Learning in clusters: Exploring the association between noncognitive and affective profiles of engineering students and academic performance

John Chen, Jenna Michelle Landy, Matthew Scheidt, Justin Charles Major, Julianna Ge, Camaryn Elizabeth Chambers, Christina Grigorian, Michelle Kerfs, Edward J. Berger, Allison Godwin, Brian P. Self, James M. Widmann

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

This research paper explores the role of non-cognitive and affective (NCA) factors in influencing student achievement and thriving. We have developed and deployed a survey with evidence of validity and reliability to measure 28 NCA factors from n=2339 undergraduates at 17 U.S. institutions. The factors examined include personality, grit, meaning and purpose, engineering identity, mindset, motivation, test anxiety, test and study environment, perceptions of faculty caring, self-control, stress, gratitude, mindfulness, and sense of belonging. The results from a previous cluster analysis identified four distinct clusters of students' NCA profiles, accounting for 69.0% of the sample. A second analysis indicated that membership within any of the four clusters was only weakly, if at all, associated with academic performance, as measured by self-reported, overall grade-point-average. In this study we explore this association in more detailed and nuanced ways to assess whether cluster membership is truly unassociated with academic performance.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number945
JournalASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings
Volume2020-June
StatePublished - Jun 22 2020
Externally publishedYes
Event2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference, ASEE 2020 - Virtual, Online
Duration: Jun 22 2020Jun 26 2020

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Engineering(all)

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