Prediction of scholastic success

The study explored whether middle school students’ select academic (grade point average [GPA], Accuplacer mathematics, reading, and writing scores, admission interview scores) and non-academic characteristics (race, ethnicity, the middle school they attended, their gender, their parents’ educational level) have any predictive power with regard to their success at an early college high school. This study compared binary logistic regression (BLR) and predictive discriminant analysis (PDA) statistical models. First-year early college academic success can be predicted using BLR and only six input factors from middle school (Accuplacer math scores, interview scores, gender, and race, as three dummy variables) with a 91% accuracy.
However, a student academic success prediction model using middle school data for a student’s first year college success could not be built. This finding asserts Astin’s Student Development Theory (1993, 1999a, 1999b), the theoretical framework that guided this study, that students can grow and improve over time and educators need to focus on cultivating and developing students’ smartness through high level instruction and coaching instead of identifying and celebrating smartness by accepting only the most prospective students into colleges (Astin, 1977, 1993, 1999a, 2017, 2018).

The purpose of this study was to develop a methodological approach using
secondary data that researchers, faculty, and staff can utilize to assess student course
performance and to identify the input and course environment factors that best predict
student course success in an undergraduate lecture capture quantitative methods course.
Using Astin and antonio (2012)’s Input Environment and Outcome (IEO) Model as a
framework, this quantitative study examined both input variables that students bring to a
course as well as the course environment factors that students experience in the course.
Three secondary data sources were utilized and analyzed using descriptive and multivariate
statistics.
The findings revealed that students with higher levels of student course
engagement and academic self-concept were more likely to achieve student course
success in this lecture capture quantitative methods course. In addition, prior University GPA along with live-class attendance, discussion board posts, and course quiz and exam
scores were the strongest predictors of student course success.
The largest implication from this study was the methodological approach
developed to identify factors that predicted student course success. This approach can be
used to help faculty identify course-embedded measures for assessment as well as
develop Keys for Success to help future students succeed in difficult courses. While this
study added significantly to the limited research on lecture capture courses, future
research should further explore qualitative aspects of the course, such as motivation and
student video-viewing behaviors, as well as additional impacts on physical attendance in
lecture capture courses.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent
to which centrally-held value systems affect scholastic behavior.
The variables examined were thirteen discrete value systems generated
by Morris' Ways to Live (1956), student SCAT scores,
student cumulative GPA and range of grades. Particular attention
was paid to students holding Appollonian and Promethean values,
since it was postulated that students holding Appollonian values
would have a significantly higher correlation coefficient between
their SCAT scores and GPA than the student holding Promethean
values. Additionally, it was predicted that the mean GPA of the
Appollonian students would be significantly greater than that of
the Promethean; that the standard deviation of the Appollonian
GPA would be significantly less than that of the Promethean, and
that the Appollonian range of grades would be significantly less
than that of the Promethean students. One hundred and forty-eight students enrolled at the
University of Florida were scored on three separate measuring
instruments of Morris' Ways to Live and those holding Appollonian
or Promethean values were identified by four separate operations.
Correlation coefficients between SCAT scores and GPA were obtained
for both Appollonian and Promethean students identified under each of the four separate operations. The correlation coefficients
of the Appollonian students were compared with those of the
Promethean students after being properly transformed for such
comparison. In addition, the mean GPA and range of grades of
the Appollonian and Promethean students were compared to determine
if there were significant differences between both variables
for the differing groups of students. Moreover, frequency
distribution analysis of all of the thirteen discrete Ways to
Live, together with correlation coefficients analysis between them
and SCAT, GPA and grade ranges were computed. The main hypothesis and all predictions failed to reach
statistical significance at the .01 level , and at the .05 level
only on two of the four measures of Appollonianism - Prometheanism
were there significant findings , and that solely with regard to
differences in mean GPA. Nothing further appeared significant.
Moreover, there appeared to be no substantial correlations of
SCAT, GPA or grade range with any of the thirteen Ways to Live.
Although no strong conclusions can be drawn from the data,
they do lead to the speculation that the student sample used in
this study was eclectic in the values they held, favoring several
other values more than those of Appollonianism and Prometheanism,
thus contributing to the non-support of the data to the main
hypothesis.

The Problem. The purpose of this study was to determine whether significant differences existed between the academic achievement of two-year transfer students from Indian River Community College (IRCC) and native students from the same service district. Both the native and transfer students graduated from the University of Florida (UF) or Florida State University (FSU) between 1977 and 1981. Further, there was the attempt to formulate a predictive equation for upper division grade point average. Summary. The transfer students graduated from high schools in the four counties served by IRCC where they completed their lower division before transferring to FSU or UF. The native students graduated from high schools in the counties served by IRCC and enrolled directly at FSU or UF. The academic performance of these two groups was studied in terms of lower division, upper division, first semester upper division, and cumulative grade point averages, as well as Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores. An important application of this study was the attempt to formulate a predictive equation for upper division grade point average based on either the lower division grade point average, the SAT, or both. Procedure. As a preliminary study, the analysis of variance factorial design was used to determine if there was interaction between the two independent variables. For the hypotheses comparing grade point averages, the one-way analysis of variance was used. Linear regression was used to determine if upper division grade point average could be predicted by lower division grade point average, SAT score, or both. Multiple regression was used to test lower division grade point average and SAT as multiple variables.

Learning styles are unique to each student entering the learning environment, yet many educators assume that students will in fact learn from a single method of teaching. Dunn and Dunn (1999) define learning styles as "the way individuals begin to concentrate on, process and remember new and difficult information." Studies involving health science students have been conducted, yet few authors have addressed this issue in the radiography literature. In this study, the learning styles of radiography students were examined and compared to determine the differences between the incoming freshmen and the graduating sophomores. The Dunn, Dunn and Price Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) was used to study 617 college students, the sample was 80% female with an average age of 28 years. Both freshmen and sophomore groups demonstrated preferences for structured learning activities with authority figures present. They prefer learning with peers in activities scheduled during morning and afternoon hours. These students want mobility in the learning environment and prefer intake of food or beverage while concentrating. Both groups have overall perceptual preferences for auditory learning, followed closely by tactile learning. Perceptual learning strengths for the combined group of radiography students proved to be quite different from the general population, 35% had a strong preference for auditory learning methods, 28% had a strong need for tactile learning methods, 8% were kinesthetic learners and 5% visual learners. The perceptual learning styles of the general population are 30% auditory, 40% visual, 15% tactile, and 15% kinesthetic (Dunn, 1999). It is these unique characteristics of the larger group that may be most useful to educators when considering learning style principles in the broadest sense. These findings also may account for some degree of attrition found in radiography programs, since it has been previously reported that tactile and kinesthetic learners are at the greatest risk for dropping out of formal education and 36% of radiography students fall into that high risk category. Slight differences between the student groups exist; however, learning style variables were not useful in predicting success in radiography education.

Admission criteria for the selection of students are determined by educational institutions. Presently, no objective instrument is used consistently as a predictor of successful nursing program completion (Haglund, 1978). The nursing department in the community college in this study utilizes the prerequisite college grade point average and the National League for Nursing pre-admission test for admission into the school of nursing. Admission into the associate degree nursing program is based solely on these two criteria. The purpose of this study was to assess the merit of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal as a pre-admission criterion in conjunction with the currently utilized admission criteria of the college prerequisite grade point average and the National League of Nursing pre-admission test. The research question of this study was: Can the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal be utilized along with the college prerequisite grade point average and the National League for Nursing pre-admission test in a prediction formula for success in the Associate Degree Nursing Program? Data were collected from 192 associate degree nursing students. The setting was a community college in southeastern Florida that is currently accredited by the National League for Nursing. The subjects completed the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal at the beginning of the associate degree program. Data from students' records revealed the college prerequisite grade point average and the National League for Nursing pre-admission test scores. A discriminant analysis was computed to determine the significance of the prediction formula of Y1 = c + b1 X + b2 X2+ b3 X3. The dependent variable was the nursing grade point average. The independent variables were the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal; the college prerequisite grade point average; and the National League for Nursing pre-admission test score (F = 14.847; df = 191; p < .001). The predictor variables of college prerequisite grade point average, National League for Nursing pre-admission test score, and the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal score were significant in predicting success in the associate degree nursing program as measured by the dependent variable nursing grade point average. The prediction formula as a whole had a significance level p < .001, thereby rejecting the null hypothesis.

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for predicting student success in the Preliminary International Baccalaureate (Pre-IB) course of study at Atlantic and Suncoast Community High Schools in Palm Beach County, Florida. The objective was to examine the relationship of the five predictor variables, previous year's grade point average (INIGPA), scaled scores from the Reading Comprehension (SSREAD) and Total Mathematics (SSMATH) portions of the Stanford Achievement Test, recommendation ratings (RECOM) and the score received on a writing sample (WRITING), with the criterion, which was the student grade point average at the completion of one year in the program (FINALGPA). The study involved 216 students, 135 ninth graders and 81 tenth graders. All data were analyzed separately for each grade level. The multiple regression analyses determined the unique contribution of each independent variable to predicting the criterion. Each grade level sample was divided into subgroups based on race (black and white students) and gender. The results of this study for the ninth grade sample indicated that INIGPA provided the most statistically significant relationship (p <.0001) to FINALGPA. Similar results occurred for the subgroups male, female and white students. Ninth grade black student results indicated a statistically significant relationship of INIGPA (p <.05) with FINALGPA. For the total ninth grade sample, as well as the subgroups white and female students, SSMATH (p <.01) was also a valid predictor. SSMATH was not a valid predictor for ninth grade males or black students. For the tenth grade sample INIGPA was the most valid predictor (p <.0001) of student success. RECOM (p <.05) was also a significant contributor to the variance in the criterion measure. INIGPA (p <.0001) had the greatest statistical significance in its relationship to the criterion for the subgroups male, female and white students. The subgroup, male students, had two other statistically significant predictors, RECOM (p<.01) and SSREAD (p <.05). The tenth grade black student sample was too small to perform multiple regression analyses.

This study examined a model to predict success on the Advanced Placement Computer Science (APCS) examination. The sample included all students (N = 423) who participated in the APCS program in the Palm Beach County Public School System from 1985 to 1994. Predictor variables consisted of the number of courses taken in specific content areas at the secondary level, semester grades in the APCS course, grade point average, and gender. Multiple regression analysis indicated the significance of these variables in predicting the score on the APCS examination (F (12,280) = 5.848, p $<$.001). Further discriminant analysis identified the most accurate subset of predictors. All students were divided into two groups based on their scores on the APCS examination (pass/fail). The variables that occurred most frequently in the best subsets included the number of semesters taken in advanced mathematics; overall high school grade point average; gender; the grades achieved in both first and second semester in Advanced Placement Computer Science; and the semesters in computers. A model based on these six predictors had the highest (p $<$.01) predictive accuracy of all models studied (67.6% hit rate). Additional study of other independent variables that contribute to success on the APCS examination is needed.

Two hundred and two Hispanic and Anglo women from a public and a private university in south Florida, were requested to complete a survey to determine their reasons for departing from the institutions were a function of their ethnicity or the type of institution they attended. These women had been accepted to 4-year degree programs and had not enrolled for courses for at least six academic semesters. The instrument used was the Withdrawing/Nonreturning Student Survey (ESS) by American College Testing (1990). Of the sample, 73 were Hispanic and 129 were Anglo. Forty-seven Hispanics and 57 Anglos were surveyed from the private university and 26 Hispanics and 72 Anglos from the public university. Eighty-four percent of the women were between 21 and 29 years of age, 65.8% were not married, 50% were sophomores at the time of departure and 35.6% planned to go to school and work simultaneously next year. A 2 x 2 factorial MANOVA was utilized to assess the differences among the four groups, across the dependent variables. Reasons for departure reported by individuals were classified as personal, academic, institutional, financial and employment. Results indicate that there were no statistically significant differences among the groups. No differences were found between Hispanics and Anglos from public and private universities, between Hispanics from public and private universities and between Anglos from private and public universities in the reasons reported for their departure from college. Results suggest that the level of acculturation of Hispanic females to the North American society may be a significant explanation for the similar departure responses given by Anglo females. This is consistent with Altman and Snyder's (1970) predictions of ethnic equalization in educational settings for the 1990's in America. Further research is needed to explore subjects' initial choice of the institution they were attending at the time of departure. Recommendations include the creation of an "ombudsman office" for grievances, one-to-one mentoring by professors and upper classmen and for-day care facilities.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the score on the essay section of the English Composition Test (ECT) and seven independent variables. Variables included the score on the objective section of the ECT (ECTO), the verbal score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SATV), the math score on the SAT, the score on the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE), the self-reported GPA, the self-reported writing ability (WRIT) and the student's educational goal. The study involved 62 high school students from Palm Beach County, Florida, who attempted the ECT and the SAT in December, 1991. Multiple regression demonstrated that there was a significant relationship between the variables and the criterion (p =.0008). The objective section of the ECT, the verbal section of the SAT, the TSWE and the student's self-reported writing ability were each predictors of the score on the essay section of the ECT (p <.01). The math section of the SAT also proved to be a predictor of the essay score (p <.05). The three subsets (ECTO and TSWE), (ECTO, SATV and TSWE), and (ECTO, TSWE and WRIT), each offered significant unique contributions (p <.01). These findings suggest that the essay score, in its present form of assessment, may be predicted from other specific, easily measurable data. Implications concerning measurement of student writing ability, the purpose of essay testing and essay assessment are discussed.