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An Investigation Into The Impact Of Tutorials On The Performance Of Economics Students

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  • Pm Horn
  • Ai Jansen

Abstract

The deteriorating performance of first‐year economics students has become a concern at many South African universities. Addressing the issue requires an understanding of the factors influencing students' success. Studies analysing academic performance use the education production function approach. This approach identifies inputs that are crucial to learning and to achieving certain outputs. Factors that have been investigated in other studies include the impact of lecture attendance on performance, school‐leaving exam (matriculation) results, particularly performance in mathematics, and the gender and age of students. This study adds to existing local empirical research by analysing the impact of the tutorial programme as an input. The case study investigates the tutorial programme for first‐year economics students at Stellenbosch University using quantitative analysis. Results confirm what previous studies have found, namely that lecture attendance, gender, and matriculation results contribute positively to the performance of first‐year economics students. The main finding of the paper is that tutorial attendance also contributes positively to academic performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Pm Horn & Ai Jansen, 2009. "An Investigation Into The Impact Of Tutorials On The Performance Of Economics Students," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 77(1), pages 179-189, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:sajeco:v:77:y:2009:i:1:p:179-189
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1813-6982.2009.01194.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Volker Schöer & Debra Shepherd, 2013. "Compulsory tutorial programmes and performance in undergraduate microeconomics: A regression discontinuity design," Working Papers 27/2013, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    2. Cobb, Steven L. & McPherson, Michael A. & Molina, David J. & Quintanilla, John & Rasmussen, Elizabeth & Rous, Jeffrey J., 2018. "Teaching economics to the masses: The effects of student help centers on academic outcomes," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 16-23.
    3. Astrid Schmulian & Stephen Coetzee, 2011. "Class absenteeism: reasons for non‐attendance and the effect on academic performance," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 24(2), pages 178-194, September.
    4. Stefan Buechele, 2020. "Evaluating the link between attendance and performance in higher education - the role of classroom engagement dimensions," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202010, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    5. Montagud Mascarell, M. Dolores & Gandía Cabedo, Juan L., 2014. "Entorno virtual de aprendizaje y resultados académicos: evidencia empírica para la enseñanza de la Contabilidad de Gestión," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 108-115.
    6. Siobhan Lucey & Maria Grydaki, 2023. "University attendance and academic performance: Encouraging student engagement," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 70(2), pages 180-199, May.

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