Q1. Growth in student KASA
First, we compiled the descriptive statistics and conducted a bivariate correlational analysis of the outcome variables. Overall, a high percentage of students reported growth in knowledge (83.8%), attitudes (77.6%), skills (82.6%), and aspirations (81.51%) following completion of the course. One-sample t-tests indicated that student responses were above neutral with large effect sizes (Cohen, 1988) (knowledge: M=3.23, SD=0.86, t(67)=7.03, d=0.85; attitudes: M=3.14, SD=0.83, t(67)=6.41, d=0.78; skills: M=3.34, SD=0.92, t(67)=7.54, d=0.91; aspirations: M=3.24, SD=0.87, t(67)=7.02, d=0.85). Students reported the greatest improvement in their skills followed by their aspirations, knowledge, and attitudes. Four outcome variables and final achievement were significantly and positively related to each other (knowledge-final achievement: r=0.724, p=0.000; attitudes-final achievement: r=0.629, p=0.000; skills-final achievement: r=0.575, p=0.000; aspirations-final achievement: r=0.632, p=0.000). A within-subject one-way ANOVA was conducted to investigate differences between each of the four KASA outcomes. Degrees of freedom was corrected using Huynh-Feldt estimates of sphericity (ɛ=0.90) based on the result of a Manchly's test (χ2 (5) = 15.15, p=0.01). This result indicates a significant difference between the outcomes (F(2.69, 180.24) = 2.88, p=0.045). Post-hoc analysis indicated no statistically significant difference in the growth of skills, aspirations, and knowledge, but a significant difference was observed in attitudes and skills (t(67) = -2.604, p = 0.011, d =0.23). Attitude growth showed the smallest change (M=15.71, SD=4.13) while skills growth showed the largest (M=16.71, SD=4.60).
Q2. The relationship between KASA growth and course achievement
We conducted multiple regressions to investigate the relationships between student growth in knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations and course achievement. We found a significant regression equation (F(4, 63)=17.700, p<0.000), with an R2 of 0.529 (Adj. R2=0.499). We found knowledge growth to be the only significant explanatory variable (β = 0.635, t(63) = 3.394, p = 0.001). According to Cohen’s guidelines, the relationship between perceived objective attainment and knowledge growth has a large effect size (f2=1.123).
Q3. Perceived importance of course components for future career
A within-subject one-way ANOVA was conducted to investigate differences between student satisfaction with components of the course content. We corrected degrees of freedom using Greenhouse-Geisser estimates of sphericity (ɛ=0.63) based on Manchly's test (χ2 (20) = 92.14, p=0.00). The results show a significant difference in student satisfaction with different course components (F(3.76, 251.64) = 19.31, p=0.00). Students perceived the importance of content on insurance to be the most critical content component, followed by policy, management, and law. Students rated the importance of content on professionalism as least important for their future career. We found no significant differences between aspects of the humanistic content (history, professionalism, ethics, and communication) or between aspects of the social sciences content (insurance, policy, management, and law). Significant differences were found in the perceived importance of various aspects of the humanistic content and social sciences content, with effect sizes d ranging from 0.594 to 0.868, indicating large effects. In general, students tended to regard the social sciences content as more important than the humanistic content.
Q4. The relationship between student perceptions of the significance of course components and KASA growth
We conducted stepwise multiple regressions to explore the relationships between student perceptions of the significance of the course content components and the outcome variables (Table 2). The perceived significance of research was the common significant explanatory variable for all growth in KASA and the total outcome. The perceived importance of research (β = .644, t(63) = 6.659, p = 0.000) and professionalism (β =0.213, t(63) = 2.203, p = 0.031) were significantly related to knowledge growth; in the final model these two variables explained 63.4% of the variances in knowledge growth. Regarding growth in attitudes and skills, the perceived importance of research was the only significant explanatory variable for growth in attitudes (β = 0.784, t(63) = 10.257, p = 0.000) and in skills (β = 0.769, t(63) = 9.772, p = 0.000); it explained 61.4% of the variances in attitude growth and 59.1% in skill growth. Growth in aspirations was significantly related to the perceived importance of research (β = 0.639, t(63) = 7.595, p = 0.000) and law (β = 0.265, t(63) = 3.145, p = 0.003); the final model suggested that these two variables explained 62.3% of the variances in aspirational growth. The composite variable of all the outcome variables was explained by the perceived importance of research (β = 0.792, t(63) = 11.391, p = 0.000) and policy (β = 0.140, t(63) = 2.017, p = 0.048), with an explanatory power of 72.2%.
Table 2.
Regressions for Outcome Variables
Dependent
Variables
|
Explanatory
Variables
|
b
|
SE b
|
B
|
T
|
P
|
R2
(adj. R2)
|
F
|
Knowledge
|
Research
|
3.008
|
.452
|
.644
|
6.659
|
.000
|
.634
(.623)
|
56.273***
|
Professionalism
|
.987
|
.448
|
.213
|
2.203
|
.031
|
Attitudes
|
Research
|
3.531
|
.344
|
.784
|
10.257
|
.000
|
.614
(.609)
|
105.203***
|
Skills
|
Research
|
3.860
|
.395
|
.769
|
9.772
|
.000
|
.591
(.585)
|
95.483***
|
Aspirations
|
Research
|
3.039
|
.400
|
.639
|
7.598
|
.000
|
.623
(.612)
|
53.784***
|
Law
|
1.518
|
.483
|
.265
|
3.145
|
.003
|
Final Achievement
|
Research
|
2.756
|
.242
|
.792
|
11.391
|
.000
|
.722
(.713)
|
84.225***
|
Policy
|
.557
|
.276
|
.140
|
2.017
|
.048
|
*** p < .001