Factors Related to Study Progress among First-Year Agriculture Students

The first study year at university predicts the progress and quality of later studies. The aim of our study was to explore factors that affect first-year agriculture students. In the end of their first year, 49 students answered a questionnaire measuring self-efficacy, approaches to learning, and study-related burnout. They also reported the factors that enhanced or impeded their studies. According to their approaches to learning, students were clustered into three profiles. One of these represented successful students with an organized approach, strong self-efficacy and little burnout, and another a more unorganized group. The third group had a dissonant profile and suffered from the highest burnout levels. The enhancing factors most often mentioned were peer support and regular assignments. These were recognized by the organized group. The most common impeding factors were activities outside of studies, recognized by the unorganized group, and high workload, recognized mostly by the dissonant group. Pedagogical implications are discussed.