Browsing by Research Output - Subject "Academic Achievement"

Social anxiety impacts functional impairment in several life domains; in children, the most notable effect is a decline in academic performance. Socially anxious children report that communicating with peers and teachers, as well as public speaking are their biggest fears in academic settings. Prior research has shown that these children attribute a lack of academic achievement to difficulties communicating interpersonally or publicly. For apprehensive children, many resources are devoted to interventions at the individual level, with little consideration given to their environment — the classroom. The current study examined the association between communication apprehension, social features of the classroom environment, and academic outcomes — current achievement and future ambitions. Three out of four classroom environmental factors (promoting interaction, promoting respect, and teacher support) buffered the negative effects of communication apprehension on current academic achievement. Interestingly, these same factors increased the negative effects of communication apprehension on future academic ambition (intentions to attend college). Implications for the mixed results of a classroom environment that encourages communication are discussed.

Rural to urban migration has become a prominent phenomenon in China. In linking migration to children’s school trajectories, this mixed-methods study explored a range of cultural and contextual factors that contribute to Chinese children’s school wellbeing in the migratory process. The key variables included acculturative attitudes, economic stress, and relationships with family, teachers and peers. The study drew upon survey data from a sample of 301 Chinese migrant students (4th–9th grade) together with in-depth interviews involving ten selected students focusing on how migrant children’s school happiness and productivity are influenced by acculturation, economic hardship, and social relationships. The quantitative analysis indicated the critical role of integrative states in promoting school satisfaction and achievement. Migrant children with better social relations scored higher levels of hope, which in turn contributed to better school outcomes. Contrary to previous findings, economic stress did not hinder school outcomes for these Chinese migrant children, but appeared to act as a positive motivational factor for pursing academic success. The qualitative analysis echoed the quantitative findings, and provided further explanations for the complexity and particularity of these phenomena.

A way that education is desirable is its integrative function for society and its sectors, according to structural-functionalist theory. This function consists in the promotion of the student’s belongingness to society and its sectors. In consolidating empirical support for the function, this present study analyses survey data on 417 students in Hong Kong, China. Results show that the student’s academic achievement had significant positive effects on belongingness to the society, neighbourhood and school. In addition, the student’s educational level displayed a significant positive effect on belongingness to society. In endorsing the integrative function of education, the results imply the merit of promoting education to enhance the student’s belongingness.

Open access

Understanding the factors that promote positive affect and achievement in gifted students is essential for supporting their holistic development and success. This study aimed to explore the relationship among meaning in life (presence and search), character strengths (creativity, perseverance, social intelligence), social connectedness, positive/negative affect, and perceived academic achievement among gifted students in Hong Kong, China. A total of 348 gifted students participated in this study, comprising 196 males and 152 females, aged 10 to 18 years. The students completed a cross-sectional online survey in August and September 2024. Mediation analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling with bootstrapping to estimate indirect effects. The results indicated significant indirect effects of meaning in life (presence and search) and character strengths (creativity, perseverance, social intelligence) on positive affect (β = 0.15 to 0.32, p < 0.05) and negative affect (β = −0.15 to −0.26, p < 0.05) via social connectedness, with small-to-moderate effect sizes. Additionally, significant indirect effects were observed for meaning in life and character strengths on perceived academic achievement via social connectedness (β = 0.13 to 0.20, p < 0.05), with small-to-moderate effect sizes. This research highlights the significant role of character strengths, meaning in life, and social connectedness in enhancing positive affect and perceived academic achievement, and reducing negative affect among gifted students.

Open access

This is a report of a study examining the interrelationships among teacher care, students’ life skills development, and academic achievement of Hong Kong junior secondary students. Specifically, the study aimed to examine: (a) the relationships between teacher care and the four domains of students’ life skills development, namely academic, personal, social, and career and talent development; (b) the relationship between teacher care and students’ academic achievement; and (c) the student gender difference in the effect of teacher attitudes on students’ life skills development. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data through self-reported questionnaires. Data from a total of 15,113 student questionnaires and 635 teacher questionnaires were collected successfully from 86 secondary schools. Findings indicated that teacher care is a significant factor contributing to all domains of students’ life skills development and to their academic achievement. Comparing the student gender difference on the influence of teacher care, findings reflected that the impact of teacher care on male junior secondary students is less significant. This article reports these findings with practical implications for school counseling professionals, teacher educators, and school administrators.
本文報道一項研究,探索教師關懷對學童生活技能發展及其學業成就的影響.研究的主要目的包括:(1)探討教師關懷對學童生活技能發展中四個範疇(即學術發展個人發展群性發展及事業發展)的影響;(2)探討教師關懷與學童學業成就的關係;及(3)探討教師關懷與學童生活技能發展的關係是否因學童性別不同而有所影響.是項研究為橫貫式研究,透過參與者自填問卷收集相關數據.研究成功收集了86 所中學合共15,113 份學童問卷及635 份教師問卷.結果顯示,教師關懷對學童生活技能發展中各個範疇及其學業成就均有正面影響,而教師關懷對女學童的影響亦較男學童明顯.在推動學校輔導工作方面,是項研究對學生輔導專業人員教育工作者及教育行政人員有一定啟示.

Hong Kong is a predominantly Chinese society but just over 6 percent of the population is made up of ethnic minorities. This composition flows into schools where teachers in selected schools need to cater for a diverse school population. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether assessment environments in Hong Kong schools are able to cater for the learning motivation of ethnic minority students as well as their Chinese peers. Students were surveyed to gain an understanding of the assessment practices they experienced as well as their own learning motivation goals. The results indicated that both Chinese and ethnic minority students experienced teacher-dominated assessment environments most often, and each group strongly endorsed learning motivation goals that stressed academic development and competence. Both groups of students provided moderate support for social learning goals, with somewhat stronger support coming from ethnic minority students. Teachers can build on ethnic minority students’ strong learning orientation by providing high-quality feedback even in a teacher-dominated assessment environment. A more interactive classroom characterised by feedback may provide teachers with a better idea of the learning needs of all students. Copyright © 2015 NZCER Press.

Existing studies have focused on examining how academic buoyancy or the ability to cope with day-to-day challenges in school may be linked to academic functioning. This review article reported the current state of the academic buoyancy literature in the educational contexts. Findings from previous investigations on the theorizing, measurement, predictors, and consequences of academic buoyancy are summarized. Research gaps are also identified to proposed future research directions. Results on the association of academic buoyancy with positive academic functioning and well-being outcomes are used to draw practical implications for school psychologists and guidance counselors in the school settings.

Chinese learners have frequently demonstrated academic achievement that outshines their Western counterparts—but paradoxically research has suggested that various nurturing, teaching, and learning conditions in the Chinese context are often believed in the West to be unfavorable to learning. Against this background, the chapter revisits this paradox by drawing upon research and current theories of motivation and learning. Through a cultural lens, the authors discuss pertinent personal and social-contextual factors influencing Chinese learners’ academic success. In particular, attention is directed to learners’ self-efficacy and connectedness. The chapter offers a picture of how Chinese learners are actually nurtured and identifies some culturally sensitive notions in the research literature. The arguments here should alert researchers and practitioners to some key cultural differences when interpreting research and practice.