Academic confidence

and dyslexia at university

A doctoral thesis
Middlesex University, London

2019 Revised October 2020

Andrew Dykes B.Ed, M.A, M.Sc, FHEA

Presentation

• Non-dyslexic students present higher levels of academic confidence than their dyslexic peers.

• Quasi-dyslexic students present higher levels of academic confidence than their dyslexic peers.

2/9

• Students whose dyslexia is diagnosed as a disability present lower levels of academic confidence than those who are told of their dyslexia in other ways.

2/9

Outcomes

• A large effect size g = +1.09 was indicated between the academic confidence of non-dyslexic students in the Base subgroup and dyslexic students in Control subgroup;

3/9

• A moderate effect size g = +0.41 was indicated between the academic confidence of quasi-dyslexic students in the Test subgroup and dyslexic students in Control subgroup;

• A moderate effect size g = -0.63 was indicated between the academic confidence of students whose dyslexia was diagnosed to them as a disability and those who were told of their dyslexia in other ways. 

Originality  |  significance  |  rigour

• ... established previously un-researched relationships between dimensions of dyslexia and academic behavioural confidence at university ...

This study ...

• ... proposed and justified the premise that knowing about one's dyslexia negatively impacts on academic confidence at university ...

4/9

• ... devised an innovative, new process to evaluate 'dyslexia-ness' in university students using a Dyslexianess Continuum ...

• ... developed data-rich, multi-factorial profile visualizations of dyslexia-ness and academic confidence.

originality  |   Significance  |  rigour

5/9

• ... addressed original, ethically provocative research questions, designed to influence knowledge and scholarly thought, especially in learning differences contexts in HE;

This study ...

• ... showed strong academic and practitioner relevance, particularly for promoting a better understanding of the impacts of dyslexia on academic confidence in university study;

• ... is important for a wide range of target audiences and stakeholders including students, learning development practitioners, dyslexia advisors, and other education researchers.

originality  |  significance  |   Rigour

• Evidence: dual-focus, accurately referenced literature review of relevant theories and methodologies, demonstrates integrity and intellectual coherence;

6/9

• Evidence: extensive review of ABC, and exhaustive development of Dx Index, demonstrates an appropriate and critically robust use of concepts and analyses;

• Evidence: innovative research design, data collection protocols, data visualizations and analysis demonstrate a clear focus on relating theory to communities of practice in HE.

À suivre ...

7/9

• Further research to develop and validate the Dyslexia Index Profiler - eg: collect data more widely across the university sector;

• Develop dyslexia-ness and academic confidence profile visualizations into a learning development tool for use in university contexts;

• Further exploration of multiple regression analysis of dyslexia-ness and academic confidence.

Publications

• Feature: Diagnosing dyslexia as a disability negatively impacts on academic confidence

Journal: Learning and Individual Differences​

*IF: 1.809; SJR: 1129; H:66

• Feature: Academic confidence and dyslexia at university: implications for learning development

Journal: Studies in Higher Education

*IF: 2.854; SJR: 1888; H:83

• Feature: Evaluating dyslexia-ness at university: development of the Dyslexia Index Profiler

Journal: Research in Developmental Disabilities

*IF: 1.872; SJR: 851; H:76

*source: Scimago Journal & Country Rank