The Bad Test-Taker Identity

2020 ◽  
pp. 009862832097988
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Holmes

There is widespread belief that test-taking ability is an influential component of academic success distinct from domain knowledge and comprehension. Most of today’s college students took many more tests over the course of their primary and secondary education than students of previous generations, and also participated in regular training to strengthen their test-taking skills. Although such training and experience should equalize students on any isolated test-taking ability, the present study reveals that the vast majority students in a college sample believe that students can simply be bad test-takers. Moreover, the majority of students believe that they themselves are bad test-takers, a perspective which is maladaptive in light of relevant research. Accordingly, the data show that students who identify in this way also tend to possess other maladaptive academic attitudes.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Kamryn S. Morris ◽  
Eleanor K. Seaton ◽  
Masumi Iida ◽  
Sarah Lindstrom Johnson

It is important to consider racialized experiences and proximal indicators of academic success for Black youth when understanding the achievement gap. Acknowledging that racial discrimination is detrimental for the academic success of Black youth, this study extended previous research by examining the influence of racial discrimination stress. Using hierarchical regression analysis and a moderated moderation model, this study examined racial discrimination stress and school belonging as predictors of academic attitudes and beliefs among 344 Black youth (M age = 15.6). Additionally, we examined the interactive effects of school belonging as a buffer for racial discrimination stress, with particular focus on majority White schools. Analyses revealed that school belonging was linked with academic competence, academic efficacy, and academic skepticism. Furthermore, school belonging buffered the impact of racial discrimination stress on academic efficacy among Black youth in majority White schools. These findings highlight the co-occurrence of risk and protective factors among Black youth and demonstrate the additive influence of school racial composition on academic attitudes and beliefs. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings demonstrate the crucial role of school context in understanding risk and protective factors for the academic attitudes and beliefs of Black youth.


2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Matsui ◽  
Roger Liu ◽  
Caroline M. Kane

For the past three decades, much attention has been focused on developing diversity programs designed to improve the academic success of underrepresented minorities, primarily in mathematics, science, and engineering. However, ethnic minorities remain underrepresented in science majors and careers. Over the last 10 years, the Biology Scholars Program (BSP), a diversity program at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, has worked to increase the participation and success of students majoring in the biological sciences. A quantitative comparison of students in and out of the program indicates that students in BSP graduate with a degree in biology at significantly higher rates than students not in BSP regardless of race/ethnicity. Furthermore, students who are in BSP have statistically lower high school grade point averages (GPAs) and Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) scores than students not in BSP. African-American and Hispanic students who join BSP graduate with significantly higher UC Berkeley biology GPAs than non-BSP African-American and Hispanic students, respectively. Majority (Asian and White) students in BSP graduate with statistically similar UC GPAs despite having lower SAT scores than non-BSP majority students. Although BSP students are more successful in completing a biology degree than non-program members, the results raise a series of questions about why the program works and for whom.


HortScience ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 901A-901
Author(s):  
Dan T. Stearns ◽  
David J. Beattie ◽  
Charles W. Heuser ◽  
Perry M. Morgan

In an elective course titled “Be A Master Student”, freshmen in The Pennsylvania State Univ.'s College of Agricultural Sciences were introduced to subjects ranging from university policies and procedures to skill enhancement in note-taking, test-taking, and time management techniques. A broad knowledge of agricultural sciences at local, state, national, and international levels was developed with the goal to relate agriculture to individual and societal needs. Mentoring relationships between students and faculty developed, not only with course instructors, but also with other faculty through required interviews and one-on-one discussions. Two volunteer faculty instructors taught 20 students per section. The number of sections has increased from four in 1990 to 13 in 1994. More than 70% of incoming freshmen opted to schedule the course in 1994. Student surveys indicated that >90% of those who enrolled would recommend the class to a close friend. Performance tracking shows that studentswho enrolled in the class maintained higher grade point averages than students who did not enroll. A higher rate of retention also has been documented for students who complete “Be A Master Student”!


Author(s):  
Shauna Pomerantz ◽  
Rebecca Raby

Are girls taking over the world? It would appear so based on magazine covers, news headlines, and popularized books touting girls’ academic success. As a result, many in Western society assume that girls now play on an equal playing field so have nothing to complain about. But contrary to the widespread belief that girls have surpassed the need for support because they are ‘doing well’ in school, smart girls struggle in ways that have been made invisible. Why do some girls choose to dumb down? How do smart girls handle being labeled ‘nerd’ or ‘loner? How do they deal with stress, including the ‘Supergirl’ drive for perfection? How are race and class part of smart girls’ negotiations of academic success? And how do smart girls engage with the sexism that is still present in schools, in spite of messages to the contrary? Set against the powerful backdrops of post-feminism and neo-liberalism where girls are told they now ‘have it all’, Smart Girls sheds light on girls’ varied everyday experiences, strategic negotiations of traditional gender norms, and the savoring of success – all while keeping their eyes on an A+ and a bright future.


Author(s):  
Nelly Lagos San Martín ◽  
Mª Isabel Gómez Núñez ◽  
Carolina Gonzálvez Maciá ◽  
María Vicent Juan ◽  
Nieves Gomis Selva

Abstract.School refusal is a factor that can influence academic performance and the latter is closely related to the type of authority that the students at his school successes and failures. Objective: To assess the relationship between attributions of academic success and failure in Language and School Refusal in a sample of students in primary and secondary education. Method: A total of 1183 students from 15 schools of Dims, whose age range was 13-18 years (M = 16, SD = 1.32). The school rejection was assessed with the “School Refusal Assessment Scale -Revised “ (SARS -R) which measures the rejection to avoid stimuli that provoke negative affectivity, escape from aversive social or evaluative situations, to get attention and to get positive rewards tangible outside school. Causal attributions were assessed with the “Sydney Attribution Scale” (SAS) that assesses the perceptions of the subjects to make their self-attributions in Language, from three types of causes (ability, effort, and external causes) and two types of results ( success and failure ) . The results indicate statistically significant differences between high and low rejection School attributing academic success to external causes, as well as with low specifically attributing failure to internal causes to the capacity. Conclusions: These results confirm the relationship between the variables studied; warn about the importance of preventing school refusal, as well as the need to redirect causal attributions, especially those relating to academic failure.Keywords: School Rejection, causal attributions, academic success, failureResumen.El rechazo escolar es un factor que puede influir en el rendimiento académico y éste último está estrechamente relacionado con el tipo de atribuciones que realizan los estudiantes ante sus éxitos y fracasos escolares. Objetivo: Comprobar la relación existente entre atribuciones de éxito y fracaso académico en Lenguaje y Rechazo Escolar en una muestra de estudiantes de educación básica y media. Método: Participaron 1183 estudiantes de 15 colegios de Ñuble, cuyo rango de edad fue 13 a 18 años (M = 16; DE = 1,32). El rechazo escolar se evaluó con la “School Refusal Assessment Scale-Revised” (SRAS-R) que mide el rechazo para evitar estímulos que provocan afectividad negativa, para escapar de situaciones sociales aversivas o evaluativas, para llamar la atención y para obtener recompensas positivas tangibles fuera del colegio. Las atribuciones causales se evaluaron con la “Sydney Attribution Scale” (SAS) que evalúa las percepciones de los sujetos al realizar sus autoatribuciones en Lengua, a partir de tres tipos de causas (capacidad, esfuerzo y causas externas) y dos tipos de resultados (éxito y fracaso). Los resultados indican diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre un alto nivel de Rechazo Escolar y una baja atribución de éxito académico a causas externas, así como también con una baja atribución del fracaso a causas internas específicamente a la capacidad. Conclusiones: estos resultados confirman la relación entre las variables estudiadas, alertan sobre la importancia de prevenir el rechazo escolar, así como también sobre la necesidad de reconducir las atribuciones causales, sobre todo las relativas al fracaso académico.Palabras claves: Rechazo escolar, atribuciones causales, éxito académico, fracaso


1992 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin C. Alter

The current literature on parent-school communication is reviewed and placed in the context of relevant research on home-school variables relating to academic success. Implications for new directions in parent-school communication are outlined.


Author(s):  
Hazel C. M. Simmons-McDonald

The chapter briefly discusses the terms used to refer to the language or languages first acquired by an individual as well as variations between language acquisition and learning in Caribbean settings. The chapter then goes on to explore prevailing attitudes to language and trends in education policy. A summary of relevant research on home language is presented with the ensuing discussion focusing particularly on the relationship between home language, second language acquisition, the development of proficiency and literacy, and, more generally, academic success. The final section presents some reasons why the inclusion of home language in education is beneficial, particularly in Caribbean contexts.


2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 376-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan S. Gore ◽  
Kristina R. Wilburn ◽  
Jodi Treadway ◽  
Victoria Plaut

Prior research on Appalachian students has noted key differences in academic performance compared to the general population, but few researchers have examined the influence of cultural values on academic attitudes. The current study tested the hypothesis that the association between collectivism and academic attitudes (i.e., academic efficacy, school connectedness, and fear of academic success) would be stronger among Appalachian students than among non-Appalachian students. Participants were 605 university students from Appalachian and non-Appalachian regions of Kentucky and Georgia who completed survey assessments of the variables. A series of regression analyses confirmed the hypotheses. These results highlight the importance of applying cross-cultural theories to explain regional differences within countries.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Kovalenko

Although IELTS is coordinated under a framework for test development and validation, there is some controversy about exam results’ correlation with students’ post-admission intellectual, academic and professional performance. The theoretical part of the research aims to investigate the extent to which the IELTS reading component relates meaningfully to interpretations of validity. The empirical part addresses questions about perceptions of the impact of the IELTS reading preparation on adjustment to the challenges of academia and further academic performance and variances in these perceptions depending on the area of study and the level of language mastery. While having quite different views on assessing IELTS validity, the researchers agree that academic success is enhanced through and based on extensive substantive reading. The methodology relied on both qualitative and quantitative data derived from an anonymous online questionnaire: 133 international students with Russian citizenship, Global Education Programme (GEP) finalists, participated in the survey in summer 2017. Five different result interpretations were taken into account: overall results, those for sciences and humanities, higher and lower achievers’ results. The discussion is built around test-takers’ opinions on the IELTS exam, the reading component and scores. The issues discussed include, but are not limited to: reading strategies, information sources required at university, tasks effectiveness, exam preparation usefulness to academic adjustment and its influence on academic achievement, its resourcefulness for the formation of linguistic capabilities, and respondents’ perception of extra factors for exam success. Potentially increasing jeopardy of negative washback is shown as an emerging problem. Although test-taking ability is not depicted as a crucially important factor affecting exam success, it is increasingly significant and its harmful effects may be expressed in illusionary higher levels of validity due to visually improved results. Quality preparation for the reading test can train a number of essential skills required in academia; however, preparation itself does not appear to be a significant factor for smoother adjustment to academic challenges, as it is highly dependent on preliminary linguistic background. There is a necessity to communicate broader information to learners through the IELTS handbook, website and other communication channels. EAP tutors should encourage their students to make efforts to cover the subject without framing it within boundaries of measurement, but with a clear understanding of future academic and professional challenges.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 1257-1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priya Kucheria ◽  
McKay Moore Sohlberg ◽  
Jason Prideaux ◽  
Stephen Fickas

PurposeAn important predictor of postsecondary academic success is an individual's reading comprehension skills. Postsecondary readers apply a wide range of behavioral strategies to process text for learning purposes. Currently, no tools exist to detect a reader's use of strategies. The primary aim of this study was to develop Read, Understand, Learn, & Excel, an automated tool designed to detect reading strategy use and explore its accuracy in detecting strategies when students read digital, expository text.MethodAn iterative design was used to develop the computer algorithm for detecting 9 reading strategies. Twelve undergraduate students read 2 expository texts that were equated for length and complexity. A human observer documented the strategies employed by each reader, whereas the computer used digital sequences to detect the same strategies. Data were then coded and analyzed to determine agreement between the 2 sources of strategy detection (i.e., the computer and the observer).ResultsAgreement between the computer- and human-coded strategies was 75% or higher for 6 out of the 9 strategies. Only 3 out of the 9 strategies–previewing content, evaluating amount of remaining text, and periodic review and/or iterative summarizing–had less than 60% agreement.ConclusionRead, Understand, Learn, & Excel provides proof of concept that a reader's approach to engaging with academic text can be objectively and automatically captured. Clinical implications and suggestions to improve the sensitivity of the code are discussed.Supplemental Materialhttps://doi.org/10.23641/asha.8204786


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