The role of executive function skills and motivation in supporting children's academic achievement is well-documented, but the vast majority of evidence is from high-income countries. Classrooms in sub-Saharan Africa tend to be large, teacher-driven, and lecture-focused, which may provide extra challenges for children to stay engaged in the…

We investigated whether andragogical assumptions and their common critiques are reflected in global PIAAC data using its motivation-to-learn (MtL) and elaboration scales. A preliminary validation study with 300 adults revealed that andragogical assumptions cluster on these scales' two factors. Using hierarchical linear modelling of PIAAC data, we…

Biology laboratory instructors play a key role in creating an optimal environment where college students try hard and enjoy their classroom experiences. This study used achievement goal perspective theory to examine the influence of instructor behaviors on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students' perceptions of the…

Computer science is a dynamic field of study that requires constant review and updating of the curricular designs in academic programs--in general, measuring the impact of plan changes has been little explored in the literature. In most cases, it focuses only on structuring its curricula, leaving aside several factors associated with important…

Teachers and peers are two influential social agents in students' academic functioning. In the present study, we differentiated perceived social relationships into positive and negative aspects and investigated how these perceptions influence students' motivation and educational outcomes. Results based on 2211 Chinese middle school students…

There is interest in admission criteria that predict future success in biomedical graduate school programs, but identifying predictors of PhD attainment is inherently complex. In particular, high noncompletion rates of PhD programs have long been recognized as a major crisis. Here, we present a quantitative analysis of the PhD students enrolled in…

Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the predictive associations between kindergarten developmental, socio-behavioural, and biotic influences on third grade achievement among a nationally representative sample of low-SES children. The findings validate the understanding that developmental and learning trajectories start early in…

Research over the past decade suggests teachers have low instructional self-efficacy/confidence and more concerns about implementing inclusive teaching practices. This quantitative correlational study explored whether reported concerns and demographic variables (gender, age, education, and years of teaching experience) predicts teachers'…

Motivated by the underrepresentation of women in math-related majors and occupations, the present dissertation explored the possibility that disparities in frequency of classroom participation--a measure of engagement prone to gender differences--could be partially responsible for gender differences in belonging and identity in math contexts. Via…

The problem addressed through this study is the low graduation rate of military-connected students who received benefits from military funding programs (FMCSs) at a community college in the northeastern United States (CCNE). Increasing the graduation rate will prepare more FMCSs for gainful employment and their transition into civilian life. The…

This article investigates to what extent disrupted schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic has affected pre-primary-age children's school readiness in Ethiopia. We use data on early numeracy of 2,640 children collected before and after the eight-month school closure to assess their learning progress in the context of COVID-19. We find that children…

Even though distance education from the home environment has seemed comfortable and economic for students with disability in formal higher education during the pandemic, insufficiency in their academic self-efficacy, satisfaction and an increasing tendency to drop out were observed. This quantitative research is based on development of the scales…

First-generation college students (FGCS), nearly 50% of which identify as Hispanic, are an underserved population. The psychosociocultural theoretical framework posits that individual, environmental, and cultural factors contribute to the academic success of Hispanic students. This study examined the relationship between these factors (i.e.,…

Previous research has not adequately explored students' behavioral processes when addressing computational thinking (CT) problems of varying difficulty, limiting insights into students' detailed CT development characteristics. This study seeks to fill this gap by employing gamified CT items across multiple difficulty levels to calculate…

This study investigates undergraduate student satisfaction at a small private university in Japan, focusing on factors like social environment, instructors, facilities, support, academic grit, and student engagement. Given Japan's demographic challenges and the heightened competition in higher education, understanding these factors is crucial for…