1 research outputs found
Academic performance & student engagement in level 1 physics undergraduates
At the beginning of academic year 2007-08, staff in the Department of Physics
& Astronomy at the University of Glasgow started to implement a number of
substantial changes to the administration of the level 1 physics undergraduate
class. The main aims were to improve the academic performance and progression
statistics. With this in mind, a comprehensive system of learning support was
introduced, the main remit being the provision of an improved personal contact
and academic monitoring and support strategy for all students at level 1. The
effects of low engagement with compulsory continuous assessment components had
already been observed to have a significant effect for students sitting in the
middle of the grade curve. Analysis of data from the 2007-08 class showed that
even some nominally high-achieving students achieved lowered grades due to the
effects of low engagement. Nonetheless, academic and other support measures put
in place during 2007-08 played a part in raising the passrate for the level 1
physics class by approximately 8% as well as raising the progression rate by
approximately 10%.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure