| Abstract |
- Purpose of the Study
The purposes of this study were to (1) identify the educational
and socioeconomic characteristics of Latin American students who
have graduated from the California State College system, (2) to identify
those characteristics which significantly affect academic success,
utilization of training and return home to Latin America after graduation
and (3) to develop mathematical models for prediction of academic
success, utilization of training and return home.
Procedures
A total of 146 students were included in the sample for this study. These students had graduated from the California State College
system in the five years prior to August 30, 1971. Socio-economic
and educational characteristics were obtained through a search of
college records, interviews with faculty and staff and the mailing of
a questionnaire to the students included in the sample. Academic
success was defined by grade point average and utilization of training
was measured in percentage by the amount of college training used
by a graduate in his present job.
A correlation analysis was completed to determine the relationship among the three dependent variables academic success, utilization
of training and return home as well as the relationship between
each of the dependent variables and the independent variables included
in the study,
Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses identified those
characteristics contributing most significantly to academic success
and utilization of training. These analyses were also used to develop
prediction equations for academic success and utilization of training.
Discriminant analyses were completed to test the null hypothesis
that there was no significant difference between the returning and non-returning
group of students and to construct a prediction model for
return or non-return to native country.
Findings
1. The correlation analysis indicated the following:
(a) There was no significant relationship among the three dependent variables: academic success, utilization of training and
return home.
(b) Six independent variables had a significant relationship with
academic success. One, bachelor's degree, was negatively correlated
while the remainder, graduate degree training, average
English grade, prior college in native country, education major
and scholarship financing,were positively correlated.
(c) No independent variables were identified that had a significant
relationship with the dependent variable utilization of training.
(d) Two independent variables, contact with Latin America while
training and vacations spent in Latin America were positively
correlated with the dependent variable return home.
It was emphasized that these were simple linear relationships
that did not indicate' causality.
2. The results of the linear regression analysis related to academic
success indicated:
(a) Nine variables were significantly related to academic success.
Four of these variables had a positive relationship: average
English grade, education major, "other" major (including majors other than agriculture, business, engineering and education) and
vacations spent in Latin America. Five of these variables had a
negative relationship: return home, California State Polytechnic
College - San Luis Obispo, California State College - Long Beach,
time in the U. S. before graduation, and F visa.
(b) A prediction equation was constructed for academic success,
The equation constructed included the variables: San Francisco
State College, California State College - Long Beach, California,
State Polytechnic College - San Luis Obispo, age, education,
major and "other" major.
3. The results of the linear regression analysis related to utilization
of training indicated:
(a) Twelve variables were significantly related to utilization of
training. Six of these had a positive relationship: bachelor's
degree, engineering major, father's occupation similar to student's
field of study, contact with Latin America while training,
Latin America high school training and present employment at a
higher level. Six of these variables had a negative relationship:
age, marriage during training, family financing and follow-up
contact after graduation.
(b) A prediction equation was constructed for utilization of
training. The equation constructed included the variables:
Fresno State College, prior employment in field of training, father's occupation similar and orientation program available.
4. The null hypothesis, stating that there was no significant difference
between the returning and non-returning groups of students,
could not be rejected on the basis of the discriminant analyses
completed. Therefore a prediction model for return could not
be constructed.
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