Predicting study success of first-year science and engineering students at the university of Žilina: An exploration of the added value of measuring incoming students' learning and study strategies

Abstract

The transition from secondary education to university is a pivotal moment in many students' educational career. In this paper we will examine how characteristics of incoming science and engineering students influence their study results in the first semester at the University of Žilina. More specifically, we will investigate how we can predict study success after the first semester on the basis of students' educational background in secondary school (e.g., prior math grades, type of secondary school) on the one hand and their learning and study behavior in secondary school on the other. In order to answer this question, an extensive questionnaire was administered to a sample of 814 students from different study programs (Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Security Engineering, and Sciences) at the University of Žilina. Our results show that a number of variables explain students study results (GPA & credits obtained). Students' math grades in secondary school and the type of school attended both have a significant relation with students' GPA and credits earned after the first semester. Students with better math grades who enter university from Gymnasium generally perform better than their peers with lower math grades or from another school type. Except for the motivation, time management and test strategies scales, we did not observe effects of students' learning and study strategies on their GPA and credits earned. Measurement issues and possible directions for future research will be thoroughly discussed.