Abstract
This paper aims to analyze how students attending six of the most prestigious, selective, and high-performing public schools in Chile perceive the concept of excellence and what factors influence their perceptions. A survey was administered to 1,828 students enrolled in 11thand 12thgrade. The results show that students share a multidimensional idea of excellence. Five dimensions are identified but, according to students’ perceptions, there were two constructs that stood out the most: “effort and self-improvement’” and ‘”social commitment and thoughtfulness.” We find that variables such as expectations about the future and perceptions about schools explain the dissimilar ideas of excellence shared by students. This research gives voice to students on a current topic of the educational agenda –the concept of excellence– and invites researchers to re-think this construct from perspectives other than academic achievements
Highlights
High-Performing Public Schools (HPPS) are an important tool to enhance public education for various educational systems worldwide
We posit the five dimensions of excellence found reflecting on the multidimensional nature of this concept, according to the students’ perceptions, and analyze how the results relate to our initial research hypotheses and with current literature on the subject
The purpose of this research was to study the notions of excellence shared by students enrolled in a group of HighPerforming Public Schools in Chile, and to analyze the factors related to these perceived notions
Summary
High-Performing Public Schools (HPPS) are an important tool to enhance public education for various educational systems worldwide. On the one hand, drawing on the notion that self-concept is constructed from a continuous process of comparison with classmates (Marsh and Parker, 1984; Seaton et al, 2010), various researchers have indicated that high-achieving students in high-achieving schools have more negative self-concepts. This is a result of comparing themselves to more able students (Huang, 2011; Marsh et al, 2014), which is an effect called BFLPE (Big-Fish-Little-Pond-Effect). As BIRGE (Basking-In-Reflected-GloryEffect) or the assimilation effect hypothesizes, self-concept could be enhanced if students are enrolled
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