Cognitive Entry Characteristics and Semester Examination Scores as Correlates of College Students’ Achievement in Mathematics

Aims: This study was designed (i) to investigate the relationship between cognitive entry characteristics (CEC), semester examination scores and student’s achievement in mathematics and (ii) to find out the predictive strength of CEC and semester examination scores on college students’ achievement in mathematics.
Study Design: The study employed ex-post facto design.
Place and Duration of Study: College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria between October 2012 and January 2013.
Methodology: The sample, 415 full-time students admitted into a three-year National Certificate in Education (NCE) programme in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 academic sessions were selected using purposive sampling technique. An inventory, “entry characteristics and academic achievement proforma” was used in collecting all the relevant data for the study. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using correlation and multiple regression analysis.
Results: The results of the study revealed that there is a positive and significant correlation between the criterion variable (Cumulative Grade Point Average CGPA), CEC (Senior School Certificate Examination SSCE, Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME) and semester examination scores. There is a low correlation coefficient of 0.095 and 0.158 between CGPA and UTME as well as CGPA and SSCE respectively. Results also revealed that SSCE, UTME and semester examination results jointly contributed 64.3% to the prediction of college students CGPA. However, semester examination scores show a higher predictive strength than cognitive entry characteristics.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of the study, there is the need to encourage teachers to regularly test their students’ ability since the use of formative tests (or semester examinations) for diagnostic purposes seems to result in better cognitive achievement than when given as summative test or examination.