The impact of class attendance on student performance

Abstract

Students’ class attendance and engagement plays an important role in contemporary higher education. The present study aimed to investigate the compliance of Respiratory Care students to attendance regulations and the relationship between mandatory class attendance and final exam performance in four Respiratory Care courses. Attendance was measured by the overall lecture attendance percent, throughout the course. Students’ performance was assessed by the final exam mark obtained. No statistically significant differences in student attendance between the different courses were found; although attendance was lower in cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology course compared with the other 3 courses. Statistically significant differences in performance were present between the four courses. Positive correlation was found between attendance and final exam performance in all courses together, but the relationship between the variables was not statistically significant. Correlation between attendance and final exam results for each separate course was also examined and found to be positive, but also lacked statistical significance. Students’ compliance with the student regulations and the overall attendance is excellent. Class attendance got a positive impact on students’ academic performance. This suggests that lecture attendance is critical for learning, but a larger study is required to adjust for other factors like, English language proficiency student CGPA (cumulative average grade point) and gender and to minimize the effect of the small sample size used in this pilot study.

Keywords: Attendance, performance, final exam, respiratory care.

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