students’ academic performances, including their improvement from initial to revised essays and the quality of feedback they provided. Survey results indicated that the ASPA group (1) experienced a slightly higher sense of autonomy than the non-ASPA group, and (2) spent much more time on each evaluation criterion than the non-ASPA group. Interviews suggested that both the ASPA and non-ASPA groups were engaged in peer assessment. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in behavioral, emotional, cognitive engagement, and academic performances.     

Renewal of Educational Systems Through Organizational Strategies

In this article, the author examines the role that teachers play in the moral development of American students. Historically, one of public education's purposes in America has been the development of moral citizens. However, educators currently face more academic accountability due to No Child Left Behind. Consequently, teachers must strike a balance between achieving quantifiable academic standards and assisting with students' character development.     

Learning Problems of Overseas Students: Two Sides of a Story

Research into the nature and extent of problems faced by overseas students in Australia is based almost entirely on surveys of this population either by staff of support services or by or on behalf of policy making bodies. The nature of educational difficulties ‐‐ ‘language’ and ‘study’ problems ‐‐ is still relatively unknown, however it has been explored to some extent by study skills counsellors and teachers of English as a second language. Little is known about perception of these problems by academic staff. This paper describes learning problems of overseas students as seen by the academic staff at the University of Queensland and compares them with the perception of learning problems held by overseas students. Academic staff (145) representing 50 departments, and 136 overseas students representing 14 courses at postgraduate level and 10 courses at undergraduate level responded to questionnaires identifying educational problems and suggesting possible solutions.