Causal Model of Factors Affecting College Students’ Learning Outcomes--Based on College Juniors in the Taiwan Higher Education Database

[[abstract]]This study examines the relationships between the learning outcomes of college students and related factors, and verifies the causal model affecting college students’ learning outcomes. The research purposes are (1) to understand college students’ learning outcomes and related factors; (2) to overview the relationship between college students’ learning outcomes and related factors; (3) to explore in-depth the relationship between college students’ learning outcomes and related factors; (4) to verify the causal model affecting the learning outcomes of college students; and (5) to summarize the findings in a conclusion and put forward suggestions for higher education, as well as recommendations for follow-up investigations. Based on the research purposes, this study first reviewed relevant literatures to learn the relationships between college students’ learning outcomes and related factors. Next, the questionnaire survey for college juniors in 2005 from the Taiwan Higher Education Database was utilized for analysis to verify the causal model affecting the learning outcomes of college students. SPSS 12.0 and LISREL 8.72 were used for statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics analysis, item analysis, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The major findings are summarized as follows: 1.College students’ learning outcomes can be divided into GPA (grade point average) outcomes, skill-based outcomes, affective outcomes, and desired outcomes. 2.Related factors influencing college students’ learning outcomes can be categorized into input factors, i.e. school structural characteristics and family socioeconomic status, and environmental factors, i.e. school environment perception, level of interpersonal involvement and academic involvement. 3.In an overview of college students’ learning outcomes, students’ self-evaluation is not satisfactory for skill-based outcomes, but satisfactory for GPA (grade point average) and affective outcomes, and most satisfactory for desired outcomes. 4.An overview of related factors affecting college students’ learning outcomes displays moderate results in terms of school environment perception, interpersonal involvement and academic involvement, which all need to be strengthened. Improvements in student affairs, dormitories, administrative supports,facilities and amenities should be strengthened for better school environment perception, teacher-student relationship reinforced for improved interpersonal involvement, and autonomous learning underpinned for enhanced academic involvement. 5.Better learning outcomes can be ascribed to the school being public, higher teacher-to-student ratio and percentage of dormitory housing, higher family socioeconomic status, higher satisfaction of school environment perception, higher levels of interpersonal involvement, and higher levels of academic involvement. 6.School structural characteristics and family socioeconomic status indirectly affect college students’ learning outcomes through the mediating effects of school environment perception, level of interpersonal involvement and academic involvement. 7.School environment perception, level of interpersonal involvement and academic involvement are the main variables affecting college students’ learning outcomes, with interpersonal involvement being the most influential, followed by school environment perception; meanwhile, level of academic involvement only affects GPA (grade point average) outcomes. 8.interpersonal involvement has the greatest impact on the level of academic involvement; school environment perception also has a strong impact on interpersonal involvement and academic involvement; in contrast, school structural characteristics and family socioeconomic status has little influence on school environment perception, interpersonal involvement and academic involvement. Finally, a conclusion summarizing the findings and suggestions for higher education is presented, as well as recommendations for future research.