Predictive performance of higher education students: the role of tutor attributes

Abstract

Pedagogical approaches influence student performance. This study examines the extent to which student performance is impacted by aspects such as tutor work ethic, personality, and content delivery, which are yet to be fully theorised from an educational context. Data was collected from 114 first- and second-year students in the business faculty of a higher education institution in South Africa. An artificial neural network (ANN) was used to complement correlation analysis findings and examine the importance of specific tutor qualities and student experiences on overall student performance. Results showed that self-directed learning actions such as self-planning, self-regulation and self-evaluation were significant predictors of overall student performance. The study provided substantial evidence for improving the tutoring function to enhance students’ performance.