academic performance
Quality & Quantity (2006) 40:661–674
DOI 10.1007/s11135-005-2072-7
© Springer 2006
Research Note
Factors Related to the Academic Performance of
Students in the Statistics Course in Psychology
`
´
JOAN GUARDIA∗ , MONTSERRAT FREIXA, MARIBEL PERO,
JAUME TURBANY, ANTONIO COSCULLUELA, MAITE BARRIOS
`
and XAVIER RIFA
Dept. de Metodologia de les Ci` ncies del Comportament, Facultat de Psicologia, Divisi´ de e o
Ci` ncies de la Salut (IV), Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 171, 08035 e Barcelona, Spain
Abstract. Many studies have examined the factors that influence academic performance in primary and secondary education as well as at university, with the purpose of enhancing learning at these stages and reducing drop-out rates. It is within this research framework that we want to emphasise the deficient performance of students enrolled on the statistics course in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Barcelona. Consequently, this paper attempts to determine the factors that affect student performance in this subject by undertaking an analysis of a structural equation model and determining its stability over time.
In order to accomplish our objective, we worked with two samples of students enrolled statistics classes. The first group comprised 211 students enrolled in the academic year 2000–
2001, while the second comprised 287 students enrolled in the academic year 2001–2002. By administering a questionnaire, we obtained information concerning such variables as demographic data, previous academic record, information related to the subject and the degree of satisfaction with it, and the final mark obtained by the students in the subject. The parameters for each group of students were estimated separately and the goodness of fit of the proposed structural model was assessed. The data analysis showed a good fit with both data bases, but the set of estimated parameters differed in the two academic years under
DOI 10.1007/s11135-005-2072-7
© Springer 2006
Research Note
Factors Related to the Academic Performance of
Students in the Statistics Course in Psychology
`
´
JOAN GUARDIA∗ , MONTSERRAT FREIXA, MARIBEL PERO,
JAUME TURBANY, ANTONIO COSCULLUELA, MAITE BARRIOS
`
and XAVIER RIFA
Dept. de Metodologia de les Ci` ncies del Comportament, Facultat de Psicologia, Divisi´ de e o
Ci` ncies de la Salut (IV), Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 171, 08035 e Barcelona, Spain
Abstract. Many studies have examined the factors that influence academic performance in primary and secondary education as well as at university, with the purpose of enhancing learning at these stages and reducing drop-out rates. It is within this research framework that we want to emphasise the deficient performance of students enrolled on the statistics course in the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Barcelona. Consequently, this paper attempts to determine the factors that affect student performance in this subject by undertaking an analysis of a structural equation model and determining its stability over time.
In order to accomplish our objective, we worked with two samples of students enrolled statistics classes. The first group comprised 211 students enrolled in the academic year 2000–
2001, while the second comprised 287 students enrolled in the academic year 2001–2002. By administering a questionnaire, we obtained information concerning such variables as demographic data, previous academic record, information related to the subject and the degree of satisfaction with it, and the final mark obtained by the students in the subject. The parameters for each group of students were estimated separately and the goodness of fit of the proposed structural model was assessed. The data analysis showed a good fit with both data bases, but the set of estimated parameters differed in the two academic years under
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