I UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL STUDIES HO CHI MINH CITY - VIETNAM THE HAGUE - THE NETHERLANDS THE VIETNAM- NETHERLANDS PROGRAMME FOR M.A IN DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS DETERMINANTS OF STUDENT'S LEARNING: CASE STUDY IN MACROECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS- HO CHI MINH CITY ~ -~-~ ~ -~~- ~ By Le Thanh Nhan MASTER OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS • BQ GIAO DVC DAO T~O TRliONG fl~l HQC KINH TE TP.HCM THU'VIEN ~J ~{r HO CHI MINH CITY, NOVEMBER 2009 UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL STUDIES HO CHI MINH CITY - VIETNAM THE HAGUE -THE NETHERLANDS THE VIETNAM- NETHERLANDS PROGRAMME FOR M.A IN DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS DETERMINANTS OF STUDENT'S LEARNING: CASE STUDY IN MACROECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS- HO CHI MINH CITY By Le Thanh Nhan Academic Supervisors: - Assoc Prof Nguyen Trong Hoai, PhD - Chau Van Thanh, M.A HO CHI MINH CITY, NOVEMBER 2009 CERTIFICATION I declare that the thesis hereby submitted for the Master degree at the Vietnam Netherlands Programme for M.A in Development Economics is my own work and has not been previously submitted by me at another university for any degree I cede copyright of the thesis in favor of the Vietnam - Netherlands programme for M.A in Development Economics at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City, November 2009 Le Thanh Nhan ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my gratitude to all those who gave me the possibility to complete this thesis I am most grateful to my supervisors, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Trong Hoai and Mr Chau Van Thanh, who have instructed, encouraged and given me comments for my thesis, as well as forgiven my mistakes while I was carrying out this research I would like to thank to all lectures and staff of the Vietnam - Netherlands Programme at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City I also want to say thank you to my colleagues and friends at the Office of Undergraduate Training and Students Service Office at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City for their assistance in the process of my thesis completion Finally, I especially thank to my partner friend, who hel_2ed _me in finding materials, designing the survey and collecting data for the thesis 11 ABSTRACT The objective of this thesis is to fmd out the determinants that influence the performance of studying macroeconomics and their relationships The scope of this research is limited to sophomore students at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City In the conceptual framework, hypotheses about determinants related to performance of studying macroeconomics were proposed They are students' aptitude, efforts, attitude toward economics along with their personal characteristics A survey designed from Survey Economic Attitude from the National Committee on Economic Attitude Measurement has been used with Exploratory Factor Analysis to measure if the theoretical constructs in this research were satisfactory in terms of reliability and validity The relationships and hypotheses then have been tested by using a Two Stage Least Square method The main findings are the significant impacts of aptitude and efforts on studying_ ···-macroeconomics but the attitude toward it 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATION i AC:KN"OWLEDGEMENT ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF FIRGUES vii Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Problem statement 1.2 Research Objectives 3 Research questions 4 Research methodology Delimitation 1.6 Thesis structure: - -ehapter~:-biterature-review: ~.-:~~:.~:-.~:~~::::~·. ::.::.~-.-. :.-:::::-::-.~~~~~~~~:-:-.-:-.-:~~~~: -.::.~6 - 2.1 Definitions 2.2 Theoretical backgrounds 2.2.1 Student learning 10 2.2.2 Aptitude 11 2.2.3 Efforts 12 2.2.4 Attitude 12 Empirical studies 13 2.4 Chapter remarks: 18 IV Chapter 3: Research Methodology 19 3.1 Independent variables and its measurement 19 3.2 Descriptive analysis 22 3.3 Empirical research model 22 Sampling process 23 3.5 Research context 24 3.6 Chapter remarks: 28 Chapter 4: Research findings 29 4.1 Sample description 29 4.2 Gender 29 4.3 Location 30 4.4 Attitude and efforts toward macroeconomics 32 Reliability analysis 34 4.6 Factor analysis 35 4;'1-Betermlnants-injluence-macroeconomics-scor~ :-~37 _ Chapter 5: Conclusions, Policy recommendation and limitations 41 5.1 Conclusions 41 5.2 Recommendations 43 Limitations ofthe research 44 REFERENCES 45 APPENDICES 50 v ABBREVIATIONS - ACT: American College Testing - ATE: Attitude Toward Economics - GPA: Grade Point Average - MOET: Ministry of Education and Training - NUEE: National University Entrance Examination - OLS: Ordinary Least Squares - SAT: Scholastic Aptitude Test - SEA: Survey Economic Attitude - TSLS: Two-Stage Least Squares - TUCE: Test of Understanding of College Economics - UEH: University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City - UTSS: Undergraduate Training and Student Services - WTO: World Trade Organization vi LIST OFTABLES Table 4.1: Gender and Average ofMacroeconomics score Table 4.2: Testing the Mean Difference between two groups of gender Table 4.3: Descriptive analysis of location and average macroeconomics score Table 4.4: ANOVA analysis the difference between groups of location Table 4.5: Test of Homogeneity of Variances among locations Table 4.6: Tamhane test for the specific differences between groups oflocation Table 4.7: Attitude toward macroeconomics before studying Table 4.8: Attitude toward macroeconomics after studying Table 4.9: Efforts toward studying macroeconomics Table 4.10: Reliability statistics about efforts and attitude toward macroeconomics Table 4.11: Factor analysis for attitude before studying macroeconomics Table 4.12: Factor analysis for attitude after studying macroeconomics Table 4.13: Factor analysis for efforts toward studying macroeconomics Table 4.14: Summary ofthe hypotheses testing LIST OF FIRGUES Ftgure 2.1: Circular flow of influence from attitude through intention to performance as a feedback influence on attitude Figure 2.2: Conceptual framework vii Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Problem statement The economic development in Vietnam was very impressive during the I990 decade The growth of the economy comes along with many factors, directly and · indirectly One of them is from education, in my opinion Although there have been some controversies about the progression as well as the fall while some renovations were deployed during last more than I years, nowadays, many (domestic and oversea) professors pay attention to a vast and complete educational renovation again, especially when Vietnam has accessed to WTO since 2006 A system of education stretches from kindergarten to higher education The rapid economic development brings about high demand of labor, so does the demand of managers Then, a high proportion of high school pupils apply to universities which are major in economics and business administration So are in-service students The number of students enrolled in universities major in economics and business administration has been always higher than other disciplines recently Vietnamese people usually say that "first business, second medicine" A famous ancient scholar Le Quy Don said that "No trade no wealth" Another example is about the higher demand in field of finance and banking after stock market was established in Vietnam since 200 I, lead to a number of faculties and universities focus in this field has grown while people are in doubt about their quality Therefore, quality assurance of learning and teaching principles of economics is so quite important In the field of economics and business administration, it is much concerned about economics education at the undergraduate level In my opinion, principles of economics are basic courses for any student, not only in universities of economics and business administration but also some other universities of social science At the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), although they are compulsory subjects, only a small ratio of students paid high attention and spend I rejected because of the insignificance of this variable All results of hypotheses testing are presented in table 4.14 below T a ble 414 : Summary of t he hlypotheses tes ti ng Hypotheses Descriptions Aptitude has a positive impact on performance Ht: Hz: of studying macroeconomics Efforts has an impact on performance of studying macroeconomics Attitude toward economics has an impact on H3: performance of studying macroeconomics 40 Results ofthe hypotheses testing Supported Supported Rejected Chapter 5: Conclusions, Policy recommendation and Limitations 5.1 Conclusions The research has developed a model to find out the relationship betweens aptitude, prior knowledge, efforts, attitude toward economics and performance of studying macroeconomics at UEH Using factor Analysis, TSLS regression model with the support of SPSS software, we found that initial aptitude and prior knowledge along with efforts have impacts on the performance of studying macroeconomics, but the attitude towards it Based on the data from the Office of Undergraduate Training and Students Services, it is pointed out a general description that female students averagely achieve higher score of macroeconomics (6.55) than male students (6.29) In addition, students from the "area 2" location usually get higher score than remammg areas In order to make a deep analysis about determinants affect on studying macroeconomics, surveys were conducted among more than 500 students (before and after studying macroeconomics) and then reviewed to collect 307 qualified data for the research Regarding the aptitude, the research results show that mathematics, physics and English have positive impacts on the achievement of studying macroeconomics The higher score of entrance examination, the better score of macroeconomics they could achieve Each additional point of mathematics, physics would bring back a chance of adding 0.113 and 0.111 point of macroeconomics score The same result to the English skills (0.172) Prior knowledge from microeconomics that students had studied before is also an import determinant The result figured out that each additional point of 41 microeconomics score could increase the score of macroeconomics 0.184 point This is reasonable when microeconomics is taught before macroeconomics While studying macroeconomics, effort plays a very important role on the academic performance The more diligent the students are the better score they would achieve It is said that, female is more diligent than male so they would be easier to get the higher outcome That is really true to the result of studying macroeconomics at UEH as mentioned above Moreover, if students spend more time on finding and reading materials as well as discussion economics problems with classmates or lecture, they would have more chance to understand the lesson well and get the higher score for the fmal examination This factor has a heavy weight on the equation Attitude is not significant at the 0.05 or 0.10 level Most students come to class just to copy the knowledge of macroeconomics rather than to master it Although they found that macroeconomics is an essential subject, but the abstract and difficulty along with environment of studying make students don't feel like it The more or less favour they reserved for macroeconomics doesn't make the change of the fmal score Another reason to this problem could be the compulsoriness They have to study it, but that's not their selection when they are not ready and well-knowing about its main contents Among hypotheses were suggested, only aptitude, prior knowledge and efforts on macroeconomics are significant at 0.05 in the hypotheses testing, but the attitude toward it Encourage students to work harder during the semester as well as select students who are good at mathematics, physics and English would bring back higher academic performance 42 5.2 Recommendations NUEE subjects With all results above, we believe that initial endowment of each student actually effects to the studying of macroeconomics, especially mathematics and physics If we had a chance to decide which subjects could be used to classify applicants into UEH, a replacement of chemistry by English would be a first suggestion Order of teaching and studying principles ofeconomics Knowledge from microeconomics that sophomore students had achieved previously made strong impact on performance of macroeconomics later This is a reasonably arranged order of teaching principles of economics at UEH So, should there be a research about how to innovate teaching and studying microeconomics atUEH? UEH should transfer into credit educational system Statistically, attitude does not really effects on macroeconomics The reason could be because students had to study it as a fixed arrangement from curriculum of training, not by their own selection when they didn't have much information about this subject Averagely, to subjects for a semester are too much for any normal student They have to study all, no more choice, no difference of attitude then treatment should be the same When changing into credit system in the coming years, students would be so flexible to select their favorite subjects, it could be much different, especially when they have to fmd out as much information about which subjects they are going to study in that semester and a strategy plan to get the best achievement Transferring into credit educational system would be a wise decision, with the requirement of full information and guidance for student when they enroll into the university Encourage more efforts on studying economics Determinants about effort toward macroeconomics are quite impressive The more they were diligent, the better score they would achieve Moreover, development of 43 internet system helps people nowadays to access prosperous resources easily Besides lessons at class, they can learn from case-study as well as open course ware from some website There have been a lot of forums and online discussions about any related issues instead of only at the library Lecturers should force themselves hard studying, with guidance about methodology, encourage them to read more newspaper, journal in economics for additional information as well as shaping creative thinking and deeper analysis Too many students in a class is also a problem to express their own ideas or for further information, but via email and internet, students would have more chance than ever to discuss with lecturers and classmates about anything which was still unclear Reducing number of student per lecturer is also worth to be concerned 5.3 Limitations of the research The content of this paper may be not so deep, in my opinion Most of them go around the relationship between characteristics, efforts and attitude toward economics of UEH students and to their performances, as well as a small answer to the question about how we could improve the ways of recruiting appropriate students to UEH in the coming years Most of data are secondary, and a survey responds to a questionnaire about their personal characteristics as well as efforts and attitude towards subjects they are studying, are self-evaluation A shortage of previous studies is one of the most important things we have to face We don't have much information about economics education Some information we found through search machine on websites with some quotations only So there is not so much information related we could transfer to our paper The linkage between learning and teaching styles to the performance of studying macroeconomics were not carried out due to a huge number student in a typical class as well as lack of facilities In the future, a deeper and more carefully analysis about learning and teaching styles as well as attitude toward economics could bring back more precise results 44 REFERENCES - Anderson, G.; 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50 = QUESTIONNAIRE What determinants that influence students' learning in macroeconomics at the University of Economics- Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) Dear UEH students, we are postgraduate students at the UEH who are doing a research about "What determinants that influence students' learning in macroeconomics at the University of Economics - Ho Chi Minh City" This questionnaire has been designed to carry out that research We guarantee that all the information you supply here would be used only for that research All personal information is confidential Thank you for your support as well information you supply Your name: - Student ID: Class of the General period: _ _ _ _ A ATTITUDE TOWARD MACROECONOMICS SUBJECT Please cross over only one number that express your most suitable agreement After finish studying macroeconomics, your feelings about this subject: Strongly Disagree = Strongly Agree = Macroeconomics is easy to understand Macroeconomics is a boring subject I like macroeconomics It was a waste of time to study macroeconomics 5 Macroeconomics is one of my exciting subjects Macroeconomics is a difficult subject Macroeconomics is one of my favourite subjects Knowledge from macroeconomics has helped me to analyze economic problems Macroeconomics is an abstract subject, hard to apply into daily activities 51 B EFFORTS FOR MACROECONOMICS SUBJECTS Please cross over only one number that express your most suitable agreement Strongly Disagree = Strongly Agree = I I went to macroeconomics class regularly I usually review lesson after studying macroeconomics at class I was used to doing macroeconomics exercise at home I have carefully reviewed macroeconomics before examination 5 I did not express my ideas during the macroeconomics course I read some books and extra-material about macroeconomics outside of the class I just spent a few days for reviewing macroeconomics before examination I didn't ask for more from lecturers or classmates about macroeconomics after the class Thank you! 52 TSLS Regression Model Description Type of Variable Equation Macro dependent Maths predictor & instrumental Physics predictor & instrumental Chemistry predictor & instrumental Micro predictor & instrumental English predictor & instrumental Effd predictor & instrumental Effc predictor & instrumental Post predictor Gender instrumental Race instrumental Location instrumental Location instrumental Pre instrumental Model Summary Equation Multiple R 517 R Square 267 Adjusted R Square 248 Std Error of the Estimate 1.084 ANOVA Sum of Squares Equation df Mean Square Regression 127.889 15.986 Residual 350.221 298 1.175 Total 478.110 306 53 F 13.603 Sig .000 Coefficients Unstandardized Coefficients B Equation Beta Std Error 2.784 581 Maths 113 053 Physics 111 Chemistry t Sig 4.794 000 108 2.128 034 052 111 2.144 033 015 051 015 286 775 Micro 184 058 171 3.186 002 English 172 051 179 3.376 001 Post 148 095 117 1.559 120 Efd 184 070 146 2.637 009 Efc 223 070 177 3.202 002 (Constant) \ 54 ... Economics, Ho Chi Minh City I also want to say thank you to my colleagues and friends at the Office of Undergraduate Training and Students Service Office at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City. .. I cede copyright of the thesis in favor of the Vietnam - Netherlands programme for M.A in Development Economics at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City, November 2009... sophomore students at the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City In the conceptual framework, hypotheses about determinants related to performance of studying macroeconomics were proposed They