大學生課程停修分析及其與退學及延畢之關係：以北部某私立大學為例

Withdrawal, Dismissal, and Late Graduation: A Case Study of One Northern Private University

本文以北部某私立大學校務資料分析什麼課程的停修比例較高，何類學生較可能停修。課程面分析顯示科目不及格比率越高或平均分數越低，停修比例越高。雖然兩者都反映困難科目的停修較高，但學生停修對分數反應更為敏感，顯示兩者捕捉到的反應有所不同。學生成績在及格邊緣才會在意及格與否，但大部分學生都在意分數高低，是以學生對分數較為敏感。0至4學分的課程中，2學分（含）以上的課程停修較高，這與停修的成本及效益有關，停修效益是立即性的，如釋出時間、成績提升與逃避退學；成本為拉長就讀時間形成延畢，屬未來發生。因此停修學分數太低不符合當下效益。必修課程因停修後仍須重修，以及下學期課程因經過上學期的適應與篩選，此兩課程因素也會造成停修比例較低。以學生面來分析顯示成績佳與無二一記錄的學生較不會停修；女性及推薦生與繁星生停修比例低，停修是修正選課錯誤，這可能反映出女性及推薦生與繁星生做事較有規劃；四年級與一年級學生停修比例較低，可能與四年級學生有較豐富的選課經驗，對自我能力評估與時間分配較能掌握，一年級學生則可能較不清楚停修規定或不清楚如何評估自我能力與時間分配，以致未申請停修。對成績落後學生，停修能減低他們被退學的機率，但也提高延畢的可能。

This study uses data from a northern private university in Taiwan to investigate what courses have a higher withdrawal ratio and what kind of students are more likely to withdraw. From courses’perspective, those with a higher fail ratio or low average score have a higher withdrawal ratio, yet withdrawals responded to the fail ratio and average score differently. All students are sensitive to score, but only marginal students are concerned about passing the courses or not. Courses of more than two credits are more likely to be withdrawn, reflecting the consideration of costs and benefits. The instant benefits of withdrawals include saving time, enhancing grade point average,and avoiding dismissal, while the future costs are late graduation. Instant benefits are clearly greater than future costs. Students must retake required courses after withdrawal. Students who took an academic year course and pass in the first semester knew how to pass the course in the second semester.Consequently, required courses and second-semester courses are less likely to be withdrawn. From students’perspective, those with good grades and without a record of failing a one-half credit course are less likely to withdraw. Females and recommendation/multi-star students are less likely to withdraw. Withdrawal is a correction of the courses taken in the first place, which probably reflects that females and recommendation/multi-star students are more thoughtful than their countpartners, as they seldom take courses on an impulse. Seniors and freshmen are less likely to withdraw, which might suggest that seniors have abundant experience at taking courses and are more able to evaluate their own capability and to control their time. The low withdrawal of freshmen might result from knowing little about the rule of withdrawal or overestimating themselves. Withdrawals help students whose grades fall behind to avoid dismissal, but enhance their likelihood of late graduation.