Although non-cognitive skills and attributes have been widely recognised by scholars as important as intellectual ability for to achieve success in higher education, the non-cognitive domain remains under-researched, particularly considering the wide range of skills and qualities that can be classified as non-cognitive in nature. To provide greater understanding on the role of non-cognitive skills and attributes in the context of higher education, this study aimed to establish different non-cognitive profiles of higher education students and assess how these distinct profiles relate to their academic stress levels and persistence while they were undergoing their studies. Two online surveys were conducted at different timepoints, one at the beginning, and the other in the middle of an academic term. The first survey conducted at the beginning of an academic term, aimed to collect data on the non-cognitive qualities of the participants. The second survey conducted in the middle of the term, aimed to collect data on participants’ stress and persistent levels. The participants were undergraduate students studying in one of the largest private institutions in Singapore. A total of 565 and 122 students participated in the first and second surveys, respectively. From the results, three distinct non-cognitive profiles were established and found to be associated significantly with students’ academic stress and their intention to persist. Overall, the findings show how non-cognitive readiness at the start of a student learning journey may have effects on his or her subsequent learning experiences.

Authors:
Wan Hoong Wong, Singapore Institute of Management, Singapore
Elaine Chapman, University of Western Australia, Australia

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Wan Hoong Wong is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Singapore Institute of Management in Singapore

Connect on Linkedin
https://sg.linkedin.com/in/wan-hoong-wong-edd-b161b46a

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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