The role of tutoring in the academic performance of research methodology students in Psychology at a South African University

Esterhuyse, KGF (Karel)
University of the Free State, Department of Psychology; University of the Free State; Bloemfontein; South Africa, 9301, Bloemfontein South Africa

 

Submission type

Poster only

Scheduled

Poster Sessions 2 (10.30-11:00), 21-07-2016, 10:30 - 11:00

Keywords

tutorials; academic achievement; students; probability; regression

Summary

The role of tutorials in the academic performance of third year Research Methodology students (N=257) in Psychology at a South African university was explored by means of relationships, success rates, and probability tables. This method was followed since an experimental design was not possible (students should be given the opportunity to attend tutorials).  Consequently, the group of Research Methodology students that attended 20% or less of the tutorials and whose probability to achieve success (≥50%) in the examination, were compared with another group of Research Methodology students who attended 80% or more of the tutorials.  The theoretical probability tables as designed by Lawshe and Balma (1966) were used in conjunction with the success rates and correlations and also by means of regression equations in order to determine the probabilities.  It was found that a student who obtained approximately 50% for Test 1 and only attended 20% of the tutorials has a 63% probability to be successful in the examination, whilst a student who obtained the same mark for Test 1 and attended 80% or more of the tutorials has a 90% probability to be successful in the examination.  All the tutorial session was presented by the same tutor.

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