The factors related to performance in a first year commerce academic development programme : matriculation result, self-efficacy, goal-setting orientation and locus of control

Abstract

To investigate the factors related to performance in a first year Commerce Academic Development (AD) Programme at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, the independent variables chosen were Matriculation result, self-efficacy, goal-setting orientation and locus of control. The results from the study will be useful to the Educational Development Unit at the university in assessing which psychological variables are having the most influence on their student population. The results will also assist in explaining why, in several cases, these AD students are outperforming the main- stream students. Limited statistically significant relationships were found between the independent variables and academic performance. The research design was critiqued and deemed to be problematic. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.