A Case Study: The Effect of Academic Behavior on Learning Outcomes

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The underpreparedness related to noncognitive factors, such as lack of motivation, poor time management and self-regulation, which beyond the academic knowledge and technical skills, are serious factors in affecting learning outcomes. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of students’ academic behaviors, such as attending classes and completing homework, on their learning outcomes. The results showed that students who had better homework completion and better course attendance had more possibility to have better exams and final grades.

The figure below shows the relationship between Final grade and Attendance (Left) and the relationship between Final grade and Homework completion (Right) in a general chemistry course, N=97.

 The table below shows the projected pointed earned for different exam grades and final grade if there is 1% increase in attendance and homework completion, respectively, in a general chemistry course, N=97. 

                             * P ≤0.1, ** P ≤0.05, *** P ≤ 0.01
 
The results may not be a surprise. Learning is a willful, intentional, active, conscious, constructive and socially mediated practice. If students are not willing to do anything, how can they learn anything? Today’s issue of students’ academic underpreparedness may be due to their carried-on poor learning behaviors. Knowing how to learn is part of learning too.
 
 

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