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The purpose of this study was: (a) to examine the predictive utility of the achievement goal and Student Approaches to Learning (SAL) frameworks for characterizing Chinese students’ motivation and achievement, and (b) to investigate how Confucian-heritage culture (CHC) may combine with achievement goals or SAL to generate different learning processes and outcomes and to promote optimal motivation. A questionnaire was conducted during a two-week period with over 700 first-year students who took both of the two courses—college English classes for non-English majors and advanced mathematics classes for science students—at a university in northern China. The questionnaire consisted of students’ self-reported demographic information and the instrument that was designed to measure: (a) goal orientations, (b) attitudes towards the specified CHC values, (c) SAL constructs, and (d) two variables widely used in research in this field—metacognitive strategy and school well-being. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted to examine the consistency of the extracted factor solutions with the four goal constructs postulated by the 2 x 2 conceptualization, the two SAL contructs posited by the SAL framework, and the five cultural value contructs derived from the literature review. Standard analysis procedures were used to calculate the reliability of the scales and to determine which items should be retained for further analyses. Then regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship of the goal orientation framework and SAL framework to cultural values, school well-being, metacognitive strategies, and grades. Results indicated that the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework was an appropriate model for characterizing the types of achievement goals these Chinese students pursued and for predicting a number of achievement-relevant processes and outcomes, as was the revised two-factor SAL framework for characterizing the different ways students approached their learning and for predicting these learning processes and outcomes. The results supported Chinese students’ multiple goal pursuit in an additive goal pattern, an interactive goal pattern, or a specialized goal pattern to promote their optimal motivation and achievement. The results also provided evidence that CHC values combined with achievement goals or SAL either in an additive or interactive pattern to facilitate Chinese students’ learning processes and outcomes. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-31 12:20:50.812

La présente recherche vise à mieux comprendre, dans le contexte universitaire béninois, s’il peut exister un lien qualitatif entre TIC et rendement académique afin de pouvoir mettre les TIC à contribution pour améliorer significativement les mauvais résultats des apprenants, notamment au premier cycle universitaire. Cette étude est tout particulièrement importante dans notre contexte où les TIC font de plus en plus leur apparition en pédagogie universitaire et où les étudiants recourent aux TIC dans leur pratique plus que les formateurs dans la leur. Le cadre de référence retenu pour la recherche est structuré autour des concepts de l’apprentissage assisté par les TIC, de motivation en éducation et de rendement académique. Pour atteindre notre objectif de recherche, nous avons opté pour une démarche mixte : quantitative et qualitative. Il s’agit d’une étude descriptive/explicative. Nous avons mené une enquête par questionnaires auprès de 156 étudiants et 15 enseignants et fait des entrevues avec 11 étudiants et 6 enseignants. Les principaux résultats sont présentés sous forme d’articles respectivement en ce qui a trait à l’impact des TIC sur la motivation et la réussite, aux usages des TIC les plus fréquemment rencontrés chez les apprenants, et à la place des TIC dans la pratique pédagogique des enseignants de la faculté de droit de l’Université d’Abomey-Calavi. Plus précisément, il ressort des résultats que la majorité des participants ont une perception en général positive du potentiel motivationnel des TIC pour l’apprentissage. Cependant, sur une cote maximale de 7 (correspond très fortement), la perception des répondants relativement à l’impact positif de l’utilisation des TIC sur le rendement académique tourne autour d’une cote moyenne de 4 (correspond assez). D’où, une perception en général mitigée du lien entre l’apprentissage assisté par les TIC et la réussite. Le croisement des résultats des données quantitatives avec ceux de l’analyse qualitative induit, sur ce point, une perception positive prononcée des rapports entre TIC et rendement. Les résultats montrent également que les usages des TIC les plus fréquents chez ces apprenants sont le courriel (en tête), suivi de la recherche et du traitement de texte, avec une fréquence moyenne d’ « une fois par semaine ». Tous ces constats n’accréditent pas véritablement un usage académique des TIC. Chez les enseignants, les résultats ont montré aussi qu’il n’y a pas encore de réelles applications des TIC en situation d’enseignement : ils font plutôt un usage personnel des TIC et pas encore véritablement pédagogique. La conséquence logique de ces résultats est qu’il n’existe pas encore un lien qualitatif direct entre TIC et rendement académique en contexte universitaire béninois. / This study attempted to determine whether a qualitative relationship existed between information and communication technologies (ICT) and academic performance in universities in Benin. The aim was to understand how ICT may be used to significantly improve inadequate student grades, particularly in bachelor programs. This study is particularly relevant at a time when ICT are increasingly part of university life, and when students use ICT more than their professors do. The research framework is therefore structured around the concepts of teaching and learning with ICT, motivation in education, and academic performance. To achieve our objectives, we used a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach to conduct a descriptive and explicative study. We administered a survey questionnaire to 156 students and 15 professors and held interviews with 11 students and 6 professors. The main results are presented in articles on the impact of ICT on motivation and academic success, the most frequent uses of ICT by students, and the role of ICT in the teaching practices of law professors at the Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Benin. More precisely, the results show that most of the participants had an overall positive perception of the motivational potential of ICT for teaching and learning. Nevertheless, out of a maximum score of 7 (very strong), respondents rated their perception of the positive impact of ICT use on academic performance at 4 (moderate) on average. Hence, their perception of the relationship between learning with ICT and success was generally middling. Crossing the results of the quantitative data with the results of the qualitative analysis concerning this aspect revealed a pronounced positive perception of the relationship between ICT and performance. Results also show that the most frequent uses of ICT by students are email (heading the list), followed by research and word processing, at once a week on average. These uses do not really amount to ICT for academic purposes. Among professors, results also showed that ICT are not yet being fully applied to teaching practices. They are used more for personal than for pedagogical purposes. The conclusion is that we have not yet found a direct qualitative relationship between ICT and academic performance in universities in Benin.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Understanding what to do and how to complete academic tasks is an essential yet complicated academic activity. However, this area has been under-examined. The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ understanding of academic tasks with qualitative and quantitative approaches. Ninety-eight students participated in this study. First, the study explored the kinds of tasks students identified as challenging, the disciplines in which these tasks were situated, the types of structures these tasks had, and challenges found in students’ task analysis activity. Second, the study examined the relationships between students’ task understanding and academic performance. The findings indicated that although students struggled with various tasks, they struggled even more when tasks became less pre-scribed. The results also showed that task understanding was statistically significantly co-related to academic performance and task understanding, particularly, implicit aspect of task understanding, predicted students’ academic performance. The findings supported Hadwin’s (2006) model of task understanding.

Reading is considered to be a vital skill for academic success, yet it is seldom taught to or practised with students. Students begin to `read to learn' during primary and secondary schooling. However, at tertiary level the academic demands are much greater than before and involve more extensive reading of conceptually more complex texts. This study investigates the implementation of an intensive reading programme for post-matric English Second Language Science students, based on the assumption that reading improves reading. In addition, this study investigates the effect that reading ability has on academic performance in Science, which relies inter alia, on the ability to read, comprehend and interpret word problems. An intervention group and a control group were used to ascertain the effects of an intensive reading programme and the findings suggest that any reading (intensive or extensive) improves reading and language skills. This in turn impacts on academic performance in Science, if students have an ability in Science to begin with. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / MA - SP APPLIED LINGUISTICS

The study proposes an ecosystemic approach as an intervention for attentional difficulties and heightened motor activity, traditionally known as AD/HD. A literature study of AD/HD is presented first as a psycho-educational frame of reference. The focus then shifts to the symtoms of AD/DH to move closer to the possible underlying causes of these symptoms. In doing so, the focus changes from AD/HD as a diagnosis to attentional difficulties and heightened motor activity as presenting symptoms. Attention and motor activity as constructs are investigated in terms of their neuro-anatomical, neuro-chemical and neuro-physiological aspects. Furthermore, neurodevelopment, physiological stress, neurodevelopmental delay, information processing systems, sensory-motor subsystems and integration as constructs are investigated to understand their role in attention and modulation of motor activity. The study of attention and motor activity and their associated neurological factors motivates an alternative, ecosystemic method of intervention. The proposed approach includes an investigation into internal and external biochemical ecosystems such as environmental pollutants, deficiencies of essential nutrients and genetic deficiencies of the immune system. Other aspects such as time, maturation and neurodevelopment are also considered as well as the gentle interplay between these aspects. The therapeutic intervention includes sound therapy, neurodevelopmental movement activities, EEG neurofeedback and nutrition. Experimental research with a sample population of 12 diagnosed grade 4 and 5 AD/HD learners over a 11 week period was conducted. Statistically significant improvements in aspects of attention were noted using 2 standardised instruments and verification through parent interviews in the first and second experimental groups. Statistically significant improvements were noted in aspects of motor activity (a decline in hyperactive behaviour) in the second experimental group with verification from teacher interviews. Additionally, children in the first experimental group improved significantly more than children in the control group with regards to mathematic skills. The second experimental group showed significant improvement with large effect sizes on reading, mathematic skills and spelling. In conclusion, the statistically significant results obtained with the proposed approach motivates implementation, with improvements in attention, motor activity control and academic performance as a prospect. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed.(Psychology of Education)

Submitted by JAQUELINE NASCIMENTO (jaquedourado@gmail.com) on 2017-09-27T06:17:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_MULHERES NOS CURSOS DE ENGENHARIA DA UFBA _ACESSO E DESEMPENHO_JAQUELINE.pdf: 3288957 bytes, checksum: c1eeb1111def256553e3bb5d0d72fa7c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Auxiliadora da Silva Lopes (silopes@ufba.br) on 2017-09-27T14:19:55Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_MULHERES NOS CURSOS DE ENGENHARIA DA UFBA _ACESSO E DESEMPENHO_JAQUELINE.pdf: 3288957 bytes, checksum: c1eeb1111def256553e3bb5d0d72fa7c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-27T14:19:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_MULHERES NOS CURSOS DE ENGENHARIA DA UFBA _ACESSO E DESEMPENHO_JAQUELINE.pdf: 3288957 bytes, checksum: c1eeb1111def256553e3bb5d0d72fa7c (MD5) / Este trabalho tem como foco o estudo do desempenho acadêmico e o acesso de mulheres nos cursos da área de engenharia da Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA). A pesquisa teve como objetivo central analisar se as diferenças de desempenho entre mulheres e homens, nos cursos de graduação de engenharia da UFBA, têm sido modificadas ao longo da formação graduada no período compreendido entre 2004 a 2016. Para a realização da pesquisa, utilizou-se a abordagem quantitativa e a pesquisa com base documental. Como método de tratamento e análise dos dados foi realizada uma análise estatística descritiva, exploratória e inferencial de maneira a conhecer o perfil dos estudantes dessa área e a aplicação de testes para verificar a significância dos achados. Além disso, sobre o desempenho, foram aplicadas a Análise de Variância e a Análise de Regressão Múltipla. A população investigada nesta pesquisa foi composta por 6702 estudantes dos quais haviam informações acadêmicas e de acesso ou não ao sistema de reserva e vagas. A partir da análise referente ao acesso nos cursos de engenharia, verificou-se um aumento no percentual de estudantes mulheres nos referidos cursos, a exemplo de Engenharia Civil. Mesmo assim, na maioria das engenharias, a participação da mulher é pequena, principalmente, nas Engenharias Elétrica, Mecânica e da Computação. No que se refere ao acesso utilizando o sistema de reserva de vagas no vestibular (cotas), as mulheres cotistas possuem menor participação, tanto em relação aos homens cotistas quanto às mulheres não cotistas. Com relação ao desempenho, as mulheres possuem menor desempenho no vestibular do que os homens. Ao ingressar na universidade, as mulheres têm rendimento acadêmico médio, melhor ou igual ao dos homens, principalmente, no início e metade do curso. A maioria das mulheres que possuem desempenho baixo no vestibular tendem a melhorar o seu rendimento dentro da universidade. Observou-se que a diferença é maior no desempenho no vestibular e no rendimento acadêmico entre os cotistas e não cotistas. No vestibular, os cotistas estão concentrados nos grupos de baixo ou intermediário baixo desempenho e os não cotistas nos grupos de intermediário alto e alto desempenho. Essas diferenças entre cotistas e não cotistas tendem a permanecer durante a formação graduada. Embora tendo ocorrido o aumento no acesso de mulheres nas engenharias é possível verificar a necessidade da existência de políticas públicas que contribuam para a equidade entre mulheres e homens no espaço educacional, que tenham políticas no âmbito macro que possibilitem o acesso de meninas à educação matemática, o estímulo para as áreas tecnológicas e engenharias, de maneira a conhecer as opções da inserção de mulheres nas diferentes profissões independentemente do gênero. No âmbito micro, faz-se necessário que sejam elaboradas políticas dentro da instituição investigada relacionadas à questão do acesso de mulheres e, principalmente, das mulheres cotistas nos cursos de engenharia. / ABSTRACT This document has focus in the academic performance and the women access in the engineering courses at the Federal University of Bahia (FUB). This investigation had as principal objective the investigation if the differences in the performance between women and men, at the engineering university courses of the FUB, have been modified among the preparing period between 2004 and 2016. For the development of this investigation, it has been used the quantitative scope based in documental bases. For the data treatment and analyzing process, it was used an statistic descriptive, exploring and inferential analyzing to identify the students profile in the engineering area and there were applied tests to verify the significance of the results. Further that, about the performance, the Variance and Multiply Analyzing were used. The amount of population investigated was 6702 students, which whom academic information was available, including the information of access or not to the quotas reserves system. Starting, the engineering courses access analyzing, an increasing in the participation of women average in those courses, for example the Civil Engineering was verified. Even so in the majority of the engineering courses, the women participation is lower, especially in the Electric, Mechanic and Computation Engineer courses. About the access using the quotes reserves system in the vestibular, the women quote group integrant has a minor participation comparing the men quote group participation and the women non-quote group. Talking about performance, women has less performance in the vestibular compared with men. When women entered into the university, they have medium academic improvement, better or equal as men, principally initiating or in the middle of the course. Most of women that has low performance at vestibular tend to improve the performance at the university. It was observed that the vestibular and the academic performance differences are high between the quote and the non-quote group. At the vestibular, the quote group is concentrated in the low an intermediate low students and the non-quote students in the intermediate high and high performance groups. Those differences between the quote group and the non-quote group of students tend to maintain during the university formation. Nevertheless having the access of women increased in the engineering courses, it’s possible to verify the public politics necessity to contribute to the equality between women and men in the educational space, and macro politics to allow girls in the mathematic education, so the stimulus to participate in the technologic and engineering area, all of this to know the women insertion options in the different professions. In a micro scope it’s necessary to elaborate internal politics in the investigated institution, those politics must be related to woman access, principally the women quote group in the engineering courses. / RESUMEN Este trabajo tiene centro el estudio del desempeño académico y el acceso de mujeres en los cursos del área de ingeniería de la Universidad Federal de Bahía (UFBA). La investigación tuvo como objetivo principal analizar si las diferencias de desempeño entre mujeres y hombres, en los cursos universitarios de ingeniería de la UFBA, han sido modificadas a lo largo de la formación en el periodo comprendido entre 2004 y 2016. Para la realización de la investigación, se utilizó el abordaje cuantitativo y la investigación con base documental. Como método de tratamiento y análisis de los datos fue realizado un análisis estadístico descriptivo, exploratorio e inferencial a fin de conocer el perfil de los estudiantes de esa área y la aplicación de tests para verificar la significancia de los hallazgos. Además de eso, acerca del desempeño, fueron aplicados el Análisis de Varianza y el Análisis de Regresión Múltiple. La población investigada en fue compuesta de 6702 estudiantes, de los que se contaba con informaciones académicas y del acceso o no al sistema de reserva de cupos. A partir del análisis referente al acceso de los cursos de ingeniería, se verificó un aumento en el porcentaje de estudiantes mujeres en los referidos cursos, por ejemplo de Ingeniería Civil. Aún así, en la mayoría de las ingenierías, la participación de la mujer es pequeña, principalmente, en las Ingenierías Eléctrica, Mecánica y de Computación. En lo que se refiere al acceso utilizando el sistema de reserva de cupos en el vestibular (cuotas), la mujeres cuotistas poseen menor participación, tanto en relación a los hombres cuotistas como a las mujeres no cuotistas. Acerca del desempeño, las mujeres poseen menor desempeño en el vestibular que el de los hombres. Al ingresar a la universidad, las mujeres tienen rendimiento académico medio, mejor o igual al de los hombres, principalmente, en el inicio y mitad del curso. La mayoría de la mujeres que poseen desempeño bajo en el vestibular tienden a mejorar su rendimiento dentro de la universidad. Se observó que la diferencia es mayor en el desempeño vestibular y en el rendimiento académico entre los cuotistas y no cuotistas. En el vestibular, los cuotistas están concentrados en los grupos de desempeño bajo e intermedio bajo e los no cuotistas en los grupos de desempeño intermedio alto y alto. Esas diferencias entre cuotistas y no cuotistas tienden a permanecer durante la formación universitaria. Sin embargo, habiendo ocurrido el aumento en el acceso de mujeres en las ingenierías, es posible verificar la necesidad de existencia de políticas públicas que contribuyan a la equidad entre mujeres y hombres en el espacio educacional, que existan políticas en el ámbito macro que posibiliten el acceso de muchachas a la educación matemática, el estímulo para las áreas tecnológicas e ingenieriles, de manera a conocer las opciones de inserción de mujeres en las diferentes profesiones independientemente del género. En el ámbito micro, se hace necesario que sean elaboradas políticas dentro de la institución investigada, relacionadas al acceso de mujeres y, principalmente, de las mujeres cuotistas en los cursos de ingeniería.

Text in English / Anyone using the Internet is likely to use Facebook and anyone using Facebook is likely to use it just about every day. The prevalent uses of the Internet and related technologies is a sign-showing that they have become a part of human life. On any student’s academic side of life, the use of social media (taking Facebook as a case) has become commonplace, but their influences over the academic engagement and performance of students requires deeper understanding. In Africa, the need for studies on the interplay between social media and education is growing. This study focuses on the influence of Facebook on the academic performance of undergraduate social sciences students using three federal Universities in Nigeria, West Africa as research sites. The study shows that Facebook use did not significantly influence the academic performance of the surveyed students at these universities and that its use can, however, be harnessed for augmenting student academic performance and for advancing education in general. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)