Author: Mohamed Ahmed Kunle
Abstract
The academic performance of students has been focus of the educational researchers for a long period of time, and different aspects of it have been investigated so far in the world. This study examined factors affecting the academic performance of students by considering GPA as an indicator of academic performance. The objectives of the study were to investigate the influence of gender, age, employment status, learning style preference, time management skills, test anxiety, and English communication skills. The study concentrated on the students of the University of Burao who were selected from 6 different faculties by using stratified random sampling; besides, 323 questionnaires were distributed among the students. The response rate was 71 %, so the study analyzed data obtained from only 230 of these 323 students through ANOVA, Chi-square, and Cochran-Armitage test with the help of SPSS 21. The result of this study indicated that age, gender, employment status, and time management skills have no significant effect on the student’s GPA while learning style, test anxiety, and English communications skills have a significant effect. The study identified that the students with visual learning styles have average lower GPAs than students with other learning styles (Read-Write, Aural, and kinesthetic learning styles). Furthermore, the study revealed that there is a negative relationship between test anxiety and the student’s GPA. Moreover, this study exposed that there is a significant negative relationship between English communication problems and students’ GPAs. Based on these findings the study recommended the following points. I. Lecturers should use different lecture delivery methods so that students with different learning style preferences will understand the lesson. II. The University of Burao should come up with a policy for improving students’ English communication skills by setting an effective curriculum for English courses. III. In order for students to internalize and exercise their English language knowledge, the medium of instruction of the University should be English. IV. Test anxiety of the students should be minimized as much as possible through counseling and guidance, and students should be convinced not to be afraid of exams.
Keywords: GPA, academic performance, Gender, age, employment status, learning style preference, time management skills, test anxiety, and English communication skills.
