Mental Representations as The Students’ Academic Success Predictor

Abstract

The analysis is aimed at defining peculiarities of mental representations in homogeneous cluster groups, represented by the students characterized by different (high, average or low) academic progress levels. Deductive and correlation design of the research is defined here as a general method. Statistic design: the research is held taking into account a mixed method, including several qualitative and quantitative techniques of data processing and interpreting; more specifically cluster analysis (used for relatively homogeneous groups defining), multiple regression analysis (used to determine the impact of mental representations characteristics on academic success) as well as Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. The average value of the regression model significance reflects the veracity of the research results. The attained statistic results prove that mental representations have peculiar impact on students’ academic success and there is an effect of the students’ academic activity progress splitting. On the one hand, the research helps to identify cluster groups of students characterized by success exteriorization indices growth and academic success indices reduction. On the other hand, non-linear impact of mental representations characteristics on students’ academic success was identified (the effect of inversion); i.e. some mental representations indices are highly developed, but the quality of education is low and individual resource is hard to implement in everyday life. Academic progress index, high level of studying and professional competences acquirement orientation as well as the activity factor are defined as measures of academic success mental representations splitting in groups. These results and conclusions prove the scientific fact that mental representations have an influence on the students’ academic success. This influence is multidimensional and vague. These facts offer a challenge of the research in considering highly-effective psychotechnologies for developing mental representations in general and students’ academic success in particular.