Douglas_Forbes_and_Karen_Thomas

1st level students’ expectations versus subsequent perceptions of the reality, and the extent to which these predict academic performance : 

1st level students’ expectations versus subsequent perceptions of the reality, and the extent to which these predict academic performance

Background : 

Background Widening access Progression and retention figures To gain an insight into the experience of 1st year Psychology students Implement support to help students deal effectively with the transition to university Explore the factors likely to affect academic performance Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

The Student Experience Project : 

The Student Experience Project Ongoing project commenced 2002/03 The development of the current questionnaire Data collection Time 1 – induction week Time 2 – end of semester A Academic performance Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

Theoretical Framework : 

Theoretical Framework Self efficacy (Bandura, 1994) “A strong sense of efficacy enhances human accomplishment and personal well-being….In contrast, people who doubt their capabilities have low aspirations and weak commitment to the goals they choose to pursue” Self beliefs of efficacy play a key role in the self-regulation of motivation to succeed Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

General aims of the study : 

General aims of the study To find out what factors influence our Psychology students’ academic performance To continue to measure demographic and other variables of our Psychology students over a period of time To explore students’ expectations of the BSc Psychology programme Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

Objectives : 

Objectives To identify where the reality does not live up to students’ initial expectations To measure the difference in academic performance between students whose initial expectations lived up to reality and those whose initial expectations did not live up to the reality To measure the relationship between students’ outlook at their academic performance Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

GCAL Psychology Students : 

GCAL Psychology Students 379 respondents (female = 290 ; male = 61) 85% of respondents aged 17-19 67.2% living at home 44.3% no-one in their immediate family has attended uni 91% have friends attending university 70% stated the BSc Psy at GCAL was their 1st choice Prior qualification in psychology 95% of those with a prior qualification thought it had made the programme easier 67% of those without thought this had been a disadvantage Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

GCAL Psychology StudentsDifferences between Time 1 and Time 2 : 

GCAL Psychology StudentsDifferences between Time 1 and Time 2 Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

Expectation versus reality : 

Expectation versus reality How hard do you think you will find / are you finding this programme 47% easier 42.6% same 10.4% more difficult How hard do you intend to / have you worked? 17.6% at least as hard 29% much less hard How easily will you cope with / are you coping with being a student 50% easier 30% same 20% harder How much do you intend to enjoy / have you enjoyed being at University 52% much less enjoyable 10% more enjoyable Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

Those whose initial positive expectations are met or exceeded by the reality performed better than those whose initial expectations are not realised/disappointed : 

Those whose initial positive expectations are met or exceeded by the reality performed better than those whose initial expectations are not realised/disappointed Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

How hard you have found the programme? : 

How hard you have found the programme? The four students who have withdrawn or had time out all indicated that the course was easier than expected Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

E-R variables that yielded no significant differences in academic performance : 

E-R variables that yielded no significant differences in academic performance Coping with being a student How well informed about psychology Enjoy university Programme satisfaction Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

Life Orientation : 

Life Orientation Scores on the LOT correlated with… how hard they worked (time2) enjoyment at university (time1 & time2) stated likelihood to leave if things don’t work out (time2) how easily they will cope with being a student (time1) academic performance compared with others (time1) how hard they will find the course (time1) worried about not coping with work load (time1) how easily they’ve coped with being a student (time2) overall L1 aggregate Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

Some other Interesting Findings : 

Some other Interesting Findings A significant correlation was found between academic performance and.. pointage at entry sure about programme choice (time 2) how hard they have worked There is no relationship between academic performance and.. number of paid hours worked knowing what they want to do on completion of the course Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology

Conclusions : 

Conclusions What can we learn as practitioners from these findings? To what extent does this advance our understanding of and policy of how to cater for student motivation? Where do we go from here? Douglas Forbes and Karen Thomson Department of Psychology