Predictors of Student Performance in a First Year Science, Technology, Society Course

The performance of first year students undertaking a Science, Technology, Society course has been examined using a number of parameters (age, family income, prior educational performance, tutorial attendance). A link between poor student performance and a parameter suggests that parameter may be used to trigger early intervention to support the student and hence increase retention rates. A student’s prior educational performance in secondary school and a student’s attendance at tutorials were found to be good predictors of student performance. Students whose secondary school results placed them in the lower half in their final year of secondary education are more likely to fail. Such students should receive support via appropriate early intervention mechanisms. Students who fail the STS course have substantially lower tutorial attendance rates than students who received pass grades or higher. The lower attendance rates occurred from the first tutorial and suggest students who miss early require early intervention. Student age and a student’s family income are both inadequate predictors of student performance. However, the overall mark a student received increased as student age increased. The rank awarded to students who enter university via an alternate entry pathway is a poor predictor of student performance and so the validity of this ranking method should be further examined