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81]

Original Article

Assessment and comparison of influential factors

in educational accomplishment of students in
governmental, Azad and Payame Noor Universities
Azam Mola Mohammadi, Somayeh Daneshmandi
Department of Education, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Address for Correspondence:
Dr. Somayeh Daneshmandi,
Department of Education,
ShahidBeheshti University,
Tehran,Iran.
E-mail:somayeh.daneshmandi@
gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Aim: The main objective of this study is to evaluate and compare of factors affecting the
educational accomplishment of students in governmental, Azad and Payame Noor Universities.
Methodology: This study is a descriptive research and was conducted by using survey method.The
statistical society contains all senior student of education at governmental, Azad and Payame Noor
Universities and the statistical sample included 123 students selected by using stratified random
sampling method.The tool for gathering data was questionnaire.The data gathered were analyzed by
taking advantage of ANOVA, Freedman and least significant difference test. Results: The research
findings showed that there is significance difference between universities in terms of intelligence
and cognitive and institutional factors. Conclusion: The result shows that role of intelligence and
cognitive factors between students of Azad University was higher than students of Payame Noor
University, and the role of institutional factor was higher in governmental university than Payame
Noor University. Furthermore, based on Friedman the motivational factor was placed in the first,
and the institutional factor was placed in the last rank.
Key words: Educational accomplishment, cognitive and intellectual factor, motivational factor,
institutional factor, psychological factors, students

Introduction are beyond any doubts in the main ground of providing

In todays world, it is of utmost importance to prepare
and equip organizations human resources, because these
resources are the pivot and driving factor in dealing with
increasing environmental and technological changes.[1] Any
organizations human resources are the most valuable capital
of each country and the countrys cultural, economic, and
social progress depends on the education of professional
and skilled human forces, their scientific advancement and
an increase in their level of awareness in society. Therefore,
it is necessary that all the organizations, regardless of their
mission, allocate most of their fund, time, and programing
to all aspects of human development. The universities are
the executive factor in the higher education, and therefore,
play an influential role in developing human resources and
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human forces for progress, dealing with the demands and
advancing our technological level.[2] Thus, concentrating
on educating university students, who are any countrys
valuable scientific, cultural, and research assets are of high
significance and one of the universities major duties is to
make a good plan which leads to their sufficient education
and development.[3] Year after year, some fresh students
enter the universities and some seniors graduate from
them, and what is important in this continual circle is to
attribute a special significance to the quality of education.
We can then conclude that the quality assessment of the
educational system, as the most effective factor in the
development of any country.[4]
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
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others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work noncommercially, as long as the
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How to cite this article: Mohammadi AM, Daneshmandi S. Assessment

DOI: and comparison of influential factors in educational accomplishment of
students in governmental, Azad and Payame Noor Universities. Int J Educ
10.4103/2395-2296.174786
Psychol Res 2016;2:16-21.

16 2016 International Journal of Educational and Psychological Researches | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow
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Mohammadi and Daneshmandi: Assessment of influential factors in educational accomplishments
In other words, the most important feedback indicator in
educating and the most important professional duty of an
educational system is to help with the learners, educational
development, and the success of each educational system
is assessed based on the fact that to what extent it could
fulfill this aim.[5]
One of the most important concerns in each educational
system is the issue of success or failure. Educational
success in each society is an indicator of the educational
systems success in goal-finding and meeting individuals
demands. Therefore, an educational system is effective
and successful only when the students educational
development in different periods is considered best.[6] In
other words, without the students, universities and colleges
are meaningless. The students are each educational
institutes most important asset. Social and economic
developments in each country are directly related to the
learners educational success. Educational success shapes
successful graduates who can be the countrys leaders and
responsible for its economic and social development.[7]
Success refers to an action or reaction which brings the
person to his/her aim, or refers to a certain step toward
the goal. In the educational system, success refers to a
degree of efficiency which the person acquires through
his abilities and attempts. In other words, educational
success refers to acquiring a range of abilities and skills
during the education which guide people in different
decision-makings and problem solving.[8]
A variety of studies have focused on the assessment of
students educational success and found different factors
affecting their educational performance and success
including social, psychological, economic, environmental,
and individual factors. Though these factors can certainly
affect the students performance and success, the results
can be different from person to person or country to
country.[7]
Parkins argues that the educational success depends on the
various factors including individual, social, educational,
and psychological factors. Analyzing these factors and
identifying the degree to which each one affects educational
development leads to the determination of some strategies
to acknowledge influential factors in educational success
or failure. This will help educational policy-makers and
planners to improve positive factors and eliminate the
negative ones.[9]
Poor kazemi identifies the three factors in students
educational development and success in learning new
things. These factors are as follows: General entrance
International Journal of Educational and Psychological Researches / Vol 2 / Issue 1 / January-March 2016
behaviors (general intelligence, general talents), emotional
entrance behaviors (interest, motivation, attitude toward
learning, and learning new things), and cognitive entrance
special behaviors (knowledge required for learning new
lessons).[10]
Other researchers have offered different factors
affecting educational success. For instance, Burton et al.
attribute the students educational success to some prior
educational successes, personal factors, and learning
approaches.[11] Corbonaro, Diaz and Eamon consider
students individual and motivational, social, economic,
cultural, and family background, as well as institutional,
gender, and other demographical factors as the most
important ones in educational success.[12-14] Diaz also
considered the students motivation and attempts as
important factors to start participating in educational
and learning activities and adds that when the student
is highly motivated, all his/her attempts are focused on
a special goal.[15]
Angindmeer also regards familial factors such as familys
educational level and parents professions, family and
environmental background, parents social-economic
status, and their support as the most important factors
affecting students educational success.[16]
Dupont and Osandon quoted from Yamani described the
most important educational success and failure indicators
as follows[17] (each of these factors includes their own
subfactors):
A: Cognitive and intellectual factors:
The act of learning
The art of knowing the time: Time for family,
leisure, text, pleasure, travel, rest, relationships,
study, development, creativity, and thinking
B: Motivational factors:
The students entrance status in academic life
The educational degrees symbolic value
C: Institutional factors:
The life of academic cultures
Academic mechanics
D: Psychological factors:
T he others and I: The students decision
to relate to other academic system agents
explains the students successful entry and
acceptance. The students lack of official or
nonofficial connections with information
regarding the curriculum, discussions of course
projects, misunderstandings, scientific and social
structures of the university, and leads to the
students isolation.[17]
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Mohammadi and Daneshmandi: Assessment of influential factors in educational accomplishments

Yamni (2012) maintains that we can look at these factors factor, and from 35 to 40 question psychological factor.
in the academic ecosystem [Figure1] so that we can let the The validity of the aforementioned instruments was
outer environment play a part among affecting factors in approved by the experts, and the reliability of the research
the students academic life. instruments was calculated using Cronbachs alpha as 0.81.
Statistical methods of one-way variance analysis, follow-up
According to above explanations, the main aim of the tests, and Friedman nonparametric statistical test were
present study, the quality of assessment and comparison used in order to analyze the data.
of influential factors affecting senior BA students success
or failure in educational sciences in governmental, Azad Findings
and Payame Nour Universities in Tehran. In order to Demographic findings
meet this goal, the researcher has made use of four factors Twelve percentage of the participants was men, and
affecting success and failure suggested by Dupont and 88% of them were women. Eighty-two percentage of the
Osandon quoted from Yamani[17] and asked the following participants was under 30-year-old, and 18% were over
questions: 30-year-old, which shows that the statistical community
How is the students academic success regarding the was rather young.
cognitive and intellectual factor?
How is the students academic success regarding the Inferential findings
motivational factor? Q1: How is the students academic success regarding
How is the students academic success regarding the cognitive and intellectual factor?
institutional factor?
How is the students academic success regarding the According to the table [Table 2] and because F of the
psychological factor? intergroupAzad University in cognitive and intellectual
factor (4.49) is higher than F in governmental universities
Methodology (3.07), we can say that this amount is significant at the
level of = 0/05. Therefore, we conclude that there
The present study has an applicable aim and is of is a significant difference in the students answers
descriptive nature. The corpus of the study includes the regarding the cognitive and intellectual factor and the
senior BA students of educational sciences in the fields of students of all three universities assess cognitive and
educational management and planning in governmental, intellectual factor positively in their success. Thus, in
Azad and Payame Nour Universities of Tehran [Table 1]. order to investigate the differences in this factor, least
The sampling from this statistical community was done significant difference (LSD) follow-up study report was
by using the table Krejcie and Morgan came up with for used [Table 2].
determining sample size for a given population. The sample
size is comprised of 123 students out of a community of
190 students. In the next step, using random sampling, Table1: The community and the sample size
the number of samples in each category was determined. Number University Community size Sample size
1 Payame Noor 100 64
A questionnaire was used in order to gather the necessary 2 Azad 40 26
3 Governmental 50 33
data and information by drawing upon Dupont and Total 190 123
Osandons study (1994) quoted from Yamani.[17] The
questionnaire consists of 40 items in four categories
based on Likert scale. Items 113 investigate the cognitive Table2: The results of oneway variance analysis-comparative
and intellectual factor, from item 14 to 25 question analysis of students attitudes toward academic success
motivational factors, from 26 to 34 question institutional regarding cognitive and intellectual factor
Moderate Average SD F Significance
variable level
Cognitive and intellectual factors
Cognitive and
Motivational
Institutional intellectual factor
factors University
factors
Azad 3.80 0.84916 4.49 0/013
Academic Psychological factors Academic Payame Noor 3.44 0.37721
ecosystem ecosystem Governmental 3.62 0.48706
Total 3.57 0.55198
Figure1: Essential factors in assessing the students academic success
or failure SD: Standard deviation

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Mohammadi and Daneshmandi: Assessment of influential factors in educational accomplishments

According to the results [Table 3] and with regarding Table3: The results of LSD followup study report in
average difference (0.36298), the students attitude about comparing the students answers regarding cognitive and
the universities had a significance difference regarding intellectual factor
cognitive and intellectual factor. From the average answers University Average SD Significance
difference level
of the participants we concluded that, comparing to
Payame Nour students, Azad University students think Azad Payame Noor 0.36298* 0.12485 0.004
Azad Governmental 0.17832 0.14077 0.208
that cognitive and intellectual factor play a more important Payame Noor Azad 0.36298* 0.12485 0.004
role in their academic success (with the significant level Payame Noor Governmental 0.18466 0.11505 0.111
of 0.004). Governmental Azad 0.17832 0.14077 0.208
Governmental Payame Noor 0.18466 0.11505 0.111

Q2: How is the students academic success regarding SD: Standard deviation, LSD: Least significant difference
motivational factor?
Table4: The results of oneway variance analysis in
According to the table [Table 4] and because F of the comparing the students answers regarding the role of
intergroupAzad university in motivational factor (2.28) motivational factor in their academic success
is lower than F in governmental universities (3.07), we Moderate Average SD F Significance
can say that this amount is not significant at the level variable level
of = 0/05. Therefore, we conclude that, there is not a Cognitive and
intellectual factor
significant difference in the students answers regarding University
the motivational factor. Azad 4.0967 0.70287 2.281 0.107
Payame Noor 4.2083 0.54006
Q3: How is the students academic success regarding Governmental 3.9394 0.58788
Total 4.1127 0.59526
institutional factor?
SD: Standard deviation

According to the table [Table 5] and because F of the

intergroupAzad University in motivational factor (4.12) Table5: The results of oneway variance analysis in
is higher than F in governmental universities (3.07), comparing the students answers regarding the role of
we can say that this amount is significant at the level institutional factor in their academic success
of = 0/05. Therefore, we conclude that, there is a Moderate Average SD F Significance
variable level
significant difference in the students answers regarding
the institutional factor and the students of all three Cognitive and
intellectual factor
universities assess institutional factor positively in their University
success. Thus, in order to investigate the differences in Azad 3.5043 0.67200 4.123 0.019
this factor, LSD follow-up study report was used [Table 6]. Payame Noor 3.3767 0.48880
Governmental 3.7508 0.75002
Total 3.5041 0.62325
According to the results [Table 6] the students attitude
SD: Standard deviation
about the universities had a significance difference
regarding institutional factor. From the average answers of
the participants we concluded that, comparing to Payame Table6: The results of LSD followup study report in
Nour students, governmental university students think comparing the students answers regarding institutional
that institutional factor play a more important role in factor
their academic success (with the significant level of 0.005). University Average SD Significance
difference level
Azad Payame Noor 0.12754 0.14137 0.369
Q4: How is the students academic success regarding Azad Governmental 0.24657 0.15941 0.125
psychological factor? Payame Noor Azad 0.12754 0.14137 0.369
Payame Noor Governmental 0.37411 0.13027 0.005
According to the table [Table 7] and because F of the Governmental Azad 0.24657 0.15941 0.125
Governmental Payame Noor 0.37411 0.13027 0.005
intergroupAzad University in psychological factor (0.10)
is lower than F in governmental universities (3.07), we SD: Standard deviation, LSD: Least significant difference

can say that this amount is not significant at the level

of = 0/05. Therefore, we conclude that, there is not a According to the above findings [Table 8] we can rank
significant difference in the students answers regarding factors affecting the students academic success (regardless
the psychological factor. of their universities) as follows:

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Mohammadi and Daneshmandi: Assessment of influential factors in educational accomplishments

Table7: The results of oneway variance analysis in and Osandon quoted from Yamani,[17] the third most
comparing the students answers regarding the role of important factor affecting the students academic success
psychological factor in their academic success is the cognitive and intellectual factor. This factor refers to
Moderate Average SD F Significance what degree the student makes use of his/her intellectual
variable level
and cognitive abilities for academic success. The fourth
Cognitive and most important factor affecting the students academic
intellectual factor
University success in Dupont and Osandons studies quoted from
Azad 3.9744 0.79399 0.102 0.903 Yamani is the institutional factor.[17] The importance of
Payame Noor 3.9349 0.61837 this factor confirms what Angindmeer, Corbonaro, Diaz,
Governmental 3.9949 0.58107
Total 3.9593 0.64491
and Eamon found in their studies.[12-14,16]
SD: Standard deviation
In order to elaborate on the results, the findings were
investigated in each university separately. The cognitive and
Table8: Priority of factors affecting the students academic intellectual factor has been assessed positively as one of the
success most important factors affecting the students academic
Factors Average Priority df Khi 2 Significant success. In fact, the way knowledge is communicated
ranking level
and the assignments are done, the method of evaluating
Motivational 3.27 First 3 113.726 0.000 students knowledge, and the way time is spent for different
Psychological 2.94 Second
Cognitive and intellectual 1.95 Third activities are all among influential factors on the students
Institutional 1.84 Fourth academic success and are affecting in different ways among
the students of different universities. Of all the three kinds
of universities we investigated, only the students of Azad
As the above table shows, by drawing upon the results of University assessed this factor positively.
Friedman nonparametric statistical test, we prioritized
the factors affecting academic success and according Though the motivational factor is one of most important
to this prioritization they are as follows: Motivational, factors affecting the students academic success, the degree
psychological, cognitive, and intellectual and institutional to which this factor affects the students was not much
factor. different among the students of different universities and
they all asserted its importance (which is somehow due
Discussion and Conclusion to the students interest in their field of study, the role
of the individual in choosing the field of study, and the
Success refers to an action or reaction which brings the
uncertainties about the professional future of this field).
person to his/her aim, or refers to a certain step toward the
This is because motivation can be the students driving
goal. In the educational system, success refers to a degree of
force toward academic success regardless of what university
efficiency which the person acquires through his abilities he/she studies at.
and attempts. By drawing on Dupont and Osandons
studies, the present research identified important factors The institutional factor refers to the dominant culture
affecting students academic success considering their in the society, university, and family; and also the ideal
university and the findings of the research show that perspective of the university and the students assessment
motivational factor is the most important factor affecting of his/her academic status; thus, the students thought
the students academic success. Therefore, the findings it important to their academic success. However, the
of this research are in line with Poor kazemis and Diazs governmental university students regard it as more
findings who both found motivation as an important influential in their academic success than other university
factor.[10,13] According to the findings of the present study, students (which can be due to the higher social status
the second most important factor affecting the students of governmental university students compared to other
academic success is the psychological factor.[17] According students social status).
to Dupont and Osandon quoted from Yamani,[17] this
factor refers to the students relations with others and In regards to the psychological factor which Dupont and
his/her intellectual and personal abilities. The findings Osandon quoted from Yamani consider important in
of the study in this regard confirm what Parkins, Poor students academic success,[17] we are dealing with elements
kazemis, Mushtaq, and Nawaz Khans findings which all such as personal abilities and capabilities, intellectual
showed the influence of the psychological factor affecting abilities, personal characteristics; and according to
the students academic success.[7,9,13] According to Dupont the results, this factor did not affect the students of

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Mohammadi and Daneshmandi: Assessment of influential factors in educational accomplishments
different universities in different ways which can be due
to the students natural and inner qualities which can be
influential in their success regardless of what university
they are studying at.
In general, we can conclude that among these three
kinds of universities we examined, the students of Azad
University considered the cognitive and intellectual
factor as an important factor affecting their academic
success. There was not a significant level of difference
among their opinions regarding the motivational and
psychological factors affecting their academic success.
However, governmental university students considered
the institutional factor more important in their academic
success than the students at other universities.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
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