Post on 08-Aug-2020
readySTEMgo: ResultsUniversity of Birmingham
Maarten Pinxten & Kamel Hawwash
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
readySTEMgo Project
• EU Erasmus + Strategic Partnership
• Duration: 3 years
• Start date: 1st of October 2014
• 6 Universities + network partner
• Coordinator: KU Leuven
readySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
International partnersKatholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium)
Technical University Hamburg-Harburg (Germany)Prof. Christian Kautz
University of Žilina (Slovakia)Prof. Peter Hockicko
University of Birmingham (UK)Prof. Kamel Hawwash
Aalto University (Finland)Prof. Katrina Nordström
Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary)Prof. Pal Pacher
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Prof. Greet Langie
Outline academic year
Project objectives
Objective 1
Identification of key STEM
competences
Focus on first year
Cognitive and non-cognitive aspects
Objective 2
Diagnostic instrument inventory
Validated measures
Predictive power on achievement
Objective 3
Identification of at risk students and target intervention
Focus on targets for improvement
Feedback to student
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
(~ Privacy issue !!!)
Difference #1: University entranceHighly selective
institutionsOpen-admission
institutions
Strict selection criteria (entrance exam, matura exams, interviews,…)
More homogeneous inflow of incoming students (at least in termsof prior achievement)
Substantially lower drop-out rates after first year (+/- 5%)
Early decision-making
No or minimal entrance requirements
More heterogenous inflow of incoming students
Higher drop-out rates after the first year (+/- 30%)
Later decision-making process
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
University of Birmingham KU Leuven
321
Transition to university in Flanders
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Secondary School System – Grade 7 – Grade 12 Higher education
University
University Colleges
Labour market
Cycle 1: Grades 7-8
Cycle 2: Grades 9-10
Cycle 3: Grades 11-12
Common core
Academic track
Technical track
Vocational track
Technical track
Academic track
Vocational track
18 years
Transition to university in Flanders• Formal requirement: diploma secondary school
National school leaving examination (e.g., A-level exams)
Entrance exam
Selection interview
• 3 important supporting iniatives in decision-making process
1. Advice of secondary school teacher board
2. Supporting initiatives for decision-making KU Leuven
3. Diagnostic test - Positioning test (organised since 2013)Non-obligatory test at the end of secondary school
Result is non-binding: students can enroll in any case
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Difference #2: Engineering Programmes
University of Birmingham (UK) KU Leuven (BE)
• From Day 1: Engineering Specialisation
• Civil Engineering, MechanicalEngineering, Chemical Engineering,…
• 3 Engineering programmes:1. Engineering Science
2. Engineering Technology
3. Bioscience Engineering
• Semester 1-3: general engineering
courses
• From Semester 4: specialisation
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Difference #3: Student mobilityBelgium: LowUK: High
* Not to scale
Despite our differences…
We have one common goal:
Deliver the best Engineers in theworld!
Participants University of Birmingham
Study programme N % Female
Chemical Engineering 148 29%
Civil Engineering 37 22%
Mechanical Engineering 96 24%
Sciences 209 31%
Other 9 43%
Total 499 29%
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Data collected during the first semester (November 2015)
Background
Parents Degree higher education
32%
65%
3%
No Yes Missing
Does one of your parents
have a degreein higher
education?
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
1/3rd of the incoming
students at UoB indicates
that both parents do not
hold a higher education
degree
Certain choice study programme
1%5%
21%
47%
25%
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%
Not certain atall
Not certain More or lesscertain
Certain 100% certain
Pro
po
rtio
no
f st
ud
en
ts
“How certain are you for the choice of your current study programme?”
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
The majority of students are pretty sure about their choice
for their respective studyprogramme
A-level mathematics
57%
11%21%
47%
32%
59%60%
25%
2%
8%
8%12%
1%9%
22%8% 15%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Chemicalengineering
Civil engineering Mechanicalengineering
Sciences
A+ A B C D Missing
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
A-level Physics
17%3% 4%
22%
34%
27%33%
24%
11%
27%
35% 22%3% 11%
13%4%
1%
1%35% 32%14%
28%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Chemical engineering Civil engineering Mechanical engineering Sciences
A+ A B C D Missing
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
A-level Chemistry
29%
3% 3%14%
46%
8% 14%
26%
15%
11%17%
28%
4%
2%
10%
78%63%
29%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Chemical engineering Civil engineering Mechanical engineering Sciences
A+ A B C D Missing
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Effort levels secondary school
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
3% 11%
24%36%
25%
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%
Not at all typical ofme
Not typical of me Somewhat typicalof me
Fairly typical of me Very typical of me
“I had to study hard to obtain my A-levels in secondary school”
12%
43%32%
11% 2%0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%
Not at all typical ofme
Not typical of me Somewhat typicalof me
Fairly typical of me Very typical of me
“I had to study hard for my obtained study results in secondary education”
Birmingham (N=499)
KU Leuven (N=1521)
61% High effort
13% High effort
14% Low effort
55% Low effort
Relation Effort – achievement: KU Leuven
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
40% 28% 19% 18% 13%
14%9%
8% 10% 13%
17%18%
18% 18% 17%
29%45% 54% 54% 57%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Very low effortlevel
Low effortlevel
Average effortlevel
High effortlevel
Very high effortlevel
% credits obtained after the first year
<30% CSE of dropout 30-50% CSE 50-80% CSE >80% CSE
Higher effort levels in secondary school Better first-year achievement
Planning on taking a student job?
46%58%
42% 46% 38%
19%17%
25% 17%20%
35%25% 33% 37% 42%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Chemicalengineering
Civil engineering Mechanicalengineering
Sciences
No Yes I Don't know yet
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Course content?
2% 3% 2% 1%16% 21%
14% 9% 15%
36% 35%34% 40% 36%
41% 38% 51% 42% 42%
5% 3% 6% 6%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Chemicalengineering
Civil engineering Mechanicalengineering
Sciences
"I have clear knowledge of the content of all courses in the first year of my current study programme."
Not at all Not More or less Good idea Very good idea
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Confident succesful first year?
2% 5% 2%10% 16% 14%3% 8%
25%27% 19%
24%25%
42% 35% 46%49%
44%
21% 20% 14% 24% 21%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Total Chemicalengineering
Civil engineering Mechanicalengineering
Sciences
"I feel very confident to successfully complete the first year"
Not confident at all Not confident More or lessConfident Very confident
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Learning and studystrategies
Learning and Study Strategies Inventory
• Scientific measurement of learning and study strategies of incoming students
• 77 items
• 10 scales
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Learning and study strategies inventory• Attitude• Motivation – persistence• Time management• Anxiety• Concentration• Information processing• Selecting main ideas• Study aids• Self-testing• Test strategies
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Research at KU
Leuven, BME & UniZa
has shown that these
4 variables are
statistically related to
first-year students’
achievement at the
end of the year
17%
22%
26%
19%
17%
Very good Time management Good time managment
Average time management Weak management
Very weak time management
Time management: Birmingham
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
36% of the incomingstudents reported (very) weak time management skills at the start of the
academic year
15%
19%
31%
19%
16%
Very good timemanagement skills Good time management skills
Average time management skills Weak time management skills
Very weak time management skills
Time management (KU Leuven – N=1521)
16% 25% 29% 35% 40%
44%43% 40%
41% 40%
40% 33% 31% 24% 20%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Very goodTM
GoodTM
AverageTM
WeakTM
Very weakTM
% of credits obtained after first year(SE)
<30% SE or dropout 30-80% SE >80% SE
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Concentration: Birmingham
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
21%
19%
25%
19%
14%
Very good Concentration Good Concentration Average Concentration
Weak Concentration Very weak Concentration
33% of the incomingstudents reported (very) weak time concentrationlevels at the start of the
academic year
Concentration (KU Leuven – N=1521)
19% 27% 30% 34% 45%40%
41% 41% 46% 37%40% 33% 29% 21% 18%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
% of credits obtained after first year(SE)
<30% SE or dropout 30-80% SE >80% SE
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
18%
24%
30%
18%
10%
Very good concentration Good concentration Average Concentration
Weak Concentration Very weak concentration
25%
26%26%
15%
8%
Very good Motivation Good Motivation Average Motivation
Weak Motivation Very weak
Motivation – persistence: Birmingham
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
23% of the incomingstudents reported difficultiesin persisting with confronted
with challenging tasks
15%
26%
27%
20%
12%
Zeer goede Motivatie Goede Motivatie Gemiddelde Motivatie
Zwakke Motivatie Zeer zwakke Motivatie
Motivation – Persistence (KU Leuven)
22% 21% 29% 36% 44%
36% 46% 39%40%
43%
42% 32% 32% 23% 13%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Very goodmotivation
Goodmotivation
Averagemotivation
Weakmotivation
Very weakmotivation
% of credits obtained after first year(SE)
<30% SE or dropout 30-80% SE >80% SE
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
European comparison: Time management
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
71%72% 73%
82% 84%
66%
77% 79%78%
82%
44%46%
53%59% 64%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Very weak Timemanagement
Weak timemanagement
Average timemanagement
Good timemanagement
Very Good timemanagementM
ean
% c
redi
ts o
btai
ned
afte
r exa
ms J
anua
ry 2
016
Average SE in function of Time management skills start academic year
UniZa (N=814) BME (N=990) KU Leuven (N=1521)
Hypothesized curve Birmingham
European comparison: Motivation
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
72%74%
77%84%
92%
69%
78%76%
80%86%
42%46%
54%59% 62%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Very weakmotivation
Weakmotivation
Averagemotivation
Goodmotivation
Very goodmotivation
Mea
n %
cre
dits
obt
aine
d af
ter e
xam
s Jan
uary
201
6
Average SE in function of Motivation start academic year
UniZa (N=814) BME (N=990) KU Leuven (N=1521)
Hypothesized curve Birmingham
Conclusion• Similar positive relation in three different institutions
• Average levels of achievement linked to entrance criteria university
• KU Leuven, on average, lower percentages of credits are obtained
• BME & UniZa (entrance criteria apply), higher averagepercentages of credits are obtained >>> ceiling effects
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Follow-up Project in UoB• Questionnaire in second semester:
Participation (+grades) Math diagnostic test start Year 1 Foundation year BTEC Visit Math Support Center Summer placement between Year 1 and Year 2 …
• Attempt: make the connection with 2015-2016 database using students’ ID
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Some salient findingsin FlandersResults KU Leuven
1. Prior grades secondary school
• Weighted GPA score of three subject (Mathematics, Chemistry & Physics)
• Math has higher weight in accordance with importance in curriculum
• 1 score calculated ranging between 1 (very low score) and5 (excellent score)
• Results of academic year 2016-2017 (Exams January)
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
1. Prior grades secondary school
63%52%
40% 35%24%
15% 11%
16%15%
19%14%
17%16%
8%
11%22%
19%23%
20%25%
13%
9% 11%23% 28%
39% 44%68%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1-1,5(N=97)
1,5-2(N=132)
2-2,5(N=394)
2,5-3(N=227)
3-3,5(N=338)
3,5-4(N=135)
>4(N=183)
Behaalde studieresultaten na Januari 2017<30% credits of dropout 30-50% credits 50-80% credits >80% credits
Data 2016-2017 – Exam results January 2017 (N=1512)
Weighted GPA (math – Physics – Chemistry) Secondary school
3. Prior grades secondary school
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
Strong relation withacademic performance
Students with a GPA below 2 are at seriousrisk: +/- 60% obtain lessthan 30% of the creditsafter the first examination period
This is a direct result of an open-admissionsystem to university
1. Advice teacher board secondary school
readySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
51%
21%
20%
7%
Full positive advice(N=776)Partially positive advice (N=322)No advice (N=303)Negative advice (N=113)
Academic year 2015-2016 (N=1521)
Academic year 2016-2017 (N=1509)
48%
23%
16%
13%
Full positive advice (N=725)Positive advice (N=344)No advice (N=236)Negative advice (N=200)
34%48%
30%13%
12%
19%
13%
6%
19%
18%
20%
16%
36%15%
37%
65%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
No advice(N=303)
Negative advice(N=113)
Partially positiveadvice (N=322)
Full positive advice(N=776)
<30% credits or Drop-out 30-50% credits 50-80% credits >80% credits
2. Advice teacher board secondary school
Data 2015-2016 – Exam results after resits (N=1521)
46%58%
33%21%
14%13%
21%
14%
13%17%
22%
21%
26%14%
24%44%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
No advice(N=240)
Negative advice(N=200)
Partially positiveadvice (N=344)
Full positive advice(N=725)
<30% credits or Drop-out 30-50% credits 50-80% credits >80% credits
2. Advice teacher board secondary school
Data 2016-2017 – Exam results January 2017 (N=1512)
3. Advice teacher board
• Strong indicator of studysuccess
• 48% of the studentswith a negative advicedo not obtain 30% of his/her credits after thefirst year
• Students with a full positive advice: confident
readySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
3. Math diagnostic test
• Prior to the start of the academic year (June)
• Last week of secondary school
• Voluntary participation
• Non-binding results: even if a student fails, s/he can start
• Participation rates vary between programs
readySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
3. Math diagnostic test (N=450)
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
55%
23%
10%
37%
14%
20%
9%12%11%
30%26%
14%
9%
22%
49%
16%12%
5% 6%
22%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Failed(N=57)
Passed 10/20 - 13/20(N=208)
Passed >13/20(N=134)
Not participated(N=51)
% S
tude
nts
Result Math Diagnostic Test – Engineering Science
<30% credits 30-50% credits 50-80% credits >80% credits Dropout
At risk???
We succesfully manage to identify a risk population and and a population
of high-performing students
3. Math diagnostic test & Secondary school math grades
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
50%35% 28%
15% 8%
42%53%
55%
44%33%
8% 12% 17%41%
58%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
<60% (N=12) 60-70% (N=34) 70-80% (N=71) 80-90% (N=70) >90% (N=11)M a t h g r a d e s s e o n d a r y s c h o o l
Math test score between 10/20 and 13/20
<30% SE of dropout 30-80% SE >80% SE
* Diagnostic test – Engineering Science 2015
Conclusion• Based on a math diagnostic test and secondary school
grades we manage to identify an at-risk population
• Non-cognitive factors help us to further refine the picture
ReadySTEMgo Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership 2014-1-BE02- KA200-000462
More information?
www.iiw.kuleuven.be/readystemgo
Maarten.Pinxten@kuleuven.be