School Academic Achievement Research Articles

The Relationship between Children's School Adaptation, Academic Achievement, Happiness, and Problematic Smartphone Usage: A Multiple Informant Moderated Mediating Model.

The school environment is a primary realm of life for school-aged children and thus their adaptation to school and academic performance may affect their degree of happiness. The age of smartphone users has declined, and problematic smartphone usage has widely expanded such that young children are also affected by such devices. This study assessed adaptation to school, academic achievement, problematic smartphone usage, and general happiness in a panel data sample of 695 Korean 10-year-old children and their teachers and mothers, and a moderated mediation model of these variables was tested. Results revealed that school adaptation affected general happiness of children through academic performance, and problematic smartphone usage demonstrated significant moderating effects on the relationship between school adaptation and academic achievement. Specifically, in children with a high level of adaptation to school life, the difference in problematic smartphone usage did not affect academic performance. However, lower level of adaptation led to greater differences in academic performance depending on problematic smartphone usage, and children with high problematic smartphone usage showed poorer academic performance. This study is meaningful because variables related to adaptation of 10-year-old children were collected from multiple informants. In addition, this study focused on general happiness, a positive factor, as the outcome variable to test the effects of variables related to school and problematic smartphone usage. Limitations include that a causal relationship cannot be examined, and qualitative differences in smartphone usage were not measured.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11482-022-10080-w.

Teachers of Agriculture as Agents of Psychosocial Supports in Schools

Currently, there is an increasing rate of violence, disasters, conflicts, and health challenges in our various homes and societies. These situations impact the psycho and social well-being of both students and teachers and their teaching and learning relationship within and outside the school system. Therefore, this paper exposes teachers of agriculture to the psychosocial support and psychosocial well-being of students, how to identify students who may need psychosocial support, principles, and the mechanisms of providing psychosocial support to students in Schools. The papers also discussed the challenges to psychosocial support in schools and strategies to psychosocially support students in secondary or high schools, to prevent pathological consequences of social stigmatization, discrimination, and potentially traumatic situations among students, teachers, and other stakeholders in the education sector for improved academic achievement in schools. It recommended among others that teachers should be able to identify and protect vulnerable students that may be socially marginalized, stigmatized, and/or discriminated against in society and schools.

Principals’ Human Resource Management Practices and Academic Achievement in Public Secondary Schools in Bungoma East Sub-County, Kenya

The role of the school principal is to provide a school environment that promotes academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between principals’ human resource management practices and academic achievement in public secondary schools. Embedded mixed method research design was adopted for the study. The target population comprised principals, deputy principals and heads of department drawn from Bungoma East Sub-County in western Kenya. In a total of 33 schools, 33 principals and 33 deputy principals were automatically included in the study while 114 heads of department were selected through random sampling as respondents for the study. Data was collected using interview schedule administered to the principals while questionnaires were administered to deputy principals and heads of department. Data on academic achievement was collected using document analysis. A pilot study was done in three schools before the main study to establish validity and reliability of the research tools. A correlation test was done between the principals’ human resource management practices and academic achievement in public secondary schools. A strong positive relationship was found between the principals’ human resource management practices and academic achievement in public secondary schools. It was thus concluded principals’ human resource management practices affect students’ academic performance. The study recommends that school principals should employ effective human resource management practices such as competitive recruitment, professional development of staff, rewarding and staff welfare programmes.

Academic Outcomes Among Children Who Experienced or Were Exposed to Physical Abuse.

All forms of family violence may negatively affect a child's development. However, research on child maltreatment is primarily focused on the child who is directly maltreated and does not often account for how other children in the family experience the abuse. The central aim of our study was to better understand how children's direct experience of physical abuse and exposure to physical abuse influence their academic outcomes. Data were taken from the Minnesota Departments of Education and Human Services. The sample was developed from a population-level cohort of 8-10 years old children (N = 1740) from two groups: Child Protective Service (CPS)-involved (a child who allegedly experienced physical abuse or a child who was exposed to the alleged physical abuse of another child in their household) and the matched comparison. Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) was also measured for CPS-involved children. School attendance and academic achievement were examined over 4years. Descriptive statistics and Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used to answer the three research questions. Over time, declines in attendance for children exposed to physical abuse were significantly greater than those of their matched peers. Exposure to IPV for CPS-involved children resulted in further declines in attendance. Math proficiency of children who experienced physical abuse declined at a significantly faster rate than their matched peers. The decline in reading proficiency of both children who experienced physical abuse and children exposed to physical abuse was more significantly pronounced than that of their matched peers. Differences in math and reading proficiency were eliminated when IPV exposure was taken into account. Child protection workers and school professionals should be aware of negative effects of experiences of and exposures to child maltreatment and work collaboratively to provide academic support, counseling, and other interventions to support children's academic stability.

Longitudinal study of Spanish Dual Language Immersion graduates: Secondary school academic and language achievement

AbstractFive cohorts of students (N = 322) who completed a K–5 Spanish Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program in an urban school district were followed longitudinally through middle and high school completion. Academic and language achievement data included English Language Arts and Mathematics scores on the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) test for grades 3–8 and on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) for 11th grade, 10th‐grade cumulative high school grade point average, enrollment in and grades earned in language classes, and attainment of the California Seal of Biliteracy. The DLI students were compared to non‐DLI students who attended the same schools. Most DLI students continued with advanced level classes in Spanish in high school, and nearly half earned the California Seal of Biliteracy. Achievement results indicate that DLI graduates performed at equivalent or higher levels than non‐DLI students on standardized achievement measures for English Language Arts and Mathematics.

The effect of perfectionism on test anxiety and the mediating role of sense of coherence in adolescent students

BackgroundPrevious research has shown that perfectionism is closely associated with stress. However, limited research has examined the longitudinal relationship between perfectionism and test anxiety. In addition, no study has investigated the possible mediators for the effects of perfectionism on test anxiety in school contexts. ObjectiveUtilizing a three-wave longitudinal design, this study employed a sample of Chinese junior high school students as participants to examine the longitudinal relationship between perfectionism, sense of coherence, and test anxiety. Methods427 Chinese junior high school students (212 girls, 215 boys) participated in all three measurement times. The Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism scale, sense of coherence scale (SOC), and Test Anxiety scale were administered to the participants. The students completed questionnaires about once every two months from the beginning of a school semester to the end of the semester. ResultsResults from structural equation modeling indicated that negative perfectionism significantly contributed to test anxiety in the adolescent students. The lagged effect of perfectionism (T1) on SOC (T2) was significant, and the lagged effect of SOC (T2) on test anxiety (T3) was significant, indicating that SOC played a significant mediating role in the effect of perfectionism on test anxiety. ConclusionThe longitudinal effects of negative perfectionism on test anxiety were mediated by sense of coherence. The findings of the study have general implications for mitigating test anxiety and improving school adjustment and academic achievement.

The Impact of the Household Poverty Trap on Learners' Academic Achievement in Rural Secondary Schools in the Zululand District: A Case Study of Nongoma Secondary Rural Schools

This study looks into the elements that contribute to the poverty trap and how it affects learner academic progress in selected Nongoma secondary schools in South Africa's Zululand district. A mixed qualitative and quantitative data gathering strategy was utilized to collect the information. Purposeful sampling was employed to pick five secondary high schools in this area, as well as teachers and students who were conveniently selected for the study. Financial resources, a lack of aspiration and motivation, and school dropouts are all results of poverty traps, according to the research, and these factors impede learners' academic achievement in the schools studied. According to the study, reducing or eliminating poverty requires collective efforts, and all educational actors should contribute their respective quotas to provide basic infrastructure to both schools and rural communities, redistribute income and wealth, and plan improvements to encourage students to see the world from various perspectives.
 
 Received: 19 July 2021 / Accepted: 14 March 2022 / Published: 5 May 2022

School climate and academic achievement of higher secondary students

School Climate refers to the quality and characteristics of a School life. For the best positive outcome, school is to be organised in a systematic way. Positive School Climate greatly influences the Academic Achievement of the students. The objectives of study are- to study the school climate of Higher Secondary schools, to find out the difference in School Climate with regard to urban and rural area, to study the academic achievement of Higher Secondary Students, to find out the difference in academic achievement with regard to urban and rural area, to find out the relationship between school climate and academic achievement of Higher Secondary students. Descriptive Survey Method has been used in the present study. Investigator has selected 200 higher secondary students from the eight provincialized schools of Kamrup (Metro and Rural) district of Assam which has been selected through the simple stratified random sampling technique. The investigator has found that in both Kamrup Urban and Rural, it has moderate school climate. The study revealed that the co-relation between School Climate and Academic Achievement of the Higher Secondary students found to be positive and statistically significant.

The relationship between Parenting attitudes perceived by middle school students, Teacher attachment, Academic achievement, and Academic helplessness : Focusing on the first year of middle school

본 연구의 목적은 대학생 또래상담자의 상담 경험과 인식 변화를 살펴봄으로써 대학 또래 상담에 대한 이해를 돕고 대학에서 적용할 수 있는 실천적 방안을 모색하는 것이다. 이를 위해 설정한 연구문제는 ‘대학생 또래상담자가 또래상담을 통해 경험하는 것은 무엇인가’이다. B·K 지역에 소재한 2개 대학의 또래상담자 10명을 대상으로 심층면담을 실시하였으며, 자료분석을 위해 Giorgi의 기술적 현상학 4단계 분석방법을 활용하였다. 연구 결과 총 6개의 구성요소와 21개의 하위 구성요소가 도출되었다. 구성요소는 ‘또래상담에 대한 부정확한 인식’, ‘상담자 교육 경험을 실제 상담과 일상생활에 적용’, ‘상담 진행 중의 어려움과 극복과정’, ‘상담 진행에 도움이 된 수퍼비전 경험’, ‘또래상담에 대한 인식과 태도 변화’, ‘또래상담자 자신의 변화’ 등으로 나타났다. 본 연구에서는 현상학적 연구 방법을 활용하여 양적 연구에서는 탐색하기 어려운 대학생 또래상담자의 또래상담 경험에 대해 심층적으로 이해할 수 있었다. 이를 바탕으로 대학 또래상담 운영 및 조력에 대한 시사점을 제시하였다.

Effects of school renewal on school academic achievement: searching for a turning point

ABSTRACT In this study, we applied the technique of piecewise linear regression to a total of 144 schools with the third to fifth grades, aimed to search for a turning point at each grade level in terms of the effects of school renewal on school reading and mathematics achievement. We did find a turning point for each school subject at each grade level, with two rather distinguished phenomena of patterns. In the climbing pattern, the effects before the turning point were not statistically significant but the effects after the turning point were statistically significant. In the fading pattern, the effects before the turning point were statistically significant but the effects after the turning point were not statistically significant. For both patterns, the effects before the turning point were statistically significantly different from the effects after the turning point.

Pre-Birth Household Challenges Predict Future Child's School Readiness and Academic Achievement.

Early developmental success and school readiness strongly influence future skill development, occupational opportunities, and health. Therefore, it is critical to identify and address early determinants of school readiness for supporting children’s overall well-being and success. In this retrospective cohort study, we examined the effects of pre-birth household challenges, such as homelessness or experiences of intimate partner violence, on children’s early school readiness. We linked data from the Alaska 2009–2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) to administrative and education records through 2019. Education records included kindergarten developmental scores, third grade reading assessments, and attendance records. Generalized linear models with Quasi-Poisson distributions for each outcome of interest examined the predictive value of pre-birth household challenges on the risks of not meeting school readiness expectations. We found that experiencing higher numbers of pre-birth household challenges was related to higher risk of the child not meeting developmental and reading proficiency and having chronic absenteeism. These results suggest that it is imperative support systems for pregnant persons and their families be introduced as soon as possible in pre-natal care routines to address current pre-birth household stressors and prevent future challenges. Such early prevention efforts are needed to ensure the best possible developmental start for children.

Principal’s Instructional Supervision and School Academic Achievement in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination in Siaya County, Kenya

Principal’s Instructional Supervision and School Academic Achievement in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examination in Siaya County, Kenya

Boards Of Management Involvement In Teacher Motivation And Academic Achievement In Primary Schools In Trans-Nzoia County In Kenya

Boards Of Management Involvement In Teacher Motivation And Academic Achievement In Primary Schools In Trans-Nzoia County In Kenya

Social Skills Group Training for Students with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities in Senior High School-A Qualitative Multi-Perspective Study of Social Validity.

Including students with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) in regular classrooms has become a law-enforced common practice in many high- and middle-income countries. Still, without appropriate actions supporting the implementation of inclusive pedagogical practice, students with NDDs remain at increased risk for absenteeism, bullying and underachievement. There is limited knowledge on the feasibility of social skills group training (SSGT) in naturalistic settings. Using a qualitative approach, the objective of this study was to explore the lived experiences of (i) students diagnosed with autism or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and those showing subclinical social difficulties receiving either SSGT or active social control activities in a regular senior high school setting, (ii) teachers providing SSGT or the active control activity and (iii) school leaders facilitating the implementation of these actions. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, comparison between real life versus digital administration of SSGT was also examined. Within a randomized controlled pilot trial of the school-tailored SSGT SKOLKONTAKT®, the primary perspectives of 20 students, teachers and school leaders on SSGT or the social control activities were explored. All groups perceived SSGT to enhance school attendance and academic achievement of students, as well as teacher inclusion skills and the social school climate. Findings indicate that SSGT is largely feasible and socially valid, and broader implementation of SSGT in school settings appears meaningful.

Using HLM to Determine a STEM Programs Impact on Middle School Academic Achievement

Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) has become an increasingly popular multilevel method of analyzing data among nested datasets, in particular, the effect of specialized academic programming within schools. The purpose of this methodological study is to demonstrate the use of HLM to determine the effectiveness of STEM programming in an Ohio middle school. This longitudinal study analyzes potential moderators of gender, socioeconomic status, student race, and attendance rate along with state test scores to quantify achievement. HLM determined integrated STEM education had a significant, positive effect on achievement in math and science combined (students scoring 31.8 points higher on average) and science achievement (students scoring 38.2 points higher on average) compared to traditional education students, respectively. There were little to no interaction effects determined between STEM participation and student factors. This demonstrates HLM as a powerful statistical tool for quantifying the impact of academic programming on student achievement.

Dialogic literary gatherings in out-of-home care to overcome educational inequalities by improving school academic performance

There is much research revealing the educational inequality that affects children and youth in out-of-home care. Some reasons are the institutionalization impact on cognitive, social, and language development; problems of coexistence, or the low expectations of caregivers about their academic possibilities, leading to high rates of school failure and early school leaving. However, there is a lack of knowledge about which specific actions could reverse these adverse impacts and contribute to overcoming educational inequality in disadvantaged contexts. This paper analyzes a Dialogic Literary Gatherings intervention with 13 adolescents and 7 social workers on a group home for the protection and preparation for independent living of victims of family violence and neglect. Monthly Dialogic Literary Gatherings were developed with teenagers between 15 and 18 years old. Data collection consisted of a focus group of 5 adolescents, 2 in-depth interviews with adolescents and 2 in-depth interviews addressed to social workers. School results before and after the intervention have also been analyzed. The research was developed through the Communicative Methodology, which made it possible to analyze the components of the Dialogic Literary Gatherings that contribute to increase academic achievement in this environment. This approach involves the participants through an egalitarian dialogue that encourages them to promote changes in their environment. Beyond simultaneous improvements in the social and emotional well-being of the participants, our findings suggest improvements in the increase of their academic expectations, which reverse in positive progress of their school academic achievements after the intervention.

School Absenteeism and Academic Achievement: Does the Reason for Absence Matter?

Studies consistently show associations between school absences and academic achievement. However, questions remain about whether this link depends on the reason for children’s absence. Using a sample of the Scottish Longitudinal Study (n = 4,419), we investigated whether the association between school absenteeism and achievement in high-stakes exams at the end of compulsory and postcompulsory schooling varies with the reason for absence. In line with previous research, our findings show that overall absences are negatively associated with academic achievement at both school stages. Likewise, all forms of absences (truancy, sickness absence, exceptional domestic circumstances, and family holidays) are negatively associated with achievement at the end of compulsory and postcompulsory schooling. First difference regressions confirm these negative associations, except for family holidays. These findings suggest that, in addition to lost instruction, other mechanisms such as behavioral, health-related, and psychosocial pathways may account for the association between absenteeism and achievement. The findings have implications for designing tailored absenteeism interventions to improve pupils’ academic achievement.

Teacher’s Variables and Biology Students Academic Achievement in Secondary Schools

Teacher’s Variables and Biology Students Academic Achievement in Secondary Schools

Influence of Information Communication Technology Resources Adequacy and Utilization on Students` Academic Achievement in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

The study purposed to provide empirical data on the status of Information Communication Technology (ICT) resources in terms of adequacy and utilization and their influence on academic performance in public secondary schools in Kenya. The concern was the large number of students that perpetually performed dismally in national exams and the wide performance variations between schools in the study locale yet investments and level of utilization of ICT resources as well as how this was influencing observed academic performance was not clear. The study adopted the ex-post facto research design and the Context- Inputs – Processes -Outputs (CIPO) model which is a systems theory approach to the determinants of learning outcomes and school effectiveness (Scheerens, 1991,2013). Target population constituted 386 principals,2316 heads of department (HoDs), and 4160 teachers in 386 schools. Sample size was derived from Kothari (2013) formula and constituted 192 principals,330 HoDs and 352 teachers however the fully filled and returned questionnaires were172 for principals ,330 for HoDs and 344 for Teachers. Main data collection method was Principals` questionnaire (r =.89), HoDs` questionnaire (r =.92) and teachers` questionnaire (r =.87). Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected where qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis while quantitative data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Due to data non-normality inferential statistics was done by use of Kruskal-Wallis H-test and Mann-Whitney U-test as the non-parametric alternatives to (one-way analysis of variance F-test and independent samples t-test) Findings of the study were that ICT resources investments varied widely between public secondary schools but generally and more perniciously, the level of ICT resource investment was woefully low. Computer availability in schools was the variable that influenced performance with highest effective size as it explained about 13% of the variation in academic achievement in the study area. The level of utilization of ICT resources varied between schools but was generally sub-optimal in most schools. Comparing ICT resource adequacy and level of ICT utilization as explanatory variables for academic achievement, it was found that the effect sizes of some of the ICT resources` level of utilization were higher than those for ICT resource adequacy. This implied that to significantly improve learning outcomes and reduce wide performance variations between schools, focus should not just be to invest in ICT resources adequacy in all the schools but also to ensure that all the ICT resources available in the schools are being optimally utilized.

Examining the Correlation between the School Satisfaction Levels and Academic Achievement Scores of Faculty of Health Sciences Students

Examining the Correlation between the School Satisfaction Levels and Academic Achievement Scores of Faculty of Health Sciences Students