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An investigation into the relationship between cognitive abilities, academic performance and interdisciplinary project work
Author
Tan, Ai Bee
Supervisor
Poh, Sui Hoi
Abstract
The purposes of the study were to investigate two situations : if there were significant differences in a group of students' academic performance and Interdisciplinary Project Work (PW) assessment performance when they are classified into Ability Profile Groups; and if there were significant relationship between these students' individual scores obtained from the Morrisby General Abilities Tests (GAT, 1995) for Verbal, Numerical and Perceptual abilities with their academic performance and PW assessment performance.
The sample for this study was made up of 106 Secondary 3 Express course students and 59 Secondary 3 Normal Academic course students. These students were selected as they had taken the GAT as well as participated in the school's PW initiative.
Findings from this study revealed that classifying students into the 5 Ability Profile Groups according to the Morrisby GAT did not show a significant difference in their academic performance and PW assessment. When correlation tests were done using the students' individual GAT scores, the study found statistically significant correlations between their GAT scores and the related academic subjects for most areas, but not between the GAT scores and PW assessment.
The conclusion derived from this study was that the pen and paper academic assessment tended to be more ability-dependent. The more the student displayed his predominance in a particular general ability, verbal, numerical or perceptual, the more he was likely to do better in the related academic subjects. However the lack of statistically significant findings in the correlations between the GAT and PW assessment, indicated that most students were able to do well in PW and that their performance was not as ability-dependent as their performance in the academic subjects.
The sample for this study was made up of 106 Secondary 3 Express course students and 59 Secondary 3 Normal Academic course students. These students were selected as they had taken the GAT as well as participated in the school's PW initiative.
Findings from this study revealed that classifying students into the 5 Ability Profile Groups according to the Morrisby GAT did not show a significant difference in their academic performance and PW assessment. When correlation tests were done using the students' individual GAT scores, the study found statistically significant correlations between their GAT scores and the related academic subjects for most areas, but not between the GAT scores and PW assessment.
The conclusion derived from this study was that the pen and paper academic assessment tended to be more ability-dependent. The more the student displayed his predominance in a particular general ability, verbal, numerical or perceptual, the more he was likely to do better in the related academic subjects. However the lack of statistically significant findings in the correlations between the GAT and PW assessment, indicated that most students were able to do well in PW and that their performance was not as ability-dependent as their performance in the academic subjects.
Date Issued
2003
Call Number
LB1027 Tan
Date Submitted
2003