Video Games and School Performances of Dakar High School Students

The triptych (Smartphones, Video games, adolescents) has imposed itself on the collective consciousness in the form of questioning to the point of becoming a social phenomenon. It thus raises concerns about the uses that adolescents make of it and the effects on their academic performance, which we proposed to study among middle school students from the Dakar academy inspection. Where appropriate, we used mixed methods with the collection techniques of questionnaire survey, semi-structured interviews respectively with middle school students, adults (parents, supervisors, teachers, etc.), participant observation and literature review. Concretely, before accessibility to video games, the middle school students were more idle and well-behaved, watched a lot of TV, played with their brothers and sisters or did household chores. The majority of young people had good, very good or excellent conduct and their averages were fair, fairly good or good. With access to a diverse digital environment, middle school students have passionately turned to video games. As a result, their learning time, concentration and submission to parental injunctions have declined significantly. This situation negatively affected their academic performance and encouraged bad behavior.

Investigation of the Academic Performance of College-to-University Transfer Students

Over the last decade, many universities/colleges have developed formal agreements which permit students from recognized college programs to be able to seamlessly transfer to a closely-related university program with advance standing. There has been some concerned raised that students that come to university from college may not be academically (or emotionally) prepared for the faster-paced university programs. This research, which was funded by an Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer Faculty Fellowship, examines the academic performance of students in computer-related disciplines with a focus on comparing students who come to a university through a formalized college-to-university transfer agreement relative to students who enroll directly from high school. The comparisons will be based on metrics such as graduation rates, course failure rates, overall averages, course-level averages, and course-subject averages.

Investigation on Relationship between Test Anxiety and Academic Performance of Nursing and Midwifery Students in Tabriz and Maragheh—Iran

Background and Aim: Given the dramatic decline in the ability of test due to test anxiety, the goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between test anxiety and academic performances in students. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 216 Iranian nursing and midwifery students in 2011-2012, utilizing Sarason Anxiety Inventory, demographic checklist and the average mark of students in the period of midterm and final exam. Multinomial logistic regression analyses by reporting odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were performed by SPSS17 software to assess the relationship between test anxiety and academic performances. Results: Mild, moderate and sever test anxiety was observed in 30.6, 43.1 and 26.4 percent of students respectively. Test anxiety was significantly related to academic performance (average), major and city. Also, there was 52.9% decrease for odds of having sever anxiety (compared to mild anxiety) with 1 point increase in average (OR = 0.471, 95% CI = (0.298 - 0.745) and p = 0.001). Conclusions: Due to inverse relationship between test anxiety and academic performance, performing preventive programs such as in time treatment of anxiety, empowering the students to deal with anxiety and conducting consulting services for how to studying are very important. Consequently it would be a big step in decreasing the test anxiety and therefore in improving the academic performance.

The impact of academic stress on medical students attending college in the Inner Mongolia Area of China

The aim of this study was to examine whether student characteristics affect the risk of health conditions, and explore whether the degree of academic stress affects the level of distress. We surveyed medical students in the Inner Mongolia Medical College China using a questionnaire. A logistic regression analysis was used to ascertain factors associated with distress. The Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test was used to determine the relationship between distress and different academic stress levels. Of the 6044 students completing questionnaires, 47.5% self-reported distressing body symptoms induced by academic stress. Chi square tests showed statistically significant associations between distress and gender, academic stress, and residence;feeling academic stress caused a more than 1.5 times risk of distress. Gender and academic stress were significantly associated with distress in non-conditional binary logistic regression models. Compared with male students, female students was more likely to feel distress. The Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test also showed that the distress rate increased with academic stress and a dose-response relationship between the distress rate and stress level was found. The present study indicates that it is important to reduce academic stress and manage it in order that better outcomes be achieved in regard to distress, especially in females.

Effect of Mental Health Problems on Academic Performance among University Students in Pakistan

Scientific interest in student’s mental health experiences has been increasing in the last years due to their influence on students’learning processes,academic performance,and recently,the suicidal news of a student at a private university due to her mental health condition in Lahore Punjab,Pakistan,captured public attention.That incident also shifted researchers and scholars’attention on the much underexplored and tabooed sphere of the broader public health domain.Hence,the current study aimed to explore the relationship between mental health problems and Pakistani university students’academic performance.Participants were 540 senior semester students within the age range of 20–35 years taken from public and private institutes of Pakistan’s major cities,including Lahore,Islamabad,and Peshawar.Descriptive and inferential statistics was employed for data analysis.Pearson Product Moment Correlation,Hierarchical Regression analysis,and Independent sample t-test were used for data analysis in inferential statistics.The results of the study reveal that there is a strong positive association between mental health and improvement in academic performance.Mental health problems negatively affect the academic performance of university students.The findings of the current study were beneficial for shedding light on the ignorant area within the broader public health domain;the results are also helpful in raising awareness for not only students but also the parents and university administration to plan and design effective intervention strategies to provide proper mental health that resultantly promote academic excellence.

Associated Factors and Impacts of Social Phobia on Academic Performance among Students from the University of Parakou (UP)

Background: Social phobia disrupts students in their academic career. The aim of this research work was to study this anxious disorder impact on the academic performance among students from the University of Parakou (UP). Study methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study with prospective data collection among 363 students recruited through systematic random sampling from April to June 2015 at the campus of the UP. A questionnaire including the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), the Liebowitz social anxiety intensity evaluation scale and the ASSIST was used for data collection in compliance with recommended ethical principles. Results and Conclusion Social phobia prevalence among students from the campus of University of Parakou was 11. 6% [CI95% = 10. 9 - 21. 2]. Its intensity was moderate (66.7%), medium (23.4%), severe (7.1%) and very severe (4.8%) only among female students. Moreover, gender, rural or urban living environment and field of study were statistically associated with this social phobia which reduced academic performance by 57.1%, among the studied population. However, 42.9% were not influenced in any way. Addiction to alcoholic beverages (23.8%) and anxiolytics (9.5%) were used to overcome the disorder. Although the risk of dependency to these substances was low, adverse effects on their health and socio-professional future were to be taken seriously.

The Relationship between Academic Performance, Achievement Motivation and Career Adaptability of Chinese High School Students

Given the importance of career adaptability to personal career and success,there is growing interest in how to cultivate youth's career adaptability in schools.This study explores the predictors of career adaptability and examines the mediating role of academic performance in the relationship between achievement motivation and career adaptability.Using the survey data of 147 Chinese high school students,a series of regression models find that academic motivation and academic performance have significant effects on career adaptability,as well as its four dimensions namely career concern,career control,career curiosity,and career confidence.Structural equation modeling further shows that achievement motivation can not only directly affect career adaptability,but also indirectly affect career adaptability through academic performance after controlling for the effects of gender,location,parent education,and family social and economic status.Research limitations and practical implications are finally discussed.

Relationship between Breakfast and Academic Performance of Primary and Middle School Students in Mianyang City

In order to understand the relationship between breakfast frequency and academic performance of grade 5 and grade 8 students, we conducted an investigation through a multistage cluster sampling design with 16,840 students (8017 5th graders and 8823 8th graders) from Mianyang city. Results show that: 1) 71.3% of fifth graders and 59.7% of eighth graders had breakfast every day of the week, and 9.7% of fifth graders and 7.5% of eighth graders had breakfast three times or less per week. 2) The number of times students eat breakfast per week has a significant impact on their comprehensive academic performance, which is reflected in the trend that the more times students eat breakfast, the better their overall academic performance is. Based on this, in order to help students eat breakfast more often, and further improve students’ academic performance, we will strengthen the publicity and education of students’ breakfast knowledge from multiple perspectives.

Problems Challenging the Academic Performance of Physics Students in Higher Governmental Institutions in the Case of Arbaminch, Wolayita Sodo, Hawassa and Dilla Universities

This study was conducted to examine problems that challenged academic performance of physics students in higher governmental institutions in the case of Arbaminch, Wolayita Sodo, Hawassa and Dilla Universities. Questionnaires, interviews and video recordings were used to collect relevant data for the study. Data from questionnaires was compiled and analyzed using a computerized data analysis package known as Statistical Package for Social Science SPSS 17.0. The Pearson chi-square test was used to compute to test association between dependent variable and independent variables and T-test was used to find out how academic performance varied with interest to subject matter. On the other hand, ANOVA test was used to test variation of the academic performance in study sites. Besides, percentages were used for comparison of data analysis. The findings reveal the existence of a significant influence of teachers both in fostering positive or negative attitude to subject (physics) and for their poor academic performance in lower class as well as in higher institutions. On the basis of the findings, the least percentage of students (16%) indicated that their current department was the best choice for them during application for admission. Whereas the highest percentage (84%) of sample class students was enrolled in department of physics without their interest and the academic performance (ESELS result), the highest percentage (70) of students who were admitted to department of physics was below 50%. The p values 0.01 and 0.00, respectively for students who are enrolled in department of physics with best choice and without their interest, are less than alpha level of significance (0.05), which reveals that, there is statistical significance academic performance deference between students in both cases. However, the difference is more significant for those students who are enrolled without their interest. By analysis of Pearson chi-square test summary in respective study sites, the p values 0.01, 0.007, 0.021 and 0.022 respectively are less than the alpha (α) level of significance of 0.05, which reveals that there is strong association between those variables. In the other corner of the ANOVA test analysis indicates that p value 0.01 is less than alpha level of significance 0.05. This reveals variation of academic performance of students between four higher governmental institutions where the study is made.

The Impact of Social Media Networks Websites Usage on Students’ Academic Performance

Social Networks Sites (SNSs) are dominating all internet users’ generations, especially the students’ communities. Consequently, academic institutions are increasingly using SNSs which leads to emerge a crucial question regarding the impact of SNSs on students’ academic performance. This research investigates how and to what degree the use of SNSs affects the students’ academic performance. The current research’s data was conducted by using drop and collect surveys on a large population from the University of Jordan. 366 undergraduate students answered the survey from different faculties at the university. In order to study the impact of SNSs on student’s academic performance, the research hypotheses was tested by using descriptive analysis, T-test and ANOVA. Research results showed that there was a significant impact of SNS on the student’s academic performance. Also, there was a significant impact of SNS use per week on the student’s academic performance, whereas no differences found in the impact of use of SNSs on academic performance due to age, academic achievement, and use per day to most used sites. The findings of this research can be used to suggest future strategies in enhancing student’s awareness in efficient time management and better multitasking that can lead to improving study activities and academic achievements.

Effects of different sleeping patterns on academic performance in medical school students

In the past, efforts have been made to determine the influence of sleep quantity and its deprivation, on functioning efficiency of human beings. However, determination of sleeping patterns that could improve intellectual performance has been largely neglected. This study is designed to discover the effects of different sleeping patterns on academic performance among medical students. A descriptive study was carried out in King Edward Medical University in Lahore, Pakistan during a six-month time span from May 11th, 2011 to September 30th, 2011. Of the total population of 1350 students in King Edward Medical University, 591 undergraduates were included in the study. A questionnaire designed on sleeping patterns and academic performance was distributed in May 2011. What was described as outstanding students were greater in number in group 4 (7/19) 36.8% and group 6 (6/19) 31.6%. Above average students with sleeping patterns were in group 4 (13/37) 35.1% and group 6 (10/37) 27%. Average students were shown to have sleeping patterns of group 4 (11/25) 44% and group 6 (7/25) 28%. Below average students were shown to have sleeping patterns of group 4 (3/3) 100%. Most of our students had a reduction in the total amount of sleeping hours throughout the years. Midnight to 6 o’clock in the morning with an afternoon nap was the sleeping pattern that was most commonly seen in all groups. We concluded that different sleeping patterns do not affect the performance of medical students in the academic prospective. Many other factors may be involved in the lack of significant achievement, in order to prove that the sleeping patterns are not related to the academic performance, and more data would need to be collected.

Academic Stress among Nursing Students in a Private University at Puerto Rico, and Its Association with Their Academic Performance

Background: Nursing programs have distinguished themselves for being rigorous. The college experience emerges with new challenges and demands that require adaptation in order to cope with academic stress. Situation that could lead to a non adaptive institutional environment. Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine and analyze possible repercussions of academic stress in nursing students in a Puerto Rican private university and how it affects academic performance in students. Materials and Methods: The selected methodology is a cross-sectional study. The simple random sample was comprised of 168 nursing students who were enrolled in associate degree (29.2%) and bachelor’s degree programs in nursing (70.8%). Data was collected through standardized Academic Stress (CEA, by its acronym in Spanish). Results: The study shows that academic stressors are correlated with the grade point average. In addition, correlation between academic stress and the performance rate was found, especially in terms of the difficulty to approve enrolled credits. Conclusions: Nursing students suffer from stress regardless their academic degree. Academic stress affects academic performance of students despite their use of management strategies.

Research on the Correlation between the Learning Strategies on English Listening and the Corresponding Performance among College Students

Listening is very important for the learning of a language.We must ensure that there are language standardization and foundation of practice while learning any languages.By improving listening,the language communication ability can be improved.Learning other languages requires listening as the foundation of learning.In college English teaching,listening also takes very important position.However,due to the current situation of Chinese education and the characteristics of students’learning,Chinese students generally have a lower level of listening skills,and usually,most of them score very low in the listening part in level 4 or level 6 of the College English Tests.The root cause of this phenomenon is that listening test in some underdeveloped areas of China is not included as part of the test results of the middle and high school entrance examinations,and very often,listening was neglected in English lessons.As a result,many students end up with poor listening performance result.However,in college,the teaching of listening still follows the traditional education model of the past,and there are many lessons allocated to this aspect of English learning.In addition,there is almost no strategic guidance in the learning process,making students unable to begin on listening practice.Although both teachers and students tried to improve their listening skills,the results were unsatisfactory.Therefore,it is imperative to solve the problem of poor English listening level of students.Experts such as Huang Zidong and Wang Yu believe that strengthening strategic training is currently a very important method to improve students’English listening skills.

An Empirical Study on the Relationships Between Smartphone Addiction and Student Engagement and Academic Performance of Chinese English Majors

In the past few years, the phenomenon of smartphone addiction has become more serious especially among university students. In order to explore whether smartphone addiction has an impact on students' learning, this study examined the relationships between smartphone addiction and student engagement and academic performance among 157 English majors by One-way ANOVA. Results suggested that there was not any significant difference in student engagement and academic performance among students of different levels of smartphone addiction. The implications for prevention strategies of smartphone addiction and further research are discussed.

Effects of hand clasping and arm folding on academic performance

BACKGROUND：Similar to handedness, hand clasping and arm folding are also lateral preferences. Previous studies showed a variation frequency for hand clasping and arm folding among different populations. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the relationship between patterns of lateral preferences （hand clasping or arm folding） and academic performance of middle school students. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTINGS： Cross-sectional investigation. The data were collected in the Beijing Zhongguancun High School in Beijing in May 2007. Data analysis was performed in the State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University during June to July 2007. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 102 senior-grade students from Beijing Zhongguancun High School, including 58 males and 44 females, were selected for this study. METHODS： Different forms of hand clasping and arm folding were recorded. More specifically, hand clasping was either right-thumb-top or left-thumb-top, and arm folding was either right-arm-top or left-arm-top. Students with congruent preference used right-thumb-top-right-arm-top or left-thumb-top-left-arm-top, and incongruent preference was displayed by right-thumb-top-left-arm-top or left-thumb-top-right-arm-top. Academic performances were collected from midterm exams in six subjects （Chinese, Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology）, with a total points = 100 for each. A three-way （hand clasping, arm folding, and sex） ANOVA was performed to determine the effect on academic performances. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The relationship between hand clasping, arm folding, sex, and academic performance of students. RESULTS： （1） There was no significant difference in distribution frequency between right-thumb-top and left-thumb-top （P 〉 0.05）, or between right-arm-top and left-arm-top （P 〉 0.05）. The distribution frequency difference between boys and girls was not significant for any subtype （P 〉 0.05）. （2） hand clasping had no significant main effect on any of the six subjects （P 〉 0.05）. The right-arm-top students received significantly higher points in Chinese, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, compared with the left-arm-top students （P 〈 0.05）. A significant sexual difference was detected in academic performance in Chinese and English; girls had higher scores than the boys （P 〈 0.05）. The students with congruent preference scored higher in English, compared with those with incongruent preference （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： The arm folding form of lateral preference had a significant effect on academic performance of middle school students, implying that this human laterality index is of great functional importance.

The Impact of Sleep Patterns on Academic Performance and Social Integration among Medical Students

Introduction: The impact of sleep on student life is crucial, particularly for those in demanding fields such as medicine. This study examines the relationships between sleep patterns, academic performance, and social integration among medical students, who often face irregular sleep cycles and sleep deprivation due to rigorous academic demands. Aim: This study aims to assess how sleep issues affect academic achievement and social relationships among medical students. Method: Data were collected from 215 medical students through surveys and academic records. Quantitative data provided insights into sleep quality and academic performance, while qualitative interviews explored the effects of sleep on social interactions. Results: The findings revealed a significant correlation between sleep quality and academic performance, with students reporting better sleep hygiene achieving higher grades. Qualitative data indicated that poor sleep negatively impacts social interactions, leading to feelings of isolation and reduced social participation. Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of promoting good sleep practices in medical schools to enhance academic success and social well-being. Interventions aimed at improving sleep quality may help reduce burnout and improve overall well-being among medical students. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to better understand the long-term effects of sleep on academic and social outcomes in this population.

Exploring the Role of Self-Regulation for College Students

Zimmerman(2000) defines self-regulation as the beliefs and actions which are produced by students themselves in order to achieve their academic success and goals. College students, especially freshmen, are facing a large workload and a relatively flexible learning atmosphere compared with their experience in high school. Self-regulation seems to be an important component in acquiring academic achievement for college students. In other words, students who can control their learning processes effectively are characterized as self-regulated learners(Schunk & Zimmerman 1994). Many people believe that everyone could be self-regulated learner,but what differentiates them most is the quality of their self-regulation( as cited in Cohen 2012). Therefore, understanding the role of self-regulation and how to manage students' learning experiences in order to improve their self-regulation ability are significant.