View source for Academic achievement

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'''Academic achievement''' or '''academic performance''' is the outcome of [[education]] &mdash; the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their [[educational goals]] or made the best of their [[academic aptitude]]. 

==Individual differences influencing academic performance==
Individual differences in academic performance have been linked to differences in [[intelligence]] and [[personality traits|personality]].<ref name=3rdpillar>{{Cite journal
 | first = Sophie
 | last = von Stumm
 | authorlink = 
 | coauthors = Hell, Benedikt; Chamorro-Premuzic, Tomas
 | year = 2011
 | month = 
 | date =
 | title = The Hungry Mind: Intellectual Curiosity Is the Third Pillar of Academic Performance

 | quote =
 | journal = Perspective on Psychological Science
 | volume = 6
 | issue = 6
 | pages = 574–588
 | doi =
 | id = 
 | url = http://pps.sagepub.com/content/6/6/574
 | format =
 | accessdate = February 11, 2012
 }}</ref> Students with higher mental ability as demonstrated by [[IQ tests]] (quick learners) and those who are higher in [[conscientiousness]] (linked to effort and achievement motivation) tend to achieve highly in academic settings. A recent meta-analysis suggested that mental curiosity (as measured by [[typical intellectual engagement]]) has an important influence on academic achievement in addition to intelligence and conscientiousness.<ref name=3rdpillar />

Children’s semi-structured home learning environment transitions into a more structured learning environment when children start first grade. Early academic achievement enhances later academic achievement.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Bossaert|first=G|coauthors=S. Doumen, E. Buyse, K. Verschueren|title=Predicting Students' Academic Achievement After the Transition to First Grade: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study|journal=Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology|year=2011|volume=32|pages=47–57|accessdate=10/14/12}}</ref> 

Parent’s academic socialization is a term describing the way parents influence students’ academic achievement by shaping students’ skills, behaviors and attitudes towards school.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Magnuson|first=Katherine|title=Maternal Education and Children's Academic Achievement During Middle Childhood|journal=Developmental Psychology|year=2007|month=November|volume=43|pages=1497–1512|accessdate=10/14/12}}</ref>  Parent influence students through the environment and discourse parents have with their children.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Magnuson|first=Katherine|title=Maternal Education and Children's Academic Achievement During Middle Childhood|journal=Developmental Psychology|year=2007|month=November|volume=43|pages=1497–1512|accessdate=10/14/12}}</ref> Academic socialization can be influenced by parents’ [[socio-economic status]]. Highly educate parents tend to have more stimulating learning environments.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Magnuson|first=Katherine|title=Maternal Education and Children's Academic Achievement During Middle Childhood|journal=Developmental Psychology|year=2007|month=November|volume=43|pages=1497–1512|accessdate=10/14/12}}</ref>

Children’s’ first few years of life are crucial to the development of language and social skills. School preparedness in these areas help students adjust to academic expectancies. <ref>{{cite journal|last=Lassiter|first=Kerry|title=The Relationship Between Young Children's Academic Achievement and Measures of Intelligence|journal=Psychology in the Schools|year=1995|month=July|volume=32|pages=170–177}}</ref>

Another very important enhancer of academic achievement is the presence of physical activity. Studies have shown that physical activity can increase neurotic activity in the brain.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tomporowski|first=Phillip|coauthors=Catherin Davis, Patricia Miller, Jack Naglieri|title=Exercise and Children's Intelligence, Cognition and Academic Achievement|journal=Educational Psychology|year=2008|volume=20|issue=2|pages=111–131|accessdate=10/14/12}}</ref>  Exercise specifically increases [[executive brain]] functions such as attention span and [[working memory]]. <ref>{{cite journal|last=Tomporowski|first=Phillip|coauthors=Catherin Davis, Patricia Miller, Jack Naglieri|title=Exercise and Children's Intelligence, Cognition and Academic Achievement|journal=Educational Psychology|year=2008|volume=20|issue=2|pages=111–131|accessdate=10/14/12}}</ref>


==Assessment of academic achievement==
Academic achievement is commonly measured by [[Achievement measures|academic tests]], [[examination]]s or [[continuous assessment]] but there is no general agreement on how it is best tested or which aspects are most important &mdash; [[procedural knowledge]] such as [[skill]]s or [[declarative knowledge]] such as [[fact]]s.<ref>{{citation |title=Educational Measurement |author=Annie Ward, Howard W. Stoker, Mildred Murray-Ward |chapter=Achievement and Ability Tests - Definition of the Domain |pages=2–5 |volume=2 |publisher=University Press of America |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-7618-0385-0}}</ref>

In California, the achievement of schools is measured by the [[Academic Performance Index (California public schools)|Academic Performance Index]].


A number of [[achievement measures]] have been developed including:-
* [[ACT (test)|ACT]]
* [[Iowa Test of Basic Skills]]
* [[Ohio Graduation Test]]
* [[Prairie State Achievement Exam]]
* [[Stanford Achievement Test]] (SAT)
* [[Wechsler Individual Achievement Test]]
* [[Wide Range Achievement Test]]
* [[Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational Battery]]

===Achievement to high school level===
* [[Academic Performance Index (California public schools)|Academic Performance Index]].
* [[General Educational Development Tests]]
* [[High School Equivalency Diploma]]

===Achievement in particular areas===
* [[Mathematics achievement]]
* [[Reading achievement]]
* [[Science achievement]]


==Relationship between [[intelligence]] and academic achievement==

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==See also==
*[[Gradepoint average]]
*[[Achievement]]
*[[Achievement age]]
*[[Achievement potential]]
*[[Achievement gap]]
*[[Academic overachievement]]
*[[Academic underachievement]]
*[[College academic achievement]]
*[[Academic achievement motivation]]
*[[Academic achievement prediction]]
*[[Academic aptitude]]
*[[Academic failure]]
*[[Academic self concept]]
*[[Educational attainment level]]
*[[Educational standards]]
*[[Learning ability]]
*[[School graduation]]
*[[School learning]]
*[[School transition]]

==References & Bibliography==
<References/>

==Key texts==          
===Books===

===Papers===

==Additional material==
===Books===

===Papers===
*[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?sourceid=mozclient&num=50&scoring=d&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=Academic+achievement Google Scholar]

==External links==

[[Category:Academic achievement]]
[[Category:Achievement]]
[[Category:Educational attainment level]]