Student Success in Introductory Psychology: The Value of Teachers Knowing More About Their Students

This project describes the results from a large enrollment introductory psychology course specially designed to improve performance of first-year students. The main objective of the project was to identify early indicators of student success to inform future teaching and promote classroom engagement. Variables representing academic preparation, academic self-concept (e.g., growth mind-set), and behavioral indicators of academic engagement were analyzed with respect to course performance measures, including scores on the first test, midterm grades, and final grades. Academic preparation variables, growth mind-set scores, and some classroom behavior variables correlated with performance measures. Additionally, ACT scores and behavioral indicators of academic engagement were significant predictors of final grades. Findings are discussed in terms of strategies that teachers can use to promote student success in large enrollment, lecture-based courses such as introductory psychology.