Academic Achievement and Delay: A Study with Italian Post-Graduate Students in Psychology

Using the Biggs’ 3P learning model and correlational design, this study exploresthe relationship between students’ individual characteristics and courseperceptions, approach to study, and academic outcomes, which account for thedifferences in academic achievement and student delay. 612 Italian students of amaster’s degree in psychology participated by completing a questionnaire withmeasures of Presage (prior school background, motivation, self-efficacy, courseperceptions), Process (approach to study, class attendance and autonomy inlearning) and Product of learning (achievement, delay, satisfaction). Regressionanalysis and Structural Equation Modelling showed that prior school backgrounddirectly predicts achievement and delay, while motivation, self-efficacy, teachingand workload perceptions, jointly predict achievement through approach to study.The results underlined differences between on time and delayer students thatshould be given due consideration by academic institutions in order to developcorrect processes and practices that support students on their academic path.