Selection for remedial intervention: The validation

[摘要] The Academic Proficiency Assessment battery evaluates language and studyskills. This study focused on the internal consistency reliability and predictivevalidity of this battery for Information Technology students.In terms of reliability, the Time management, Note-taking skills, and Debilitatingstress scale on the achievement anxiety questionnaire were found to beinternally consistent. However, the items in the English proficiency, Readingcomprehension, Memorisation skills, concentration skills and motivating stressscale on the achievement anxiety questionnaire require modification orreplacement. Intercorrelations across questionnaires necessitate furtherstreamlining.In terms of predictive validity, a significant negative relationship was foundbetween Note-taking Skills and academic performance (R2adj = 8,3%). Matricresults remain the best predictor accounting for 11% of the variance in CGPA.Cumulatively, Matric results and Note-taking skills accounted for 13,34% of thevariance. None of the biographical variables significantly predicted CGPA.Despite the apparent lack of relationship between individual predictors and thecriterion, a discriminant function analysis indicated that all the academicproficiencies, with the exception of English proficiency, correctly predicted passor failure in 72% of the cases. The lack of relationship between Englishproficiency and pass/failure can be accounted for in terms of the type of coursesstudied as part of an Information Technology programme.Overall, the results would suggest that Matric results remain the best predictor ofacademic performance in Information Technology courses, but at a very lowlevel. Given the lack of reliability in the majority of the subtests of the AcademicProficiency Battery, the use of the APA battery for selection for remedialintervention for Information Technology students is not yet justified.

[发布机构] University of the Witwatersrand