The effect of motor-encoding activities on memory and performance in a grade one reading program

This study examined the effectiveness of motor-encoding activities on memory and performance of students in a Grade One reading program. There were two experiments in the study. Experiment 1 replicated a study by Eli Saltz and David Dixon (1982). The effect of motoric enactment (Le., pretend play) of sentences on memory for the sentences was investigated. Forty Grade One students performed a "memory-for-sentences" technique, devised by Saltz and Dixon. Only the experimental group used motoric enactment of the sentences. Although quantitative findings revealed no significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group versus the control group, aspects of the experimental design could have affected the results. It was suggested that Saltz and Dixon's study could be replicated again, with more attention given to variables such as population size, nature of the test sentences, subjects' previous educational experience and conditions related to the testing environment. The second experiment was an application of Saltz and Dixon's theory that motoric imagery should facilitate memory for sentences. The intent was to apply this theory to Grade One students' ability to remember words from their reading program. An experimental gym program was developed using kinesthetic activities to reinforce the skills of the classroom reading program. The same subject group was used in Experiment 2. It was hypothesized that the subjects who experienced the experimental gym program would show greater signs of progress in reading ability, as evidenced by their scores on Form G of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test--Revised. The data from the WRM--R were analyzed with a 3-way split-plot analysis of variance in which group (experimental vs. control) and sex were the between subjects variables and test-time (pre-test vs. post-test) was the within-subjects variable. Findings revealed the following: (a) both groups made substantial gains over time on the visual-auditory learning sub-test and the triple action of group x sex x time also was significant; (b) children in the experimental and control groups performed similarly on both the pre- and post-test of the letter identification test; (c) time was the only significant effect on subjects' performance on the word identification task; (d) work attack scores showed marked improvement in performance over time for both the experimenta+ and control groups; (e) passage comprehension scores indicated an improvement in performance for both groups over time. Similar to Experiment 1, it is suggested that several modifications in the experimental design could produce significant results. These factors are addressed with suggestions for further research in the area of active learning; more specifically, the effect of motor-encoding activities on memory and academic performance of children.

Kindergarten classroom engagement skills : the road to academic success in elementary school

Les caractéristiques de l’enfant à la maternelle prédisent le succès des transitions à travers les premières années scolaires ainsi que la poursuite académique à l’âge de 22 ans. Les habiletés en mathématiques et langagières à la maternelle sont étroitement liées au rendement scolaire. Cependant, il est également important de tenir compte du rôle de l’autocontrôle et de la maîtrise de soi dans la réussite académique. Spécifiquement, la capacité de suivre des instructions et travailler de manière autonome pourrait faciliter l’adaptation des enfants en milieu scolaire. La présente thèse examine la valeur potentielle de cibler l’engagement scolaire à la maternelle, sous forme d’orientation vers la tâche, pour améliorer l’ajustement académique des enfants au cours du primaire. Une première étude, a examiné si l’engagement scolaire à la maternelle est associé à un meilleur niveau de réussite scolaire et d’ajustement psychosocial à la quatrième année du primaire. Les résultats suggèrent que les habitudes de travail dès l’entrée à l’école représentent des prédicteurs robustes du rendement académique quatre ans plus tard. Un plus haut niveau d’engagement prédit également moins de comportements externalisés et de victimisation par les pairs en quatrième année. Ces résultats sont demeurés significatifs suite au contrôle statistique des habilités en mathématique, langagières et socio-émotionnelles des enfants ainsi que de facteurs de risques familiaux. Une deuxième étude a examiné l’origine de l’engagement scolaire au primaire. Cette étude a permis d’observer que le niveau de contrôle cognitif des enfants d’âge préscolaire représente un prédicteur significatif de l’engagement scolaire à la maternelle. Ces résultats suggèrent l’existence d’une continuité développementale du contrôle cognitif de la petite enfance à la maternelle, et que celle-ci pourrait servir de base pour le développement de bonnes habitudes de travail au primaire. Finalement dans une troisième étude, des analyses centrées sur la personne ont été effectués. Trois sous-groupes d’enfants ont été identifiés dans notre échantillon. Les résultats obtenus indiquent des trajectoires d’engagement bas, moyen et élevé respectivement, au primaire. Le faible contrôle cognitif et les facteurs de risques familiaux ont prédit l’appartenance à la trajectoire d’engagement faible. Dans l’ensemble, les résultats de ces trois études soulignent l’importance de tenir compte de l’engagement dans les évaluations de la maturité scolaire à la maternelle. Cette recherche pourrait également informer le développement de programmes d’interventions préscolaires visant à augmenter la préparation scolaire ainsi que la réduction des écarts au niveau de la réussite académique des enfants.

Le sentiment de compétence, modérateur du lien entre le QI et la performance scolaire

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Association between clinically important depressive symptoms and academic achivement among students in Cartagena, Colombia

Background: Some studies show a strong association between depressive symptoms and academic achievement in the adolescent population. However, there are few Colombian publications about this topic. Objective: To establish the association between clinically important depressive symptoms and academic achievement among low socioeconomic status adolescent students. Method: A group of 13 to 17 year-aged adolescents was studied. Meaningful clinically depressive symptoms were measured with Zung’ self-rating depression scale (40/80). Academic achievement was evaluated according to Colombian qualitative model. Results: A total of 43.5% of students reported clinically important depressive symptoms and 30.7% accomplished a poor academic achievement, according to teacher report. The academic achievement was independent of meaningful clinically depressive symptoms, after controlling other variables. Conclusion: Meaningful clinically depressive symptoms are frequent in low socioeconomic status adolescent students. But, meaningful clinically depressive symptoms are not associated with academic performance. Further investigations are needed.

Academic achievement in sciences: the role of preferences and educative assets

This paper provides new evidence on the effect of pupil’s self-motivation and academic assets allocation on the academic achievement in sciences across countries. By using the Programme for International Student Assessment 2006 (PISA 2006) test we find that both explanatory variables have a positive effect on student’s performance. Self-motivation is measured through an instrument that allows us to avoid possible endogeneity problems. Quantile regression is used for analyzing the existence of different estimated coefficients over the distribution. It is found that both variables have different effect on academic performance depending on the pupil’s score. These findings support the importance of designing focalized programs for different populations, especially in terms of access to information and communication technologies such as internet.

Predictors of knowledge creation performance. A quantitative qualitative comparative study of European doctorandi

Aquesta tesi forma part d'un projecte destinat a predir el rendiment acadèmic dels estudiants de doctorat portat a terme per l'INSOC (International Network on Social Capital and Performance). El grup de recerca INSOC està format per les universitats de Girona (Espanya), Ljubljana (Eslovènia), Giessen (Alemanya) i Ghent (Bèlgica). El primer objectiu d'aquesta tesi és desenvolupar anàlisis quantitatius comparatius sobre el rendiment acadèmic dels estudiants de doctorat entre Espanya, Eslovènia i Alemanya a partir dels resultats individuals del rendiment acadèmic obtinguts de cada una de les universitats. La naturalesa internacional del grup de recerca implica la recerca comparativa. Vam utilitzar variables personal, actitudinals i de xarxa per predir el rendiment. El segon objectiu d'aquesta tesi és entendre de manera qualitativa perquè les variables de xarxa no ajuden quantitativament a predir el rendiment a la universitat de Girona (Espanya). En el capítol 1, definim conceptes relacionats amb el rendiment i donam un llistat de cada una de les variables independents (variables de xarxa, personals i actitudinals), resumint la lliteratura. Finalment, explicam com s'organitzen els estudis de doctorat a cada un dels diferents països. A partir d'aquestes definicions teòriques, en els pròxims capítols, primer presentarem els qüestionaris utilitzats a Espanya, Eslovènia i Alemanya per mesurar aquests diferents tipus de variables. Després, compararem les variables que són relevants per predir el rendiment dels estudiants de doctorat a cada país. Després d'això, fixarem diferents models de regressió per predir el rendiment entre països. En tots aquests models les variables de xarxa fallen a predir el rendiment a la Universitat de Girona. Finalment, utilitzem estudis qualitatius per entendre aquests resultats inesperats. En el capítol 2, expliquem com hem dissenyat i conduït els qüestionaris en els diferents països amb l'objectiu d'explicar el rendiment dels estudiants de doctorat obtinguts a Espanya, Eslovènia i Alemanya. En el capítol 3, cream indicadors comparables però apareixen problemes de comparabilitat en preguntes particulars a Espanya, Eslovènia i Alemanya. En aquest capítol expliquem com utilitzem les variables dels tres països per crear indicadors comparables. Aquest pas és molt important perquè el principal objectiu del grup de recerca INSOC és comparar el rendiment dels estudiants de doctorat entre els diferents països. En el capítol 4 comparem models de regressió obtinguts de predir el rendiment dels estudiants de doctorat a les universitats de Girona (Espanya) i Eslovènia. Les variables són característiques dels grups de recerca dels estudiants de doctorat enteses com una xarxa social egocèntrica, característiques personals i actitudinals dels estudiants de doctorat i algunes carecterístiques dels directors. Vam trobar que les variables de xarxa egocèntriques no predien el rendiment a la Universitat de Girona. En el capítol 5, comparem dades eslovenes, espanyoles i alemnayes, seguint la metodologia del capítol 4. Concluïm que el cas alemany és molt diferent. El poder predictiu de les variables de xarxa no millora. En el capítol 6 el grup de recerca dels estudiants de doctorat és entès com una xarxa duocèntrica (Coromina et al., 2008), amb l'objectiu d'obtendre informació de la relació mútua entre els estudiants i els seus directors i els contactes d'ambdós amb els altres de la xarxa. La inclusió de la xarxa duocèntrica no millora el poder predictiu del model de regressió utilitzant les variales egocèntriques de xarxa. El capítol 7 pretèn entendre perquè les variables de xarxa no predeixen el rendiment a la Universitat de Girona. Utilitzem el mètode mixte, esperant que l'estudi qualitatiu pugui cobrir les raons de perquè la qualitat de la xarxa falla en la qualitat del treball dels estudiants. Per recollir dades per l'estudi qualitatiu utilitzem entrevistes en profunditat.

Social networks and performance in knowledge creation. An application and a methodological proposal

El objetivo de esta tesis es predecir el rendimiento de los estudiantes de doctorado en la Universidad de Girona según características personales (background), actitudinales y de redes sociales de los estudiantes. La población estudiada son estudiantes de tercer y cuarto curso de doctorado y sus directores de tesis doctoral. Para obtener los datos se ha diseño un cuestionario web especificando sus ventajas y teniendo en cuenta algunos problemas tradicionales de no cobertura o no respuesta. El cuestionario web se hizo debido a la complejidad que comportan de las preguntas de red social. El cuestionario electrónico permite, mediante una serie de instrucciones, reducir el tiempo para responder y hacerlo menos cargado. Este cuestionario web, además es auto administrado, lo cual nos permite, según la literatura, unas respuestas mas honestas que cuestionario con encuestador. Se analiza la calidad de las preguntas de red social en cuestionario web para datos egocéntricos. Para eso se calcula la fiabilidad y la validez de este tipo de preguntas, por primera vez a través del modelo Multirasgo Multimétodo (Multitrait Multimethod). Al ser datos egocéntricos, se pueden considerar jerárquicos, y por primera vez se una un modelo Multirasgo Multimétodo Multinivel (multilevel Multitrait Multimethod). Las la fiabilidad y validez se pueden obtener a nivel individual (within group component) o a nivel de grupo (between group component) y se usan para llevar a cabo un meta-análisis con otras universidades europeas para analizar ciertas características de diseño del cuestionario. Estas características analizan si para preguntas de red social hechas en cuestionarios web son más fiables y validas hechas "by questions" o "by alters", si son presentes todas las etiquetas de frecuencia para los ítems o solo la del inicio y final, o si es mejor que el diseño del cuestionario esté en con color o blanco y negro. También se analiza la calidad de la red social en conjunto, en este caso específico son los grupos de investigación de la universidad. Se tratan los problemas de los datos ausentes en las redes completas. Se propone una nueva alternativa a la solución típica de la red egocéntrica o los respondientes proxies. Esta nueva alternativa la hemos nombrado "Nosduocentered Network" (red Nosduocentrada), se basa en dos actores centrales en una red. Estimando modelos de regresión, esta "Nosduocentered network" tiene mas poder predictivo para el rendimiento de los estudiantes de doctorado que la red egocéntrica. Además se corrigen las correlaciones de las variables actitudinales por atenuación debido al pequeño tamaño muestral. Finalmente, se hacen regresiones de los tres tipos de variables (background, actitudinales y de red social) y luego se combinan para analizar cual para predice mejor el rendimiento (según publicaciones académicas) de los estudiantes de doctorado. Los resultados nos llevan a predecir el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes de doctorado depende de variables personales (background) i actitudinales. Asimismo, se comparan los resultados obtenidos con otros estudios publicados.

Predicting academic success of engineering students in technical drawing from working memory

Tests on spatial aptitude, in particular Visualization, have been shown to be efficient predictors of the academic performance of Technical Drawing stu-dents. It has recently been found that Spatial Working Memory (a construct defined as the ability to perform tasks with a figurative content that require si-multaneous storage and transformation of information) is strongly associated with Visualization. In the present study we analyze the predictive efficiency of a bat-tery of tests that included tests on Visualization, SpatialWorking Memory, Spatial Short-term Memory and Executive Function on a sample of first year engineering students. The results show that Spatial Working Memory (SWM) is the most important predictor of academic success in Technical Drawing. In our view, SWM tests can be useful for detecting as early as possible those students who will require more attention and support in the teaching-learning process.

Performance of children with learning difficulties in fine motor function and handwriting

This study aimed to compare and characterize the fine, sensory and perceptive function performance and handwriting quality between students with learning difficulties and students with good academic performance. Methods: This study comprised 192 students from 2nd to 4th grades, both genders, whose ages ranged from 7 to 11 years old. The students were distributed into: GI, GII, GIII and GIV, comprising 96 students with learning difficulties, and groups GV, GVI, GVII, GVIII comprising 96 students with good academic performance. The students were submitted to evaluation of fine motor, sensorial and perception functions and handwriting evaluation under dictation. Results: The results showed that the students with learning difficulties, from 1st to 3rd grade, had lower performance on tests of fine motor, sensory and perceptive function, when compared to the students with good academic performance in the same grade; the students from 4th grade, both groups, did not show changes on fine motor, sensory and perceptive function; and only the students of GII showed dysgraphia. Conclusions: the results presented in this study suggest that the qualitative aspects of fine motor, sensory and perceptive skills reflect the integrity and maturity of central nervous system and can probably play an important role in early diagnosis of development disorders and consequently prevent academic disorders such as handwriting performance.

Latin America: school bullying and academic achievement

Includes bibliography

Association of student position in classroom and school performance

We analyzed whether the position of students in classroom is correlated with academic performance, and which factors might be involved. The sample consisted of 16 classrooms in a school year bimester, each one with around 30 students. Each student's position was registered in classroom maps and the reasons for the students' seat choice were gathered by a questionnaire. School performance and classroom absences of each student were collected directly from the teachers' register notebook. We found that better performances of students at school correlate with lower percentages of absence and choices of seating positions closer to the board. Moreover, the main reason to sit in a front position was motivation for learning. We suggest that school performance is associated to students’ position in the classroom because both are affected by the student motivation for learning. As a consequence, changing students' position in the classroom without increasing their motivation is not likely to improve school performance.

Social phobia in Brazilian university students: Prevalence, under-recognition and academic impairment in women

Background: Despite the fact that public speaking is a common academic activity and that social phobia has been associated with lower educational achievement and impaired academic performance, little research has examined the prevalence of social phobia in college students. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of social phobia in a large sample of Brazilian college students and to examine the academic impact of this disorder. Methods: The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) and the MINI-SPIN, used as the indicator of social phobia in the screening phase, were applied to 2319 randomly selected students from two Brazilian universities. For the second phase (diagnostic confirmation), four psychiatrists and one clinical psychologist administered the SCID-IV to subjects with MINI-SPIN scores of 6 or higher. Results: The prevalence of social phobia among the university students was 11.6%. Women with social phobia had significantly lower grades than those without the disorder. Fear of public speaking was the most common social fear. Only two of the 237 students with social phobia (0.8%) had previously received a diagnosis of social phobia and were under treatment. Limitations: Social phobia comorbidities were not evaluated in this study. The methods of assessment employed by the universities (written exams) may mask the presence of social phobia. This was not a population-based study, and thus the results are not generalizable to the entire population with social phobia. Conclusion: Preventive strategies are recommended to reduce the under-recognition and the adverse impact of social phobia on academic performance and overall quality of life of university students. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) on school performance

BECTS represents the vast majority of childhood focal epilepsy. Owing to the age peculiarity of children who suffer from this disease, i.e., school-going age of between 6 and 9 years, the condition is often referred to as a school disorder by parents and teachers. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the academic performance of children with BED'S, according to the clinical and electroencephalographic ILAE criteria, and compare the results of neuropsychological tests of language and attention to the frequency of epileptic discharges. Methods: The performances of 40 school children with BED'S were evaluated by applying a school performance test (SBT), neuropsychological tests (WISC and Trail-Making), and language tests (Illinois Test Psycholinguistic Abilities - ITPA - and Staggered Spondaic Word - SSW). The same tests were applied in the control group. Results: Children with BED'S, when compared to those in the control group, showed lower scores in academic performance (SPT), digits and similarities subtests of WISC, auditory processing subtest of SSW, and ITPA - representational and automatic level. The study showed that epileptic discharges did not influence the results. Conclusion: Children with BED'S scored significantly lower scores in tests on academic performance, when compared with those in the control group probably due to executive dysfunction. (C) 2011 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public Speaking Anxiety, Test Anxiety, and Academic Achievement in Undergraduate Students

Public speaking anxiety and test anxiety are both psychological difficulties which may adversely influence academic achievement in undergraduate students. Previous research has indicated that both public speaking anxiety and test anxiety are negatively correlated with academic performance, usually measured by grade point average. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of public speaking anxiety, test anxiety, and their effects on academic achievement in a sample of undergraduate students, and to determine if certain groups of students are more likely to be affected than others. Although test anxiety and public speaking anxiety were both found to be negatively correlated with grade point average, these correlations were not statistically significant. Potential reasons for the lack of statistical congruence with previous studies, as well as implications for future research and treatment, are discussed.

The Relationship between AP English Language Performance and College Outcomes

This study focused on the relationship between students’ Advanced Placement (AP) English language performance and their subsequent college success. Targeted students were divided into three groups according to their AP English Language performance. Subsequent college success was measured by students’ first-year college GPA, retention to the second year, and institutional selectivity. The demographic characteristics of the three AP performance groups with regard to gender, ethnicity, and best language spoken are provided. Results indicated that, after controlling for students’ SAT scores as a measure of prior academic performance, AP English Language performance was positively related to all three measures of college success.