Predictive ability of advanced level secondary education students’ results to academic perfomance for first year undergraduate students A Case of University of Dar es Salaam’s Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Martin, Edward

Predictive ability of advanced level secondary education students’ results to academic perfomance for first year undergraduate students A Case of University of Dar es Salaam’s Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Date

2013

Authors

Martin, Edward

Publisher

University of Dar es Salaam

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive ability of form six points, form six subject combinations and sex towards undergraduate students’ performance. In this research we used quantitative real data. A sample of 159 students was used. They included students who completed the same year in Ordinary Secondary Education level and the same year of Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination. The essence was to increase validity of data. Quantitative data analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze collected data using linear regression model. Findings indicated that students’ form six points was a fairly good predictor while the subject combination of History, Geography and Economics (HGE) showed stronger predictive ability to undergraduate performance than Economics, Geography and Mathematics (EGM) though both were fairly good predictors. It was observed that predictive ability of males’ points was stronger than females. While males showed some significance to the model, female showed no significance at all. It implied that females are not substantively predicted by the model. In due regard, female students’ performance can be predicted by other factors rather than merely their points. Thus, Tanzania Commission of Universities (TCU) should conduct special reforms in aligning with nature of admitted students based on their combination points and continue using form six points, which showed predictability to undergraduate performances.

Description

Available in print copy

Keywords

Secondary education, first year, undergraduate

Citation

Martin, E.(2013). Predictive ability of advanced level secondary education students’ results to academic perfomance for first year undergraduate students A Case of University of Dar es Salaam’s Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Master dissertation, university of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/search.aspx?formtype=advanced)