Unpacking the Determinants of Academic Achievement in Morocco: A Multilevel Investigation Using the PISA 2018 International Survey

ABSTRACTAccording to recent research, the impact of awareness‐raising interventions about gender (in)equality depends on how messages are framed. Extending previous work, we conducted an experimental study (N = 1093; 50% women) to examine whether the combination of two frames about gender (in)equality (emphasizing the achievement of gender equality and the persistence of gender inequality) had more positive effects on attitudes toward women and gender equality of women and men than each framing individually. Additionally, we considered the mediating role of identity threat and cognitive unfreezing, and the moderating role of participants’ neosexism and feminist identification. The results showed that the combined frame, compared to the gender inequality persistence‐frame, reduced identity threat and improved attitudes toward women and gender equality solely among women. We also found that the combined framing, compared to the equality framing, increased cognitive unfreezing and improved women's and non‐sexist men's attitudes toward women and gender equality. However, for non‐sexist women, this framing was less beneficial than the inequality framing. In conclusion, the present study highlights the need to examine both the possible mechanisms involved and the gender ideology of individuals whenever interventions targeting gender equality are designed.

This longitudinal evaluation of gender inequalities and economic growth addresses key questions in the evolving debate over the character of gender differentiation and the goals of womens empowerment. These questions include: 1) whether the impact of strategies of economic growth served to enhance or undermine the status of women; 2) whether changes in the status of women were accompanied by significant changes in gender inequality; and 3) the implications for existing debates. Section I reviews several sets of literature pertinent to the questions using three general approaches: modernization-neoclassical women in development and gender and development. Section II presents the data and methods used in the evaluation. The research assessed the contending interpretations reviewed in the first section by combining another set of cross-sectional and longitudinal data on womens status and inequalities between men and women with other existing indicators. Section III discusses the results in the following order: 1) cross-sectional patterns in womens status; 2) trends in womens status; 3) cross-sectional patterns in inequality between men and women; 4) trends in inequality between men and women; and 5) conclusion. Finally section IV presents an overall discussion of the findings of the whole longitudinal evaluation.

(1) To describe functional status, length of stay (LOS) and time to rehabilitation admission trends. (2) To identify independent predictors of motor function following rehabilitation. Retrospective cohort study. Spinal injury rehabilitation unit at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. From chart review of 312 traumatic and 106 nontraumatic adult patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) we extracted information on time from injury to rehabilitation admission, rehabilitation LOS, Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor score (admission and discharge), American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade and demographics. Hierarchical regression was employed to investigate variables associated with discharge FIM motor score for traumatic and nontraumatic SCI. Mean±s.d., median days from injury to rehabilitation admission were 377±855, 150 days for traumatic SCI and 288±403, 176 days for nontraumatic SCI. For individuals with traumatic SCI, after accounting for admission FIM motor score, tetraplegia and time from injury to rehabilitation admission had a significant but small negative association with discharge FIM motor score. For individuals with nontraumatic SCI, increasing age and higher AIS grade had a significant negative association with discharge FIM motor score. Shorter time from injury to rehabilitation admission may improve outcomes for those with traumatic SCI. As time spent in rehabilitation was shorter than in most other countries, a change in practice in this area may be warranted. Developing strategies to improve outcomes for older patients with nontraumatic SCI would also be beneficial.

The main purpose of the present article is to highlight the major factors affecting Moroccan students’ outcomes in the second year of college (8th grade) and the sixth year of primary school (6th grade) using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) (2011) databases compiled by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). The use of a multilevel approach is appropriate in our case study because it enables us to deal with the hierarchical structure of the data at two levels. The two levels in our case study are the student level and the school level. The method of Multiple imputation by chained equations (MICE) was applied to impute missing values contained in the student background, home, and school data files, and the endogeneity problem that results from the use of multilevel modeling was solved using the Hausman–Taylor instrumental variables estimator. The results show that Moroccan students’ outcomes are impacted by individual as well as contextual characteristics. More precisely, the index “school emphasis on academic success,” which is related to information about the student, parents, teachers, curricula, and educational goals, seems to play a key role in explaining Moroccan students’ academic performance.

District variations in educational resources and student outcomes

Toward a More Nuanced Approach to Program Effectiveness Assessment: Hierarchical Linear Models in K–12 Program Evaluation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the spatial patterns of gender inequality in junior high school enrollment and the educational resource investments associated with the spatial trends.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses data on 170 districts in Ghana and hot spot analysis based on the Getis-Ord Gi statistic, linear regression, and geographically weighted regression to assess spatial variability in gender parity in junior high school enrollment and its association with resource allocation.FindingsThe results reveal rural-urban and north-south variability in gender parity. Results show that educational resources contribute to gender parity. At the national level, educational expenditure, and the number of classrooms, teachers, and available writing places have the strongest positive associations with girls’ enrollment. These relationships are spatially moderated, such that predominantly rural and Northern districts experience the most substantial benefits of educational investments.Practical implicationsThe findings show that strategic allocation of infrastructure, financial, and human resources through local governments holds promise for a more impactful and sustainable educational development of all children, regardless of gender. Besides seeking solutions that address the lack of resources at the national level, there is a need for locally tailored efforts to remove the barriers to equitable distribution of educational resources across gender and socioeconomic groups.Originality/valueThis paper’s use of advanced spatial analysis techniques allows for in-depth examination of gender parity and investments in educational resources, and highlights the spatial nuances in how such investments predict gender disparities in junior high school enrollment. The findings speak to the need for targeted and localized efforts to address gender and geographical disparities in educational opportunities.

Educational sustainability: A multi-scale elementary school resource distribution variability from China.

BackgroundMaternal smoking during pregnancy negatively impacts fetal growth, but the effect is not homogenous across the population. We sought to determine how the relationship between cigarette use and fetal growth is modified by the social and physical environment.MethodsBirth records with covariates were obtained from the BC Perinatal Database Registry (N = 232,291). Maternal smoking status was self-reported as the number of cigarettes smoked per day usually at the first prenatal care visit. Census dissemination areas (DAs) were used as neighbourhood-level units and linked to individual births using residential postal codes to assign exposure to particulate air pollution (PM2.5) and neighbourhood-level attributes such as socioeconomic status (SES), proportion of post-secondary education, immigrant density and living in a rural place. Random coefficient models were used with cigarettes/day modeled with a random slope to estimate its between-DA variability and test cross-level interactions with the neighbourhood-level variables on continuous birth weight.ResultsA significant negative and non-linear association was found between maternal smoking and birth weight. There was significant between-DA intercept variability in birth weight as well as between-DA slope variability of maternal smoking on birth weight of which 68 and 30 % respectively was explained with the inclusion of DA-level variables and their cross-level interactions. High DA-level SES had a strong positive association with birth weight but the effect was moderated with increased cigarettes/day. Conversely, heavy smokers showed the largest increases in birth weight with rising neighbourhood education levels. Increased levels of PM2.5 and immigrant density were negatively associated with birth weight, but showed positive interactions with increased levels of smoking. Older maternal age and suspected drug or alcohol use both had negative interactions with increased levels of maternal smoking.ConclusionMaternal smoking had a negative and non-linear dose-response association with birth weight which was highly variable between neighbourhoods and evidence of effect modification with neighbourhood-level factors. These results suggest that focusing exclusively on individual behaviours may have limited success in improving outcomes without addressing the contextual influences at the neighbourhood-level. Further studies are needed to corroborate our findings and to understand how neighbourhood-level attributes interact with smoking to affect birth outcomes.

Rapid decline in child sex ratio (CSR) is a serious problem with severe socio-economic, demographic and cultural implication. Using Ordinary Least Square (OLS) and Quantile Regression estimates for thirty five states and union territories of India, the paper tries to examine the determinants of child sex ratio. The results show that the female literacy rate has significant positive while male literacy and percentage share of the urban population have a significant negative association with child sex ratio in India. Decadal population growth rate has a significant positive association with rural child sex ratios but insignificant negative associated with urban child sex ratio. The revealing quantile regression estimates suggest that female literacy and decadal population growth rate have significant positive, while male literacy, urban population and infant mortality rate have a significant negative association at 0.10 quantile, where the problem is severe. The variables like urban population and infant mortality rate have significant lowest negative association at the upper tail (0.90 quantile) of the child sex ratio. Furthermore, the paper also highlighted regional variations through regional dummy variables. Coefficients of child sex ratio with regional dummy variables show that north west region has highest negative and southern region has a highest positive influence on juvenile sex ratio of India. Thus strengthening of female education and reduction in higher usage of sex determination tests and infant mortality rate is an utmost need for balancing child sex ratio in north and northwest region of India.

Background: Gender equality is a significant determinant of the health and national development of a country. As future leaders, undergraduates need sufficient knowledge and favorable attitudes towards gender equality, to enable gender-equitable socio-economic decision-making. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and attitudes on gender equality and describe their correlates among the second year students of University of Colombo. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted among 388 second year students selected through multistage random sampling in the faculties of Arts, Management, Science and Computing in University of Colombo. A self-administered questionnaire was employed to gather information and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Results: The results revealed that a majority of respondents had a satisfactory level of overall knowledge on gender equality, with a mean of 59.28 % (SD-13.53). However, knowledge on practical aspects such as gender equity, gender mainstreaming, gender legislature and gender equality indicators in Sri Lanka were not satisfactory. The majority of the respondents had favorable attitudes towards gender equality (55.1%) and its various aspects. Positive attitudes were found to be associated with female sex (p=0.0001, X2= 47.230, df=2), higher level of paternal (p=0.005, x2 =7.787, df=1) and maternal education (p=0.004, x2 =8.149, df=1), paternal employment (p=0.014, X 2= 6.100, df=1) and higher level of respondent knowledge on gender equality (p=0.002, X2= 9.335, df=1). Conclusions: Knowledge on gender equality was satisfactory and attitudes towards it were favorable among selected group of university undergraduates. However, knowledge on practical aspects of gender equality was poor.

In this paper, the author advances the thesis that in today's Serbia there is no social consensus concerning the unequal treatment of men and women, and that 'patriarchal syndrome', stereotypes and prejudices are still widely present and are greatly influencing the functioning of social mechanisms and the achievement of gender equality. In Serbia the process of achieving the equal treatment of women de jure is still in progress. With the absence of consensus, which is a prerequisite for 'transmitting' social values encompassed by gender equality, the chances are little that equality will be attained de facto. This paper is meant as a warning that not all types of women's inequality are easily noticeable, as well as that on the social scene there are many different and intertwined social actors which influence dealing with the problem of inequality, implementation of international and domestic legal acts, ethical standards, and taking steps to introduce mechanisms for achieving women's equality in society. One of the prerequisites for overcoming these difficulties is a system of education and educational resources, which promote the idea of gender equality.

IntroductionClimate change has a disproportionate impact on women in comparison to men, and women have a key role to play in climate adaptation. However, evidence is lacking on how gender inequalities may be associated with climate vulnerability and ability to respond at country level.MethodsThis ecological study investigated the association between climate adaptation, measured by the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative Country Index (ND-GAIN), and gender equality, measured by the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) developed by the World Economic Forum and the Gender Inequality Index (GII) developed by the United Nations. Simple linear regression was used to estimate the associations between the indices and their subdomains for 146 countries.ResultsThere was an approximately linear association between the GGGI and climate adaptation. Each 1% increase in gender equality was associated with a 0.6% increase in the ND-GAIN score (the slope was 0.59, with a 95% confidence interval [0.33 to 0.84]). This was driven by a negative association between gender equality and vulnerability (-0.41 [-0.62 to -0.20]), and a positive association between gender equality and readiness (0.77 [0.44 to 1.10]). The strongest associations between gender equality and climate adaptation were observed for the education domain of the GGGI. There was a strong negative linear association between the GII and climate adaptation, which explained most (86%) of the between-country variation in climate adaptation. Each 1% increase in gender inequality was associated with a 0.5% decrease in the ND-GAIN score (-0.54 [-0.57 to -0.50]). The association between gender inequality and readiness was stronger than the association with vulnerability (0.41 [0.37 to 0.44] for vulnerability versus − 0.67 [-0.72 to -0.61] for readiness).ConclusionsGender inequality, measured broadly across different domains of life, is associated with climate adaptation at country level, both in terms of vulnerability to impact and readiness to respond.

Vascular Sonography – Educational Resources

The researchers investigated the influence of educational funding policies on resource allocation and student outcomes in Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data collection involved 200 public senior secondary school students randomly selected with 50 participants from each of the 5 purposively selected public senior secondary schools in Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State. A self-designed questionnaire, the Educational Funding Policies, Resource Allocation, and Student Outcome Questionnaire (EFPRASOQ) was developed to gather data, and its content and construct validity was ensured through expert review. The questionnaire also demonstrated high reliability with Cronbach’s Alpha score of 0.874. Simple percentage and Chi-square statistical tools were used to examine relationships between variables with the aid of IBM SPSS 26.0. The study revealed that there is a significant impact of educational funding policies on resource allocation and student outcome in Nigeria; there is a significant effect of the distribution of educational resources among schools and within the study areas on how different funding sources are sourced and there is a significant influence of resource allocation on student achievement, retention, and equity in the Nigerian education system in Badagry Local Government Area. The study concluded that inefficient resource allocation and funding have resulted in resource limitations and inequitable distribution of disparity in the quality of education offered within the study area. The study recommended that the government increase funding for education, enhance transparency and accountability in resource allocation, strengthen monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and involve stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation. educational resources, creating a disparity in the quality of education offered within the study area. The study recommended that the government increase funding for education, enhance transparency and accountability in resource allocation, strengthen monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and involve stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation.