Consequences of political and educational measures on teaching first year university science

Humans are social animals; consequently, a lack of social ties affects individuals’ health negatively. However, the desire to belong differs between individuals, raising the question of whether individual differences in the need to belong moderate the impact of perceived social isolation on health. In the present study, 77 first-year university students rated their loneliness and health every 6 weeks for 18 weeks. Individual differences in the need to belong were found to moderate the relationship between loneliness and current health state. Specifically, lonely students with a high need to belong reported more days of illness than those with a low need to belong. In contrast, the strength of the need to belong had no effect on students who did not feel lonely. Thus, people who have a strong need to belong appear to suffer from loneliness and become ill more often, whereas people with a weak need to belong appear to stand loneliness better and are comparatively healthy. The study implies that social isolation does not impact all individuals identically; instead, the fit between the social situation and an individual’s need appears to be crucial for an individual’s functioning.

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SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, RELIGIOSITY, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND SUBSTANCE USE AMONG FIRST-YEAR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.91.5.105-113 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 91 (5) ◽

pp. 105 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

KARL PELTZER

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Substance Use ◽

Academic Performance ◽

University Students ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

First Year ◽

First Year University

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Health related physical activity behaviour of first year university students

International Sports Studies ◽

10.30819/iss.38-1.03 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 38 ◽

pp. 25-35

Author(s):

Peter Le Rossignol ◽

Myrna Boertien ◽

Eng Hoe Wee

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

University Students ◽

Physical Activity Behaviour ◽

First Year ◽

Health Related ◽

First Year University ◽

Activity Behaviour

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Correlating entrance data and first year academic performance of students enrolled in the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Porto

International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education ◽

10.1177/03064190211015650 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 030641902110156

Author(s):

TMGP Duarte ◽

AM Lopes ◽

LFM da Silva

Keyword(s):

Academic Performance ◽

Secondary School ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Mechanical Engineering ◽

Institutional Factors ◽

First Year ◽

Female Type ◽

The University ◽

First Year University ◽

Over Time

Understanding how the academic performance of first year undergraduate students is influenced by home, personal and institutional factors is fundamental to delineate policies able to mitigate failure. This paper investigates possible correlations between the academic performance of students at the end of high school with their achievements at the end of first year university. Data for students in the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering (MIEM) program within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto are analysed for the period 2016/2017 to 2019/2020. The students’ performance is measured by two metrics and the students are structured as a whole and by groups, according to their gender (Male/Female), type of secondary school (Public/Private), living place (Away/Home) and the rank of MIEM in their application list of options (Option 1/Option 2–6). The information is organized statistically and possible correlations between the data are investigated. The analysis reveals limited correlation between the two metrics, meaning that all students may exhibit good or poor results at the end of first year in MIEM, independent of their status at entrance. An unanticipated pattern is exhibited for the group Option 2–6, since it shows that, despite entering into MIEM without top application marks, the students in this group can perform as well as the others. This behavior is consistent over time.

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