Agenda

1. Introduction
2. Contextual
3. Findings
4. Discussions

Introduction (1)

Motivation

• Statistics is one of the major academic disciplines at the College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University.
• Academic success is achieved when a minimum grade is attained, otherwise a student will be under probation and ultimately may be discontinued.
• Discuss contextual analysis by reviewing relevant theories and data analytics to identify potential risk factors
• Derive appropriate recommendations for improved success of STAT majors.

Introduction (2)

Definitions

Academic Success - Grades and GPA (York, Gibson and Rankin, 2019) - Function of student’s engagement and resilience. (Finn and Rock, 1997)

Probation - Has a significant negative effect on retention (Sneyers and De Witte, 2018) - Experience academic difficulties, prone to drop out , but more willing to receive institutional assistance. (Ahmed et al., 2014)

Contextual

• Noncognitive psychological factors such as grit and resilience are critical for academic success (Caporale-Berkowitz et al., 2022)
• Individualized academic coaching models and keeping students accountable through being proactive, collaborative and flexible (Vanacore and Dahan, 2021)

Contextual Analysis (1)

Holland’s Theory (1966, 1973, 1985a, 1997)

• Choice of a vocation or a college major is an expression of personality.
• Six primary personality types (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional)
• Eg. Investigative types tend to be critical, intellectual, and reserved, to possess strong mathematical and scientific competencies, and to value scholarly and scientific achievements
• Contextually, the main natural primary type for a statistician in our analysis is Investigative; narrowly followed by Conventional, then the Realistic personality types

Contextual Analysis (2)

Holland’s Theory cont’d…

Personality Type	Descriptor
Conventional	Explicit, ordered, systematic, data, information & knowledge
Investigative	Analytical, intellectual, information & knowledge
Realistic	Concrete, practical, machines, tools & materials
Social	Mentoring, treating, teaching, healing & interpersonal competencies
Artistic	Emotional expression, innovative, creative, language, music, drama & writing
Enterprising	Manipulative, leadership, aggressive, ambituous, extroverted & talkative

Contextual Analysis (3) cont’d…

Vygotskian’s Theory (1988, 2003, 2010)

• Development of higher mental processes depends on the presence of mediating agents of the learner with the environment
• The mediating agents can be symbolic tools, in reference to the socio-cultural activities, another human being or simply through a form of organized learning activity
• Relates to the recent call for active learning in the STAT courses

Contextual Analysis (4)

Conceptual Framework

stdID

gender

cohort

courseID

ms

grades

probstat

creditearned

cgpa

stdID	gender	cohort	courseID	ms	grades	probstat	creditearned	cgpa
116504	Male	2015	MATH2107	Math	C	Probation	122	2.05
116200	Male	2015	MATH2107	Math	B	Probation	115	2.04
116504	Male	2015	MATH2107	Math	F	Probation	122	2.05
115591	Male	2015	MATH2107	Math	C	Probation	109	2.07
120865	Male	2016	MATH2107	Math	C	Normal	100	2.20
120873	Male	2016	MATH2107	Math	C	Normal	108	2.48

Findings (1)

Distribution by Gender

Findings (1) cont’d…

Distribution by Cohort

Findings (2)

Grades by Statistics Courses

Findings (2) cont’d…

Grades by Mathematics Courses

Findings (3)

Grades for Probation Students by Statistics Courses

Findings (3) cont’d…

Grades for Probation Students by Mathematics Courses

Findings (4)

CGPA Boxplot by Gender

Findings (4) cont’d…

CGPA Boxplot by Probation Status

Findings (5)

CGPA Violin Boxplot by Cohort (2015-2020)

Findings (5) cont’d…

CGPA Violin Boxplot by Probation Status

Findings (6)

Probation status versus CGPA, Gender and Grades

Findings (7)

Probation Classification Accuracy (1)

Findings (7) cont’d…

Probation Classifier Differentials (2)

Discussions

Limitations

• Incomplete Conceptual Framework
• Insufficient Data

Indicators

• Within Major? Why? Why not?
• Between Major & Minor? Why? Why not?

What other factors limit academic success for STAT majors?

• Supply? Demand?
• Why? Why not?

What can be done to improve academic success of STAT majors?

• Provide similar conditions for Male and Female students?
• More tutorials? Why? How?

Can AL improve academic success of STAT majors?

• Active Learning?
• How? Why?

References

1. York, T. T., Gibson, C., & Rankin, S. (2015). Defining and measuring academic success. Practical assessment, research, and evaluation, 20(1), 5.

2. Finn, J. D., & Rock, D. A. (1997). Academic success among students at risk for school failure. Journal of applied psychology, 82(2), 221.

3. Sneyers, E., & De Witte, K. (2018). Interventions in higher education and their effect on student success: A meta-analysis. Educational Review, 70(2), 208-228.

4. Ahmed, J. U., Chowdhury, M. H. K., Rahman, S., & Talukder, A. M. H. (2014). Academic probation: An empirical study of private university students. Research in Education, 92(1), 1-17.

5. Caporale-Berkowitz, N. A., Boyer, B. P., Muenks, K., & Brownson, C. B. (2022). Resilience, not grit, predicts college student retention following academic probation. Journal of Educational Psychology.

6. Vanacore, S. M., & Dahan, T. A. (2021). Assessing the effectiveness of a coaching intervention for students on academic probation. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 51(1), 3-16.

7. Holland, J. L., & Holland, J. E. (1977). Vocational indecision: More evidence and speculation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 24(5), 404.

8. Bidell, T. (1988). Vygotsky, Piaget and the dialectic of development. Human Development, 31(6), 329-348.