Trick or Cheat? 10 Things Affecting Students’ Academic Performance

The academic performance depends on a variety of factors, including psychological and physical. For example, there is a myriad of research that supports that students can struggle in class because of a lack of physical activity or high levels of stress. Moreover, many students do not perform well because they have a terror teacher or lack of interest in the subject. As a result, academic performance is very low. Students focus their attention on something else, like work, computer games, and so on.

To discover the tools that affect the academic performance of students, we have performed thorough research into scholar studies and online articles that link student achievement with different factors. The results are presented below.

A student with a book and a pink highlighter in their lap

1. Physical Activity

Physical activity affects students’ academic performances in all educational institutions. According to the data produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a positive correlation between exercise and academic attitudes and behavior, which are important predictors of academic performance. Classes that have physical activity programs have higher grades and standardized test scores. Scientists explain that the outcome comes from increased oxygen flow to the brain and neuronal differentiation.

2. Learning Facilities

To achieve better grades, students need equipment and other resources that allow them to get new knowledge. That includes books and computers. What if the educational institution does not possess sufficient learning resources to enable the students to take advantage of the facilities? Then the achievement will most likely be low. According to the Global Journal of Management and Business Research study, the students that actively use the resources provided by the facilities of the institution are more likely to achieve better grades than the ones that do not.

3. Interest

Don’t overestimate how important interest in studying is. It is the most important factor that makes a subject easy and enjoyable. It has been already established that all people tend to be better learners when they have an interest in the subject, so the material should be presented in a way that sparks their interest and desire to know more. On the other hand, subjects presented differently were perceived as boring and uninteresting.

4. Guidance

Students, properly helped and guided by their parents and educators, generally perform well in the exams and other works. They undergo more thorough preparation than their counterparts and obtain more practical knowledge and tips. On the other hand, the students that do not use guidance from educators or parents generally get lower grades.

5. Motivation

According to many educators, the reason for many low or failing grades of students is not their abilities, but a lack of motivation. To ensure that the students improve their academic achievement, they should be properly motivated; here is a list of strategies recommended by the University of Nebraska that educators could try to motivate students.

6. Job

According to Quentin Fottrell, a well-known education columnist from Marketwatch, nearly 4 out of 5 students work part-time, and this means that 80 percent of students balance work and studies. The most popular reason for them to work is to avoid racking up more debt while in school and earn some pocket money for daily spending. Succeeding at both studies and work is undoubtedly difficult, so many students often perform poorly and experience more fatigue.

7. Sleep

An insufficient amount of sleep can be very disastrous to health and productivity. Sleep is the most effective cognitive enhancer of working memory. Students getting a good night’s sleep are refreshed and ready to learn, Time suggests. Lack of sleep was associated with the poorest performance in math and foreign languages.

8. Communication

This is a crucial factor that does not get the needed scholarly attention, says Martin Jameson, a Public Relations Manager. If the school does not provide sufficient opportunities for students to communicate with the educators outside the classroom, such as through the university website, they might become fairly isolated in their efforts to master the subject.

9. Distractions

Technology can be the best friend of a student but also their great adversary. According to Rudgers Today, the students who cannot stop texting and browsing the Internet even at night perform poorer than their counterparts that use technologies moderately. Students were sleepier during the classes and absorbed less knowledge. Besides, staying up late disrupted their natural rhythm, which also impacted performance.

10. Self-Esteem

Students with low self-esteem generally demonstrate poorer performance because it greatly affects everything they do. It can destroy the firm foundation for learning because it prevents engagement and development of problem-solving skills, and lessens the desire to learn.

The Bottom Line

These factors have the greatest effect on student performance. Educators, parents, and students use these factors to ensure the best academic achievement.

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