The Geography of Language Learning: How Region and School Type Shape English Proficiency in Costa Rica

Previous studies showed that educational context factors like schools could influence the English proficiency of students. One of the greatest predictors of proficiency among language learners is the type of school they are attending – either public or private. Empirical data also suggested that English proficiency had an impact on students’ performance in science and math courses. Hence, this study examined which type of senior high school (SHS) – public or private school – could produce more proficient students in using the English language. The data gathering process focused on SHS students from both public and private schools, who were enrolled in the academic track of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The study investigated their English proficiency and looked into their profile variates; the difference in their English proficiency in terms of grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, which turned out to be significant whether they were in a public school or private school; the relationship between their English Proficiency and the type of school they attended which was also significant; and the relationship between their English proficiency and their academic performance in English courses which was found to have nothing to do with the former.

Accelerated urbanization and rising immigration to the big cities in China has resulted in education policies that produce disparate treatment of immigrant and non-immigrant students. The two types of students frequently wind up in different types of junior high schools. However, there is little research on whether disparities exist between students in public and private schools with regard to overweight. This study aims to address this gap through a comparison of the overweight status of junior high school students in public and private schools in Shanghai and explore the possible reasons for the observed differences. Students from two public and two private junior high schools were measured. In order to determine what factors might shape overweight among adolescents. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations between overweight and personal characteristics, birth-related factors, levels of physical activity, diet, family socioeconomic status and school environment. Students in private schools proved more likely to be overweight (15.20%, p < 0.05) than public school students (10.18%). Similarly, gender, breastfeeding, parental care and number of classes excluding physical education per day were found to be significant factors. However, private school students were also influenced by gestational age (yes/no: OR = 4.50, p < 0.001), frequency of snacks (sometimes/often: OR = 0.53, p < 0.01) and family income (¥6001–12,000/below ¥6000: OR = 3.27, p < 0.05). Time for lunch was the sole risk factor for public school students in the study (p < 0.05). To reduce the unequal distribution of overweight students between the two types of schools, interventions that consider different multiple risk factors should be implemented.

Approximately 8.8% of US high school students attended private schools in 2015. Few studies have characterized health risk behaviors among these students or compared prevalence of behaviors between students in private and public schools using a contemporary, nationally representative sample. Pooled 2007-2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data were used to estimate the prevalence of 35 health risk behaviors for 89,848 public and private high school students. Unadjusted prevalence ratios were used to compare prevalence by school type. Differences in behaviors by school type were explored by sex and grade. Among private school students, the prevalence ranged from 5.0% to 31.9% for sexual risk behaviors; from 0.8% to 30.1% for substance use behaviors; from 0.7% to 21.8% for behaviors related mental health and suicide; from 3.2% to 6.8% for violence victimization experiences; and from 3.1% to 52.9% for behaviors related to unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Private school students were less likely than public school students to report most behaviors; differences by school type were generally consistent across sex and grade. Students in both public and private schools reported health risk behaviors. Findings might inform prevention activities by identifying behaviors to prioritize in each school setting.

In this research, we examined the student practices of high school students in different types of high schools in Turkey in the light of Bourdieu's concepts of habitus and cultural capital. While tracing the essences of student practices with a phenomenological approach, we tried to make explicit what lies at the intersections of different types of high schools in terms of these practices and how the educational trajectories of students in these high schools are shaped and reshaped. We conducted the research in six different types of high schools in Ankara. Through a phenomenological analysis of in-depth interviews with 96 high school students and a total of seven mothers, we explored student practices and the interrelationships between habitus and cultural capital in the home and school environments. As a result of this analysis, we interpreted the essences that cut across the educational trajectories of students positioned in different types of high schools as living with the illusion of school choice, declaring the position with a sense of entitlement, engagement with cultural fields through cultural consumption habits, and utilizing sports for the presentation of self. The main result of the research shows that although students are positioned in different trajectories, the essence of their student practices does not change. We believe that this result should be explained from the perspective that the existence of different types of schools or different routes for students cannot guarantee the social mobility of individuals, but continues to serve the reproduction of all the historical and social contingencies that create these students' positionality.

Non-state, private schools in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are considered new educational institutions, only introduced to the Kurdish society after the establishment of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in 1992. Since then, private schools have contributed to providing education, from kindergarten to higher education (Vernez, et al., 2014). This development is continuing despite the wars, political conflicts, and economic problems that have affected the region in the last three decades. This study aims to describe the development of private schools in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and to clarify their functions in the educational system. Accordingly, the research questions, which provide the structure of this study cover two main parts. The first part deals with describing the profiles of private education providers, the types of schools they offer, and the development of the non-state educational sector. The second part investigates the factors affecting the choice of private schools. In both aspects, the functions of private schools for the Kurdish society are discussed. Quantitative and qualitative methods have been adapted to tackle the research questions, and a mixed methods has also been applied. A quantitative method is used to give descriptive data about the increase in the number of private schools, the types of private schools and the factors influencing parents’ choice of private schools. Data have been collected from 103 private schools to describe the increase and types of private schools in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. A questionnaire for parents (n=223) provides insights into the most important factors influencing the choice of private schools over public schools in the KRI. Qualitative methods are used to describe the profiles of private education providers. Data from 10 private education providers’ websites are collected and analysed using document analysis. The results of this study show that private schools are diverse and different from the public schools, especially concerning the language of academic instruction. Some private education providers share common goals, such as providing high-quality education, while some others have specific goals, such as serving a minority group. There are both local and international private education providers. Most private schools are profit-oriented, with only a few schools considered religiously oriented or private public partnership schools. The number of private schools in the region is constantly increasing, reaching 144 schools, enrolling 33,613 students, in 2018. Different factors affect parental choices of private schools. English as a language for instruction has been found to be the most important factor for parents when choosing private schools. This could be explained by considering English as a more global language comparing to Kurdish, as English is used as a tool to be connected with the international world. This study shows that private schools in regions with different conflicts do not necessarily act as an elitist movement for social distinction, as it is often described in the discourse, but rather covering further functions as qualification objectives of the population or compensating language policies. In general, private schools have the qualification function to provide individuals with the knowledge, skills and capacities that are necessary for themselves as well as for developing the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Private schools appear to connect the Kurdish society to the rest of the world by creating global citizens through English as the medium of instruction. In addition, for minorities, private schools sustain an educational system that responds to their religious and cultural needs and expectations.

The growing alarming rate of obesity worldwide is a great concern to individuals and the general public. This has been the trend among secondary schools in many parts of the world in the past three decades. This study, therefore, was aimed at assessing the obesity and overweight among in-school students in public and private schools in Ibadan North Local Government, Oyo State Nigeria. A comparative cross sectional study was carried out among in-school students in Ibadan North Local Government area Oyo State Nigeria. Four hundred (400) respondents were selected using multi-stage sampling technique. Information from respondents was obtained using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires. Data analysis was done with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The results showed that when Body Mass Index was used as a measure of obesity, the number of overweight and obesity was significantly more in private schools than in public schools with a p-value less than 0.001. Using Waist and Hip Ratio private school have significantly higher number of obese compared to the public. Body Image Discrepancy private school was higher than that of the public school, but the difference was not statistically high. The nutritional rating of the respondents showed that few of the private students on first day, about one third on the second day and the same on the third day had a healthy eating index. Majority of the respondents scored below six percet which is an indication that many of them are not eating well, that is they are not abiding by the food pyramid rules of daily recommended dietary allowances (RDAs). The nutritional status was significantly associated with the gender, types of school, age groups and class categories of the respondents. The study concludes that WHR detects more of central obesity while BMI accounts for generalised obesity. There was a significant difference in the feeding patterns and activity patterns of the students attending public and private schools. Factors associated with the nutritional status of the respondents were their age, gender, the type of schools and their class categories.

: Academic achievement is a cumulative outcome of different factors. School type has a paramount effect on students’ performance in regional examination. This study was conducted to critically examine the effect of school type on students result in regional examination. An e x-post facto research design was employed to look into the impacts of school type on academic achievement in regional examination. Data analyses were undertaken using chi-square test, t-test, and ANOVA (Analysis of Variance). Independent sample t-test was used to test mean differences between private and government schools. ANOVA test was used to analyze mean differences based on level of satisfaction in school services. Chi-square test was used to see associations between school types with facilities and activities. Key informant interview and observation were also undertaken to substantiate the quantitative results. The t-test results revealed that private schools have scored statistically better than government ones. Students from private schools were highly satisfied with their school services. Private schools were found better equipped in library and laboratory facilities than government schools. Student centered method of teaching and tutorial classes have been more applied in private schools. Parents’ involvement in school related affairs were better in private schools. Based on the findings, the recommendations that experience sharing between private and government schools as well as among schools should be organized by Dessie town administration educational office. More effort has to been done by concerned bodies so as to narrow the performance gab between private and government schools. In addition, government schools should be equipped with facilities as of the private schools. KEY WORDS : Academic achievement, regional examination, private/government schools, school services, library and laboratory facilities, and method of teaching and tutorial classes. About the Author: Amogne Asfaw Eshetu is a Lecturer at the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies WU (Wollo University), Dessie, P.O. Box 1145, North Central Ethiopia. For academic interests, the author can be contacted via phone at: +251913423595 or via e-mail at: amuvenu@yahoo.com How to cite this article? Eshetu, Amogne Asfaw. (2015). “Does School Type Matter in Academic Achievement in Regional Examination? Comparative Study of Private and Government Schools in Dessie Administrative Town, North Central Ethiopia” in EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies , Vol.7(2) February, pp.161-170. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press and UMP Purwokerto, ISSN 1979-7877. Chronicle of the article: Accepted (December 5, 2014); Revised (January 15, 2015); and Published (February 28, 2015).

Filipino students performed poorly in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) mathematics assessment, with more than 50% obtaining scores below the lowest proficiency level. Students from public schools also performed worse compared to their private school counterparts. We used machine learning approaches, specifically binary classification methods, to model the variables that best identified the poor performing students (below Level 1) vs. better performing students (Levels 1 to 6) using the PISA data from a nationally representative sample of 15-year-old Filipino students. We analyzed data from students in private and public schools separately. Several binary classification methods were applied, and the best classification model for both private and public school groups was the Random Forest classifier. The ten variables with the highest impact on the model were identified for the private and public school groups. Five variables were similarly important in the private and public school models. However, there were other distinct variables that relate to students’ motivations, family and school experiences that were important in identifying the poor performing students in each school type. The results are discussed in relation to the social and social cognitive experiences of students that relate to socioeconomic contexts that differ between public and private schools.

Being a student describes a multi-component reality with both individualistic and social inclusions. How this reality is established and how subjects position themselves in their current educational environments historically, culturally, and sociologically are one of the most controversial topics of educational sciences. Therefore, this study investigates what it means to be a student in different types of high schools in Turkey through students’ eyes. This study was conducted using a phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research designs. Convenience sampling was used to determine which schools and which types of schools would take part in the study. Semistructured, personal, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 96 eleventh graders from six different types of high schools (eight girls and eight boys from each type of high school: science, Anatolian, vocational and technical Anatolian, fine arts, social sciences, and Anatolian imam and preacher high schools) from the central districts of Ankara. The data was analyzed using the phenomenological analysis method in order to reach the core that turns different experiences into commonalities. The cores that were revealed as a result of the analysis were consolidated under two main themes: “who the students think they are” and “how they differ themselves from other students.”

School travel behaviors are associated with children’s health and well-being, traffic congestion, and sustainability. Australia has seen a steady rise in the number of car-passenger trips made by children to school, and a decline in walking-to-school. Australia differs from most nations in that it has one of the highest rates of private schooling in the world at around 34%, supported by high levels of Commonwealth Government funding. Little is known about the effects this has on travel behavior and whether it is a factor in Australia’s high rates of chauffeuring. This paper looks at journeys-toschool in South-East Queensland. Two research questions were posed: i) how do students in private and public schools travel to school, including mode shares and median trip-distances by mode?; and ii) is there any relationship between school type and mode choice, when controlling for key demographic and land use variables? Advanced geo-spatial matching allocated all trips made to schools in the 2017-2019 South East Queensland Travel Survey to either public or private schools. The resulting dataset included 2600 public school students’ trips to school and 1117 private school students’ trips to school. The public and private schools’ commuting travel behavior was then examined. Private motor vehicle is the most frequently chosen mode for travelling to school across the two groups (72.3% for public and 74.6% for private). The proportion of students walking/biking to school is 2.3 times greater for public than for private schools (16.8% versus 7.3%) even though those two groups share the same median trip distance value in active travel. For all other travel modes (automobile, public transportation and school bus), median trip distances are greater for private school students than private school students. Multinomial logistic regression modelling suggests that private school students are less likely to walk/cycle to school than public school students when controlling for key demographics and schools’ urban form characteristics. Private schools appear to disproportionately contribute to traffic congestion. Australia should consider amending its school policy frameworks to help address these concerns.

Production studies that have examined the relative performance of students in private and public schools typically find that the average student achievement in private schools exceeds that of the average student in public schools. The relatively small enrollment of students in private schools seriously limits policy predictions concerning the effects of vouchers and other policy reforms in the United States. The institutional arrangements for providing and funding schooling vary greatly across countries. This article examines these arrangements in five countries. Using a data set that measures achievement in mathematics, empirical results show that public funding and its subsequent effect of expanded enrollment in the private sector do not erase the superior performance of private schools relative to public ones. Government restrictions on private schools' decision-making powers can negate the superior performance of private schools.

Does the type of school matter in preventing bullying? Knowledge, experience, and readiness to face bullying by students enrolled in public and private schools in the Philippines

Mathematics aids the development of science and technology, but many secondary school students perform poorly in it in public examinations in Kaduna-Nigeria due to ineffective instructional strategies adopted by teachers. Hence the need to complement mathematics teaching with tools that could engage learners actively. Interactive e-note Mathematics Instructional Strategy (IMIS) and Problem-Solving Strategy (PSS) capability of enhancing students’ achievement in mathematics in junior secondary schools were determined by this study with moderating effects of gender and school type. The pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design using 3x2x2 factorial matrix was adopted. Three private and public schools were purposively selected and randomly assigned to IMIS (134), PSS (134) and control (132) groups from two randomized Local Government Areas within Kaduna. Instrumentation are Mathematics Achievement Test (r = 0.87) and instructional guides. Data analysis was by Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance. Treatment, School type had significant main effect on students achievement in mathematics (F(2,385)=7.01; partial ƞ2=0.04), (F(1,385) =27.63; partial ƞ2=0.07) in private school respectively. Post achievement mean score are IMIS (21.48), control (20.42) and PSS (20.30). Treatment and school type had significant interaction effect on mathematics achievement (F(2,385)=12.23; partial ƞ2=0.06) from private school in control group. Mathematics aids the development of science and technology, but many secondary school students perform poorly in it in public examinations in Kaduna-Nigeria due to ineffective instructional strategies adopted by teachers. Hence the need to complement mathematics teaching with tools that could engage learners actively. Interactive e-note Mathematics Instructional Strategy (IMIS) and Problem-Solving Strategy (PSS) capability of enhancing students’ achievement in mathematics in junior secondary schools were determined by this study with moderating effects of gender and school type. The pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design using 3x2x2 factorial matrix was adopted. Three private and public schools were purposively selected and randomly assigned to IMIS (134), PSS (134) and control (132) groups from two randomized Local Government Areas within Kaduna. Instrumentation are Mathematics Achievement Test (r = 0.87) and instructional guides. Data analysis was by Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance. Treatment, School type had significant main effect on students achievement in mathematics (F(2,385)=7.01; partial ƞ2=0.04), (F(1,385) =27.63; partial ƞ2=0.07) in private school respectively. Post achievement mean score are IMIS (21.48), control (20.42) and PSS (20.30). Treatment and school type had significant interaction effect on mathematics achievement (F(2,385)=12.23; partial ƞ2=0.06) from private school in control group.

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature of cyberbullying experiences among public and private school students in Turkey. One hundred eighty-three participants between the ages of 14 and 15 were recruited for the study. Participants were asked to respond to questionnaires measuring demographic information, usage frequency of Internet-mediated communication tools (IMCT), and cyberbullying experience (as a victim and as a bully). Participants who reported cyberbullying victimization were also asked how they felt and whether they sought help after such experiences. Results indicated that public school students were more likely than private school students to report being cyberbullies and cybervictims despite that private school students were more likely than public school students to report more frequent usage of IMCT. The findings of the logistic regression analyses indicated that usage frequency of IMCT was a significant predictor of cyberbullying/victimization for public school students but not for private school students. While victims from private school revealed that they did not mind the cyberbullying experience because they thought it was a joke, victims from public school reported that they felt angry when they experienced cyberbullying. Both public and private schools indicated that friends were their first choice for help.

This article analyses the relationship between socio-economic status and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the primary school population in Costa Rica. A National School Weight/Height Census was disseminated across Costa Rica in 2016. The percentage of children who were overweight or obese was calculated by sex, age and socio-economic indicators (type of institution: private, public, mix; type of geographic location: rural, urban and the level of development of the district of residence: quartiles). A mixed-effects multinomial logistic regression model and mixed-effects logistic regression model were used to analyse the association between the prevalence of being overweight or obese and district socio-economic status. The survey was carried out in public and private primary schools across Costa Rica in 2016. In total, 347 366 students from 6 to 12 years were enrolled in public and private primary schools. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children was 34·0 %. Children in private schools were more likely to be overweight or obese than students in public schools (OR = 1·10 [1·07, 1·13]). Additionally, children were less likely to be overweight or obese if attending a school in a district of the lowest socio-economic quartile compared with the highest socio-economic quartile (OR = 0·79 [0·75, 0·83]) and in a rural area compared with the urban area (OR = 0·92 [0·87, 0·97]). Childhood obesity in Costa Rica continues to be a public health problem. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children was associated with indicators of higher socio-economic status.