We examined the relative effectiveness of hardiness and grit as predictors of performance and retention among first year cadets at the USMA. Based on past research and theory, we expected that both hardiness and grit would predict unique variance in performance and retention even after controlling for past performance as measured by the Whole Candidate Score. Results of regression analyses revealed that hardiness and grit predicted unique variance in first year retention, but only hardiness predicted first year performance at USMA. These findings suggest that hardiness assessment and training may prove valuable in enhancing performance and retention within military training environments.

The adoption of equitable and inclusive teaching strategies in the undergraduate chemistry classroom is essential if equity gaps are to be minimized. Reducing these gaps will foster a diverse talent pool of future chemists to propel creativity and innovation. To cultivate an equitable and inclusive environment, instructors must engage in ongoing critical self-reflection, focus on students' assets rather than deficits, create a relationship with the student as an individual, use best practices for engaging a diverse student population, and affirm students' potential as scientists. Evidence-based strategies for successfully implementing transformation in the chemistry classroom and examples used in introductory chemistry courses are provided and discussed.

No abstract

No abstract

Previous research shows the substantial influence parents have on their children. Many parents invest considerable effort in maintaining this influence during college. Shared agency describes the extent to which parents and children share similar academic goals and jointly engage in obtaining these goals (Chang, Heckhausen, Greenberger, & Chen, 2010). The current study examined different patterns of shared agency with parents as predictors of academic achievement and motivation in college students. Over 800 undergraduate students attending a large, public university in the United States completed a 1-time online survey that measured patterns of shared agency with parents, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, amotivation, achievement goal orientation, and grade point average. The results of analyses using structural equation modeling provide strong support for the hypothesis that shared agency was associated with students' higher academic achievement, greater intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and less amotivation. In contrast, students reporting a high level of parental directing and parental uninvolvement (i.e., nonshared agency) attained less academic achievement, experienced lower intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and higher amotivation. Moreover, the relationship between shared agency and students' academic achievement was partially mediated by students' motivation. The findings demonstrate the importance of parent-child shared agency patterns for postsecondary educational outcomes. Parents may be an underutilized resource for improving college students' motivation and academic achievement.