HIGH-SCHOOL LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ACADEMIC AND CO-CURRICULAR OUTCOMES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

The present study investigated the correlation between the engineering university students' academic and co-curricular outcomes and the infrastructure of their high-school training. The quantitative cross-sectional design method was used, and the sample consisted of 209 respondents obtained from an anonymous secondary survey dataset. The overall infrastructure score was found to be moderate (M = 3.12, SD = 0.48) with the highest domain ratings given for the laboratory and library facilities. Outcomes of higher education ranged from good, average, and sufficient, with the highest scores for current CGPA, academic confidence, and preparedness for engineering studies, and the lowest scores for physical activity, leadership, teamwork, public speaking, social integration, and academic–social balance.There was no significant association of the high-school infrastructure with the current CGPA, yet a positive association with engineering preparedness and academic confidence. The regression analyses were subsequently adjusted and revealed strong relationships with preparedness and confidence, but no significant relationships with overall infrastructure for the composite co-curricular outcome. The findings indicate that high school learning environments matter more for students' learning perceptions and confidence than for their formal or co-curricular involvement in the future. Longitudinal and multi-institutional research for the purposes of clarifying these relationships over time is recommended.