Thesis (M.S.)--Naval Postgraduate School, 2005. / Title from title screen (viewed 05/10/2006). "June 2005." Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of the study was to identify predictors of success in the SAICA Board Examination. The study considered various personality states and traits, cognitive ability, learning and study strategies and academic progress as predictors of academic success of auditing trainees writing the SAICA board examinations in order to qualify as Chartered Accountants. A detailed literature review was undertaken which identified that academic success has successfully been predicted by the Big Five personality traits, cognitive ability, by elements of psychological capital more specifically hope, efficacy, resiliency and optimism. The literature also confirmed the successful prediction of academic success through prior learning achievements and the implementation of study and learning strategies. The research study was an ex post facto, quantitative and exploratory study. The study sample consisted of a group of 126 auditing trainees from three of the Big Four auditing firms who were preparing to write the Public Practice Examination (“PPE”). These students were assessed by means of a test battery consisting of the Basic Traits Inventory, which assessed personality traits, the Ravens Advanced Progressive Matrix, which tested cognitive ability, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire in order to test positive psychology states, and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory to test a number of study and learning techniques. The study also gathered biographical information pertaining to past academic results in terms of third year accounting marks and results from their Certificate in the Theory of Accounting. The study identified hope and auditing as strong predictors of success in the PPE SAICA Board examination. It went further to investigate the predictors of success in the qualifications leading up to the PPE. The study confirmed that third year accounting results is a strong predictor of success at the Certificate in the Theory of Accounting (CTA) level. A number of personality states and traits, study and learning strategies and indices of prior academic success, proved to be good predictors of success in the QE1 and PPE SAICA Board Examinations. It further identified prior academic progression as a successful predictor of success in the PPE. The overall conclusion of the study was that the success of the PPE cannot be considered in isolation, but rather based on the identified predictors of personality states and traits, study and learning strategies and academic progress throughout the academic career of an aspiring Chartered Accountant. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van die studie was die identifisering van voorspellers ten opsigte van sukses in die SAICA Raadseksamen. Verskillende persoonlikheidstipes en -eienskappe, kognitiewe vermoë, leer- en studiemetodes, sowel as akademiese vordering is as voorspellers van akademiese sukses van ouditkundekwekelinge, wat die SAICA Raadseksamens aflê, ten einde as Geoktrooieerde Rekenmeesters te kwalifiseer, tydens die studie in ag geneem. 'n Volledige literatuurstudie is onderneem waartydens daar gevind is dat akademiese sukses suksesvol deur die "Groot Vyf" persoonliksheidseienskappe, kognitiewe vermoë, elemente van sielkundige kapitaal, en meer spesifiek hoop, selfbekwaamheid, veerkragtigheid en optimisme, voorspel kon word. Die literatuurstudie het ook die suksesvolle voorspelling van akademiese sukses deur middel van voorafgaande akademiese prestasies, sowel as die implementering van studiemetodes bevestig. Die navorsingstudie was 'n ex post facto, kwantitatiewe en eksploratiewe studie. Die steekproef het uit 'n groep van 126 ouditkunde kwekelinge, vanuit drie van die "Groot Vier" ouditeursmaatskappye bestaan. Die studente was in die proses van voorbereiding vir die aflê van die Public Practice Examination (PPE). Hierdie studente is geëvalueer deur middel van 'n toetsbattery wat bestaan het uit 'n Basic Traits-persoonlikheidsvraelys, die Ravens Advanced Progressive Matrix, wat kognitiewe vermoëns assesseer, die Psychological Capital-vraelys, wat aangewend word om die positiewe sielkundige toestand te evalueer, asook die Learning and Study Strategies Inventory om 'n aantal studie- en leermetodes te evalueer. Die studie het ook biografiese inligting ingesamel, wat verband hou met akademiese prestasie met betrekking tot die derdejaarsprestasie in rekeningkunde, asook akademiese sukses behaal tydens die Sertifikaat in die Teorie van Rekeningkunde. Die studie het hoop en ouditkunde as sterk voorspellers van akademiese sukses in die PPE geïdentifiseer. Verder het die studie ook ondersoek ingestel na akademiese sukses tydens die voorafgaande kwalifikasies in die aanloop tot die PPE, as voorspeller. Die studie het 'n aantal persoonlikheidstipes en -eienskappe, sowel as studie- en leermetodes as sterk voorspellers van akademiese sukses in die SAICA raadseksamens bevestig. Verder het die studie voorafgaande akademiese vordering as 'n suksesvolle voorspeller van akademiese sukses in die PPE geïdentifiseer. Die algemene gevolgtrekking van die studie is dat sukses in die PPE-Raadseksamen nie in isolasie oorweeg kan word nie, maar eerder gebaseer moet word op die geïdentifiseerde voorspellers van persoonlikheidstipes en -eienskappe, leer- en studiemetodes en akademiese sukses gedurende die totale akademiese loopbaan van 'n aspirant Geoktrooieerde Rekenmeester.

The purposes were (1) to examine the relationship of four motivational characteristics, as measured by the Merritt College Motivation Inventory (MCMI), to final introductory psychology grades in the two methods of instruction, and (2) to determine the usefulness of the MCMI as a tool for guiding students into open circuit television and on-campus traditional introductory psychology courses. The following research questions were formulated: (1) Can a prediction model using four motivational scales (Intrinsic, Self-Enhancement, Per son-Orientation, and Goal-Deficiency as measured by the MCMI) be developed which will adequately predict achievement in open-circuit television and on-campus traditional introductory psychology courses? (2) Can a prediction model using three of less of the four MCMI scales be developed which will adequately predict achievement in open-circuit television and on-campus traditional introductory psychology courses? (3) Of the four MCMI scales, which one or combination will be applicable in counseling students into open circuit television and on-campus traditional introductory psychology courses? All four hypotheses were confirmed. However, the four motivational characteristics as measured by the MCMI may not adequately predict achievement for the on-campus or telecourse students, The prediction efficiency of the Full and Restricted Models for both groups left significant proportions (81.41 per cent or more) in final introductory psychology course grades unaccounted for. With the high percentage of final grades unaccounted for, it appears that the efficiency of the MCMI scales is too low for valid use in predicting final grades in the introductory psychology course and is therefore not usable as an exclusive tool in guiding students into the open circuit television and on-campus traditional psychology courses.

Two major purposes existed for this study. The first purpose was to compare how persisters and nonpersisters in the first year of a two-year nursing program differed in locus of control, selected personality traits, and seven demographic variables. The second major purpose was to develop a predictive model for the persisters and the nonpersisters. The particular personality variables examined were intelligence, superego strength, extraversion, anxiety, tough poise, and independence as measured by the 16PF. The summary findings were that persisters had significantly higher scores on the NDRT and the B and G traits, significantly lower externality, and were generally younger with no previous nursing experience, and more likely not to have prekindergarten age children than the nonpersisters. The major significance of this research comes from its use of data gathered at the beginning of an educational program to make predictions which can be available to teachers, counselors, and administrators who may make use of the information to improve the chance potential nonpersisters have of completing the nursing program, or perhaps to assist students in reexamination of their career choice.

D.Ed. / Currently, the passrate for Engineering Drawing presented at Technical Colleges is unacceptably low. This study is an extension of an earlier study done in the same studyfield, by the same writer. A need has thus arisen not only to investigate the problem areas responsible for the high drop-out rate in Engineering Drawing, but also to investigate the possibility of the early identification of the potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing. In an attempt to address this problein further, the aim of this study therefore is to develop an appropriate measuring instrument which may be used to identify the potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing. Five Technical Colleges on the Eastrand in the Gauteng Province - catering mainly for black students - were included in the investigation. For the research study the "Trade Aptitude Test Battery" (TRAT), compiled by the Human Sciences Research Counil, was used. The results of this study, clearly showed three-dimensional spatial perception (subtest 16 of the TRAT) as the only factor to be used when identifying the potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing. Subtest 16 of the TRAT could then be used as an "criterion" to identify the potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing. Lastly this study showed that to master Engineering Drawing requires a great deal of spatial ability. Lecturers presenting this subject will therefore have to take into account the recommendations of this study as set out in chapter 9 when enrolling students for Engineering Drawing. Subject specific remedial programmes should be utilized to improve the successrate in Engeneering Drawing of the identified potential riskstudent in Engineering Drawing.

D.Ed. (Didactics) / The main objective of this research is to develop a diagnostic model for the prediction of mathematics achievement for first year university students. In order to design this model of prediction, the following objectives were formulated: * to establish a profile of a typical successful and unsuccessful student in Mathematics; * to calculate the probable final mark achieved by a student in Mathematics; * to establish the probability of success by a student in Mathematics. In this research various factors determinating the academic performance of first year students at a university are discussed. Firstly the transition from school to university and its implications on the student, the teaching of a subject and its influence, and those factors inherent in the student are investigated. The factors inherent to the student are described as cognitive factors (intelligence, aptitude and previous performance) and non-cognititve factors (study methods and attitudes, interest, anxiety, personality and adjustment).

This study investigated the Adlerian concept of social interest m entering community college students to determine the predictive value of social interest for academic achievement and to determine the relationship between social interest and ethnicity and gender. Data for this study included age, gender, ethnic origin, high school class quarter, financial aid status, ACT Composite, grade point average, and scores on the Social Interest Scale. The results of stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that the social interest scores did not contribute significantly to the prediction of academic achievement. The results of an analysis of variance indicated a significant difference in the social interest scores of Anglo-American, Black-American, and Mexican-American students but the Scheffe test for multiple comparisons did not indicate any significant differences among or between the three ethnic groups. The results of a two-tailed t-test for independent samples indicated no significant difference in the social interest scores of males and females.

This study addressed the attributional predispositions and specific attributions for success and failure of seriously emotionally disturbed adolescent males and nondisturbed, regular education adolescent males (hereafter referred to as disturbed students and nondisturbed students, respectively). Specifically the purpose was to determine an attributional predisposition of disturbed students and nondisturbed students. Furthermore, this study sought to ascertain whether disturbed students and nondisturbed students indicated different attributions for success and failure at achievement tasks. The study then examined the congruence between students' attributional predispositions and their actual attributions.

The No Child Left Behind Act and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Principles and Standards both had a significant impact on the format and content of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) math test. Content analysis of the 2004 TAKS eighth grade math test identified the prevalence of linguistic complexity, mathematical rigor, and visual presentation factors and explored their relationship to student success on individual test items. Variables to be studied were identified through a review of literature in the area of reading comprehension of math word problems. Sixteen variables of linguistic complexity that have been significantly correlated with student math test performance were selected. Four variables of visual presentation were identified and ten variables of mathematical rigor. An additional five variables of mathematical rigor emerged from preliminary study of the 2003 TAKS math test. Of the 35 individual variables, only four reached a significant level of correlation with the percent of students correctly answering a given test item. The number of digits presented in the problem statement and number of known quantities both exhibited a significant positive correlation with the dependent variable. The number of times a student had to perform a multiplication operation had a significant negative correlation with the percent of correct responses, as did the total number of operations required. Stepwise regression of these four variables revealed total number of operations and known quantities to be the best combination of predictors of correct responses. When grouped in categories by problem type and compared, items involving mathematical reasoning but no mathematical operations had a significantly higher percentage of correct responses than those requiring at least one operation. Further categorization revealed problems involving applications only (without computation) associated with the highest levels of correct responses, followed by those involving only computation. Items requiring both applications and computations had a significantly lower percent of correct responses.

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine early warning indicators of college readiness among early college high school students at selected Texas institutions of higher education. Participants in this study included 134 of the class of 2010 from two early college high schools. The graduates were 86% Hispanic, 8% African American, 3% White, 2% Asian, 1% American Indian and 72% economically disadvantaged. A causal-comparative research design using multiple regression analysis of the data collected revealed that each one unit increase in world history was associated with a .470 (p < .05) increase in college GPA, while each one unit increase in Algebra I was associated with a .202 (p < .05) increase. Therefore, student grades in high school Algebra I and world history were the strongest statistically significant indicators that a student will maintain a 2.5 college GPA during the first year of college. According to the early warning indicators, students who maintain a grade of A or B in Algebra I are 10 times more likely to be college ready while having a 78% chance of maintaining a 2.5 or better in college courses. Further, the findings from this study found no significant relationship between TAKS assessment, socioeconomic status, gender or ethnicity and a student's ability to maintain a 2.5 or higher college GPA. Based on the findings from this study, the author recommends an examination of the high school curriculum with the goal of ensuring that students gain competency in courses that indicate college readiness.