Subjectively assessed student profiles in physics

Conclusions

It is clear that in this particular educational system teachers' and lecturers' subjective assessments of each student on the cirteria given, were based primarily on two subjective impressions of the student; the students ‘academic ability’ and his, or her “motivation for academic work”. A major proportion of the variance on the physics subjective scales could be explained in terms of these two factors. However the factor scores did little to increase the prediction of success in University physics examinations over and above prediction based on school physics examination results. There was some indication that subjective assessments may have a potential use in predicting non-examination ‘attributes’ of importance, for example drop-outs and future career intentions. Undoubtedly much greater reliability and validity of student scores related to objectives needs to be obtained both via examinations and subjective assessments if future studies are to yield really useful student profiles.