Learning Encouragement Factors and Academic Performance

The study aims to identify main learning factors that influence academic performance of first year students of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, who took Applied Statistic course. Out of 238 students who took the course, only 184 students returned completed survey forms. Principal Component Analysis method was used to identify the learning factors that most influence students’ academic performances. Results show that the factors (in order) are student's interest, surroundings and supports, peers influence, self belief, good time management, student's attitudes, satisfaction and interactions with lecturers. Several analyses using contingency tables as well as some descriptive statistics are presented to further support the identified factors. In addition, comparisons of mean levels of students’ satisfactions towards attributes in the study are made.