The Relationship Between Executive Functions and Academic Performance in Primary Education: Review and Meta-Analysis

Academic achievement has been linked to executive functions. However, it is necessary to clarify the different predictive role that executive functions have on general and specific academic achievement and to determine the most predictive executive factor of this academic achievement. The relationship and predictive role between executive functions and their components (initiative, working memory, task monitoring, organization of materials, flexibility, emotional control, inhibition, self-monitoring) with academic achievement are analyzed in this study, both globally and specifically in the areas of Language Arts and Mathematics, in 133 students from 6 to 9 years of age. The relationship obtained in Pearson’s correlation analysis does not differ substantially between overall achievement (r = 0.392) and specific achievement (r = 0.361, r = 0.361), but task monitoring (r = 0.531, r = 0.455, r = 0.446) and working memory (r = 0.512, r = 0.475, r = 0.505) had a greater relationship with general and specific achievement. Finally, regression analyses based on correlation results indicate that executive functions predict general academic performance (14.7%) and specific performance (12.3%, 12.2%) for Language Arts and Mathematics, respectively. Furthermore, working memory and task supervision represent 32.5% of general academic performance, 25.5% of performance in Language Arts, and 27.1% of performance in Mathematics. In conclusion, this study yielded exploratory data on the possible executive functions (task supervision and working memory) responsible for good general academic achievements and specific academic achievements in Mathematics and Language Arts.

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The Relationship between Learning Styles and Academic Performance: Consistency among Multiple Assessment Methods in Psychology and Education Students

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13063341 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 3341

Author(s):

Jesús Maya ◽

Juan F. Luesia ◽

Javier Pérez-Padilla

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Academic Performance ◽

Learning Styles ◽

Primary Education ◽

High Performance ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Assessment Methods ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Education Students ◽

The Relationship

Universities strive to ensure quality education focused on the diversity of the student body. According to experiential learning theory, students display different learning preferences. This study has a three-fold objective: to compare learning styles based on personal and educational variables, to analyze the association between learning styles, the level of academic performance, and consistency of performance in four assessment methods, and to examine the influence of learning dimensions in students with medium-high performance in the assessment methods. An interdisciplinary approach was designed involving 289 psychology, early childhood education and primary education students at two universities in Spain. The Learning Style Inventory was used to assess learning styles and dimensions. The assessment methods used in the developmental psychology course included the following question formats: multiple-choice, short answer, creation-elaboration and an elaboration question on the relationship between theory and practice. Univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, and binomial logistic models were computed. The results reveal Psychology students to be more assimilative (theoretical and abstract), while early childhood and primary education students were evenly distributed among styles and were more divergent and convergent (practical) in absolute terms. In addition, high scores in perception (abstract conceptualization) were associated with a high level of performance on the multiple-choice tests and the elaboration question on the relationship between theory and practice. Abstract conceptualization was also associated with medium-high performance in all assessment methods and this variable predicted consistent high performance, independent of the assessment method. This study highlights the importance of promoting abstract conceptualization. Recommendations for enhancing this learning dimension are presented.

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Deberes escolares y rendimiento académico en Educación Primaria

Anales de Psicología ◽

10.6018/analesps.31.2.171131 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 562 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Antonio Valle ◽

Irene Pan ◽

José C. Núñez ◽

Pedro Rosário ◽

Susana Rodríguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Academic Performance ◽

Mathematics Achievement ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Primary Education ◽

Predictive Variables ◽

Time Optimization ◽

And Gender ◽

Educación Primaria ◽

The Relationship

This paper analyzes the relationship between homework behavior and academic achievement using a sample of students from the last three years of primary education. The variables associated with student involvement in homework were the amount of homework completed, the time spent on homework, and homework time optimization, while academic achievement was estimated based on the grades in mathematics and foreign language (english). The possible effect of the course and gender when calculating the level of predictive variables concerning the homework on academic achievement was analyzed. The results indicated that the amount of homework done and the optimization of the time dedicated at homework significantly and positively predicted academic performance in both subjects. However, the amount of time spent on homework was not relevant. Finally, while gender was not statistically significant in predicting academic achievement, the course itself was statistically significant: as the course advances the mathematics achievement tends to diminish.

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The role of executive functions in academic performance and behaviour of university students

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education ◽

10.1108/jarhe-10-2018-0221 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 444-455

Author(s):

Carlos Ramos-Galarza ◽

Pamela Acosta-Rodas ◽

Mónica Bolaños-Pasquel ◽

Nancy Lepe-Martínez

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

University Students ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Measurement Instruments ◽

Content Type ◽

Research Findings ◽

Proportional Relationship ◽

The University ◽

The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is fourfold: first, to analyse the relationship between executive functions and academic performance; second, to identify the level of prediction executive functions have on academic performance; third, to determine the correlation between executive functions and academic performance; and fourth, to compare executive functions based on the level of academic performance. Design/methodology/approach The sample composed of 175 university students aged between 18 and 36 years (M=21.49, SD=3.22). The EFECO scale, the average student grade and a scale based on the diagnostic criteria for ADHD were used as measurement instruments. Findings Difficulties in executive functions: Difficulties in working memory (r=−0.30, p=<0.01) and difficulties in conscious supervision of behaviour (r=−0.29, p⩽0.01) have an inversely proportional relationship to academic performance (the greater the deficit of executive functions, the lower the academic performance). The regression analysis showed that executive functions explain 31 per cent of the variance of academic performance (χ2(25)=43.81, p <0.001). The study found that there is a relationship between all the executive functions and students’ behaviour in a medium to large magnitude. Research limitations/implications A limitation of this study was the size of the sample as it is not representative of the country. Nevertheless, the correlation among the variables studied here has the necessary magnitude for the proposed correlations to be found. Nonetheless, it is necessary that we perform a study with a larger number of participants in order to achieve adequate extrapolation of the results. Practical implications Data found in this study suggest that low academic performance of university students is related to a lower functionality of their executive functions. Originality/value The originality of the research lies in relating specific concepts of neuropsychology to explain the academic performance of university students. The research findings allow us to project new studies to improve the executive functions for the benefit of the university student.

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Effects of physical activity on executive functions, attention and academic performance in preadolescent children: a meta-analysis

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport ◽

10.1016/j.jsams.2017.09.595 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 501-507 ◽

Cited By ~ 109

Author(s):

Johannes W. de Greeff ◽

Roel J. Bosker ◽

Jaap Oosterlaan ◽

Chris Visscher ◽

E. Hartman

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Academic Performance ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Preadolescent Children

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Las condiciones ambientales en las aulas de Primaria en Iberoamérica y su relación con el desempeño académico

Education Policy Analysis Archives ◽

10.14507/epaa.v20n18.2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 18 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

F. Javier Murillo ◽

Cynthia Martinez-Garrido

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

School Climate ◽

Language Learning ◽

Primary Education ◽

Multilevel Model ◽

Information Sources ◽

Standardized Test ◽

Classroom Teachers ◽

Teachers And Students ◽

The Relationship

School climate describe the environment that affects the behavior of teachers and students at the classroom. Elements of the school climate such as the building and its arrangements reflect the children, their needs, and their educational accomplishments. Some of these elements, however, have not received much attention in studies about the academic performance in Primary Education. This paper describes the relationship between environmental conditions in the classroom (e.g., lighting, isolation, order, cleanliness,…) and the academic performance of the students. This study analyses 248 Primary Education classrooms from nine countries of Iberoamerica using a 4-level Multilevel Model. The following information sources were used in this study: i) Classroom guide observation completed by researcher. ii) Standardized test to Math and Language learning. iii) Questionnaire to classroom teachers, pupils and their families. The results of this study highlight the strong influence of the order and cleanliness on the academic performance of the students.

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