Predicting Students Academic Performance In College Using A New Non Cognitive Measure
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Predicting Students' Academic Performance in College Using a New Non-cognitive Measure
Abstract: There have been voluminous studies upon the potential predictive power of students' non-cognitive attributes such as self-confidence, motivation and student's interaction with institutions on their collegiate performance. While much effort have been put towards identifying the utilities of these attributes, little endeavors have been made to design a concise yet precise composite measure of all the collegiate performance-related non-cognitive attributes. Such measure could be beneficial not just to the future research studies about non-cognitive correlates of students' academic performance in college; it could also be more than informative to the admission officials in higher institutions. The initial intent of this study was to develop an instrument to measure relevant non-cognitive drivers of students' academic performance in college. A Meta analysis was conducted to guide the selection of non-cognitive constructs to include in the proposed instrument. Academic self-efficacy and achievement motivation were the two constructs that were shown to be significantly correlated with students' academic performance in college across research studies. Considering the momentum that student engagement is acquiring in evaluating the quality of higher institutions and predicting students' success in college, the author also included student engagement as one of the constructs to measure. Items were created for each of the aforementioned constructs by reviewing, selecting and revising the existing measures. Face and content validity were established through expert reviews. A forty item initial survey were sent out electronically in two mid-west higher institutions. 497 responses from two Ohio higher institutions were collected. Reliability of the proposed instrument was initially established based on Cronbach's alpha. Classical Test Theory and Item Response Theory as well as Exploratory Factor Analysis were conducted in the refinement of the instrument. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was utilized to validate the construct validity of the final survey, which was consist of the 20 selected items from the initial survey. A structural equation exploration was conducted after establishing the reliability and validity of the proposed survey with the intent of studying the added values of non-cognitive attributes on students' cumulative GPA in college after controlling for the influence of their prior success, which was measured by their high school GPA and SAT scores. Two hypothesized models were tested and compared. Results indicated that students' non-cognitive constructs (i.e. Academic self-efficacy, achievement motivation and student engagement) have significant influence on students' cumulative GPA in college while not taking into account their prior academic success. However, when students' prior academic success was included as covariate in the model, most of the aforementioned non-cognitive attributes were no longer significant predictors of their academic performance in college, which in other words could be interpreted that the aforementioned students' non-cognitive constructs are, to some degree, proxies of their prior academic success, which ultimately influence their performance in college.
Measuring Noncognitive Variables
Co-published in association with Big Picture Learning.Measuring Noncognitive Variables: Improving Admissions, Success, and Retention for Underrepresented Students is written for admissions professionals, counselors, faculty and advisers who admit, teach, or work with students during the admissions process and post-enrollment period. It brings together theory, research and practice related to noncognitive variables in a practical way by using assessment methods provided at no cost. Noncognitive variables have been shown to correlate with the academic success of students of all races, cultures, and backgrounds. Noncognitive variables include personal and social dimensions, adjustment, motivation, and student perceptions, rather than the traditional verbal and quantitative areas (often called cognitive) typically measured by standardized tests.Key Features include:* Models that raise concepts related to innovation, diversity and racism in proactive ways* Examples of admission and post-enrollment applications that show how schools and programs can use noncognitive variables in a variety of ways * Additional examples from foundations, professional associations, and K-12 programs* An overview of the limitations of traditional assessment methods such as admission tests, grades, and courses takenEducation professionals involved in the admissions process will find this guide effectively informs their practice. This guide is also appropriate as a textbook in a range of courses offered in Higher Education and Student Affairs Masters and PhD programs.
Who Gets In?
Author: Rebecca Zwick
language: en
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Release Date: 2017-05-15
On the disputed topic of U.S. college admissions, everyone agrees that this high-stakes competition is unfair. But few agree on what a fair process would be. Stressing transparency in evaluating applicants, Rebecca Zwick assesses the goals and criteria of different admissions policies and shows how they can fail to produce the desired results.