The genetics of university success.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Smith-Woolley E
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6194053 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The backlash avoidance model (BAM) suggests women insufficiently self-promote because they fear backlash for behavior which is incongruent with traditional gender roles. Avoiding self-promoting behavior is also potentially related to associating success with negative consequences. In two studies we tested whether self-promotion and fear of success will be predictors of lower salaries and anticipation of lower chances of success in an exam. In study 1, prior to the exam they were about to take, we asked 234 students about their predictions concerning exam results and their future earnings. They also filled scales measuring their associations with success (fear of success) and tendency for self-promotion. The tested model proved that in comparison to men, women expect lower salaries in the future, anticipate lower test performance and associate success with more negative consequences. Both tendency for self-promotion and fear of success are related to anticipation of success in test performance and expectations concerning future earnings. In study 2 we repeated the procedure on a sample of younger female and male high school pupils (N = 100) to verify whether associating success with negative consequences and differences in self-promotion strategies are observable in a younger demographic. Our results show that girls and boys in high school do not differ with regard to fear of success, self-promotion or agency levels. Girls and boys anticipated to obtain similar results in math exam results, but girls expected to have higher results in language exams. Nevertheless, school pupils also differed regarding their future earnings but only in the short term. Fear of success and agency self-ratings were significant predictors of expectations concerning future earnings, but only among high school boys and with regard to earnings expected just after graduation.
| S-EPMC5663907 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Previous research has shown that Need for Cognition (NFC), the individual tendency to engage in and enjoy cognitive endeavors, contributes to academic performance. Most studies on NFC and related constructs have thereby focused on grades to capture tertiary academic success. This study aimed at a more comprehensive approach on NFC's meaning to success in university. We examined not only performance but also rather affective indicators of success. The current sample consisted of 396 students of different subjects with a mean age of 24 years (139 male). All participants took part in an online survey that assessed NFC together with school performance and further personality variables via self-report. Success in university was comprehensively operationalized including performance, satisfaction with one's studies, and thoughts about quitting/changing one's major as indicators. The value of NFC in predicting tertiary academic success was examined with correlation analyses and path analysis. NFC significantly correlated with all success variables with the highest correlation for study satisfaction. Path analysis confirmed the importance of NFC for study satisfaction showing that NFC had a significant direct effect on study satisfaction and via this variable also a significant indirect effect on termination thoughts. This study clearly indicates that NFC broadly contributes to the mastery of academic requirements and that it is worthwhile to intensify research on NFC in the context of tertiary education.
| S-EPMC5432647 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe study's objective was to compare whether there are differences in the perception of undergraduate and postgraduate students about the pedagogy of success. Methods: This is non-experimental research with a comparative descriptive design, and a hypothetical deductive method was used. The perception of success pedagogy questionnaire was applied as a data collection technique with a sample of 50 university students with 23 items based on three dimensions: opportunity to learn (nine items), feedback (eight items), and consideration of the person (six items), with the following qualitative value scale, always = high, sometimes = middle, and never = low; the scale of quantitative value was from two to zero. To find the instrument's validity, it was subjected to expert judgment, calculating the content validity ratio for each item and considering the criteria of clarity and relevance. The instrument's reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha, which found a high consistency between the items. For the questionnaire application, Google Forms was used to obtain fast, timely, and reliable answers. The data were processed through the SPSS V. 25. Results: The pedagogical support of the postgraduate teacher is more effective than that of the undergraduate. The undergraduate teacher stands out for listening and being more empathic. Didactics is crucial for students to develop their cognitive and human potential. Academic success is related to the teacher's pedagogical skills and the student's motivation. In addition, teachers and students can develop cognitive skills through effective communication and socialization. Finally, the affective dimension allows students to achieve personal and professional goals. Conclusions: There are significant differences in the perception of the pedagogy of success among undergraduate and postgraduate university students; therefore, the application of this methodology is more promoted towards postgraduate students than to their undergraduate peers.
| S-EPMC8729024 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND: German hospitals have a well-defined career structure for clinicians. In this hierarchical career system university hospital are stepping stones for career advancement. This longitudinal study investigates the impact of working in university hospitals on the career success of junior physicians and senior physicians. METHODS: Consideration of the career trajectories of 324 hospital physicians. Discrete-time event history analysis is used to study the influence of working in university hospitals on the chance of promotion from junior physician to senior physician and senior physician to chief physician. A comparison of medians provides information about the impact of working in university hospitals on the duration of promotion to senior and chief physician positions. RESULTS: Working in university hospitals has a negative impact for advancement to a senior physician position in terms of promotion duration (p = 0.005) and also in terms of promotion success, where a short time span of just 1-2 years in university hospitals has a negative effect (OR = 0.38, p < 0.01), while working there for a medium or long term has no significant effect. However, working in universities has a positive effect on the duration of promotion to a chief physician position (p = 0.079), and working in university hospitals for 3-4 years increases the chance of promotion to a chief physician position (OR = 4.02, p < 0.05), while working there >?=7 years decreases this chance (OR = 0.27, p < 0.05). In addition, physicians have a higher chance of promotion to a chief physician position through career mobility when they come to the position from a university hospital. CONCLUSION: Working at university hospitals has a career-enhancing effect for a senior physician with ambitions to become a chief physician. For junior physicians on the trajectory to a senior physician position, however, university hospitals are not drivers of career success.
| S-EPMC4021192 | biostudies-other
Project description:The aim of this study was to examine the role of mobile-based student response systems in teaching to improve university students' academic outcomes. Mobile devices can be useful tools for conveying content to large classes, with a potential impact on academic outcomes. This study involved a total of 294 undergraduates taking a psychology course. The course involved lessons in the classroom, which included answering quizzes (quiz activities) and activities such as preparing reports and laboratory experiences (out-of-class activities). Quizzes were administered using a mobile technology system. Data were collected on the motivational beliefs (theory of intelligence) and self-regulated learning strategies of students who voluntarily completed the online questionnaires. The results of the linear models showed that using the quizzes positively affected the performance in the final exams (involving closed and open questions). The same was true for the out-of-class activities. The motivation and strategy scores correlated moderately with out-of-class activities, but not with quiz activities. These results offer insight on the use of technology during lessons and other course-related activities to promote academic achievement.
| S-EPMC7338752 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionOver 30% of Canadians between the ages of 16 and 24 years attend university. This period of life coincides with the onset of common mental illnesses. Yet, data to inform university-based mental health prevention and early intervention initiatives are limited. The U-Flourish longitudinal study based out of Queen's University, Canada and involving Oxford University in the UK, is a student informed study funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (CIHR-SPOR). The primary goal of U-Flourish research is to examine the contribution of risk and resiliency factors to outcomes of well-being and academic success in first year students transitioning to university.Methods and analysisThe study is a longitudinal survey of all first-year undergraduate students entering Queen's University in the fall term of 2018 (and will launch at Oxford University in fall of 2019). In accordance with the CIHR-SPOR definitions, students represent the target population (ie, patient equivalent). Student peer health educators were recruited to inform the design, content and implementation of the study. Baseline surveys of Queen's first year students were completed in the fall of 2018, and follow-up surveys at the end of first year in the spring of 2019. Extensive student-led engagement campaigns were used to maximise participation rates. The baseline survey included measures of personal factors, family factors, environmental factors, psychological and emotional health, and lifestyle factors. Main outcomes include self-reported indicators of mental health at follow-up and mental health service access, as well as objective measures of academic success through linkage to university administrative and academic databases. A combination of mixed effects regression techniques will be employed to determine associations between baseline predictive factors and mental health and academic outcomes.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval was obtained by the Health Sciences and Affiliated Teaching Hospitals Research Ethics Board (HSREB) (#6023126) at Queen's University. Findings will be disseminated through international and national peer-reviewed scientific articles and other channels including student-driven support and advocacy groups, newsletters and social media.
| S-EPMC6720248 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background Numerous factors may influence academic performance and success in undergraduate physiotherapy programmes. Understanding these factors could assist with student selection and design of support structures. Objectives The objective of our study was to explore the amount of variance explained by the National Benchmark Test (NBT) and the National Senior Certificate (NSC) in passing the first year of study and to explore the association between the NBT performance bands and first-year progression outcome. Method The sample comprised 2013–2017 student cohorts. Hierarchical regression models were used to explore significant predictors for academic success in the first year of study. The chi-square test was used to assess the association between the NBT performance bands and the categorised progression outcome. Results The NBT domains explained 22% of the variance, R2 = 0.229, F (3, 212) = 20.97, p = 0.000. The four NSC subjects accounted for 20% of the variance. All seven predicting variables contributed to 43% of the variance in the first year of study, R2 = 0.435, F (7, 208) = 27.29, p = 0.000. Associations between NBT domains and GPA: quantitative literacy (? = 0.27; p < 0.000); academic literacy (? = 0.22; p < 0.000); mathematics (? = 0.18; p = 0.014). Conclusion Academic success is associated with academic factors as measured by the NBT and physical sciences matriculation results. Clinical implications Support programmes in the first year of study are needed to improve student performance and success such as additional tutorials and language enrichment programmes.
| S-EPMC7433222 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality in the Commonwealth of Kentucky are among the highest in the nation. The University of Louisville was the recipient of a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded cancer education program grant in 1975 under the leadership of Dr. Norbert Burzynski. A new and totally redesigned performance-based University of Louisville Cancer Education Program was funded by NCI in 2011 to recruit and motivate outstanding undergraduate and health professional students to pursue further training and careers in cancer research. Here, we describe the strategy, design, methods, implementation, and accomplishments of our twenty-first century performance-based cancer education program. Our program will meet or exceed all of its 5-year performance goals, including the total number students (n = 156) and under-represented minorities (n = 53) who successfully completed the program under the mentorship of cancer research-intensive faculty members of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center (JGBCC). The mentored research program is complemented with professional development and enhancement activities, including cancer research seminars presented by faculty members actively engaged in research centered on the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of cancer, creation of individual career development plans, exploration of cancer research careers, and acquisition of professionalism skills. Student interests towards cancer research significantly increased after completion of the program compared to baseline (P = 0.02). Based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of various components of the curricula, the trainees favor practical, engaging, and interactive activities aligned within professional career goals and objectives. For instance, the trainees prefer two 30-min small group discussions on "Navigating Careers in Cancer Research" with faculty, professional students, and program alumni. Future updates to the program include new activities that capitalize on the cross-disciplinary background of our mentors and trainees as well as a team-based approach to professional development. Our cancer education program will continue to enhance the professional development of the next generation of cancer scientists and clinicians.
| S-EPMC5280580 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Echium plantagineum and E. vulgare are congeneric exotics first introduced to Australia in the early 1800?s. There, E. plantagineum is now highly invasive, whereas E. vulgare has a limited distribution. Studies were conducted to evaluate distribution, ecology, genetics and secondary chemistry to shed light on factors associated with their respective invasive success. When sampled across geographically diverse locales, E. plantagineum was widespread and exhibited a small genome size (1?C?=?0.34?pg), an annual life cycle, and greater genetic diversity as assessed by DNA sequence analysis. It was found frequently in areas with temperature extremes and low rainfall. In contrast, E. vulgare exhibited a larger genome size (1?C?=?0.43?pg), a perennial lifecycle, less chloroplast genetic diversity, and occurred in areas with lower temperatures and higher rainfall. Twelve chloroplast haplotypes of E. plantagineum were evident and incidence aligned well with reported historical introduction events. In contrast, E. vulgare exhibited two haplotypes and was found only sporadically at higher elevations. Echium plantagineum possessed significantly higher levels of numerous pyrrolizidine alkaloids involved in plant defence. We conclude that elevated genetic diversity, tolerance to environmental stress and capacity for producing defensive secondary metabolites have contributed to the successful invasion of E. plantagineum in Australia.
| S-EPMC5314367 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Invasive genotypes may be associated with their ability to access the invasion habitat. The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Q, has been an important agricultural pest in China since 2008. In order to identify the invasion routes and to provide insight into its invasion success in China, we analyzed the composition, distribution, and genetic diversity of mitochondrial haplotypes of B. tabaci Q. Samples were obtained from 23 provincial level administrative units in 2011, and analyses conducted based on the mtCOI. Our results revealed five haplotypes (abbreviated as Q1H1-Q1H5) were present in the Q1 subclade based on 773-bp mtCOI fragment analysis. The diversity of haplotypes indicated the B. tabaci Q populations were derived from multiple invasion sources originating from the western Mediterranean region. Among the haplotypes, Q1H1 was dominant, followed by Q1H2. The whitefly populations were generally characterized by low levels of genetic diversity based on the 773-bp mtCOI fragment. Similar results were obtained when the 657-bp fragment was analyzed using the procedure in a previous report. Potential mechanisms contributing to the dominance of the Q1H1 in China are also discussed. These results will be helpful in revealing the mechanisms that enabled the successful invasion of B. tabaci Q into the country.
| S-EPMC5440374 | biostudies-literature