School Achievement Research Articles

Importance of students’ social resources for their academic achievement and well-being in elementary school

Based on the relationships motivation theory, it can be assumed that social interactions in elementary school are essential for students’ development and especially for their school success. Thus, this study examined how vital social resources, more precisely social interactions with peers and teachers, are for two central aspects of school success, namely academic achievement and well-being. To this end, the representative German PIRLS 2016 data of 3959 fourth-grade students (MAge = 10.34 years; N = 1,940 girls, 71% white) were analyzed. Social interactions were operationalized using factors indicating whether students experienced bullying from peers, and how much teacher support they perceived. We found that fewer bullying experiences and more perceived teacher support were positively related to academic achievement and enjoyment of school as a prominent aspect of school-related well-being. Applying machine-learning methods to avoid overfitting while including important control variables, only the effects of bullying experiences and perceived teacher support on well-being remained robust. The results underlined that positive relationship experiences were particularly important for students’ well-being but not necessarily incremental to students’ academic achievement.

Determinants of academic achievement from the middle to secondary school education: A systematic review

AbstractBecause it is crucial for psychosocial adjustment and lifelong learning, education is the most relevant tool for ensuring inclusion and reducing inequalities. Due to its relationship with positive outcomes, such as life satisfaction, mental health, job performance or SES, academic achievement is a significant phenomenon that impacts students, families, and educational institutions. The present study sought to contribute to the field by reviewing the literature on the determinants that influence the objective achievements of a typical population of middle- to high-school students. Based on the PRISMA statement, a search for related studies was performed in the WoS, EBSCO, and PubMed databases, and 771 studies published between 1930 and 2022 were identified. After screening based on the analysis of abstracts, 35 studies met the selection criteria. The Bronfenbrenner ecological model served as the theoretical rationale for organizing the studies’ findings. The results of this review highlight the following determinants of school achievement: (i) Personal factors—gender, personality traits, cognitive abilities and academic background, motivation and self-constructs, stress and problem-solving strategies, and substance use; (ii) Contextual microsystem factors—(a) Family—parental educational background; parenting practices and interactions; parental involvement and support; (b) School—school location; school conditions, responsiveness, and practices; (c) Peers—peer-group disagreement management. This systematic review updates the existing empirical evidence on this topic and highlights the complexity of the phenomenon of academic achievement.

Headteachers’ Instructional Leadership Practices: A Comparison of Public and Private Basic Schools in Two Selected Districts in Ghana

ABSTRACT This study compared headteachers’ instructional leadership practices in public and private basic schools in two selected districts in Ghana. The study used a quantitative cross-sectional survey design and a simple random sampling technique to invite 336 teacher participants. The research utilized the teacher version of Hallinger and Murphy’s Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) as the research instrument and descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) as analytical tools. Results showed that headteachers in private basic schools enacted instructional leadership functions significantly higher than their counterparts in public basic schools. Among other things, headteachers in private basic schools framed and communicated school goals, supervised and evaluated instruction, monitored student progress, protected instructional time, and promoted teacher professional development significantly higher than headteachers in public basic schools. As the government of Ghana hopes to improve learners’ academic achievements in public basic schools, the study recommends that pragmatic strategies that could improve the instructional leadership practices of the headteachers should be implemented.

The effect of academic outcomes, equity, and student demographics on parental preferences for schools: evidence from a survey experiment

Abstract How does competition for school resources, along with racial and socioeconomic biases, shape parental preferences for schools? In this article, I investigate how school attributes affect preferences and choice, which sheds light on the processes that maintain school segregation. To do so, I conduct a survey experiment that explores parental preferences and the tradeoffs inherent in the process of school selection using school profiles that resemble those available on widely used education data platforms. I find that parents hold the strongest positive preferences for learning opportunities and overall school achievement compared to other attributes, including school racial and socioeconomic composition. Additionally, though parents prefer schools that have higher equity rankings, highly equitable schools are less desirable to parents than schools with more status and learning opportunities. However, parents also hold independent racial and socioeconomic preferences and —on average—avoid schools with more students of color and low-income students. Furthermore, results suggest they are largely unwilling to make tradeoffs that would result in schools with higher fractions of students of color or low-income students. Taken together, this study links prior studies on the segregating effects of educational data with literatures on school segregation by illustrating the specific dimensions that drive school choice.

Effectiveness of Inclusive Teaching Strategies in Improving Students’ Academic Achievement in Primary Schools in Makambako Town Council, Tanzania

Effectiveness of Inclusive Teaching Strategies in Improving Students’ Academic Achievement in Primary Schools in Makambako Town Council, Tanzania

Influence of Boards of Management Practices on Teachers Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya: A Case of Manga Sub-County Nyamira County, Kenya

The purpose of the Basic Education Act No. 14 of 2013 is to increase professionalism in the administration of public elementary schools by establishing Boards of Management. The purpose of this research is to analyse the effect that Boards of Management policies have on student achievement in public primary schools in the Manga sub-county of Kisii County, Kenya. The study set out to answer several questions about the impact of various factors on students' academic success, including the availability of instructional resources, the quality of the school's physical environment, the quality of the teaching staff, and the effectiveness of the school's management's efforts to motivate its employees. The research was based on the open systems theory and the Path Goal Leadership Theory. The study used a variety of research strategies. Concurrent triangulation, a research strategy that blends quantitative and qualitative data, was used for this investigation. Principals, BOM members, and the Sub County Director of Education made up the study population. Sampling was performed using a stratified random sampling technique. Strata were designated as learning environments. Questionnaires and interview scripts were used to compile the data. The researcher piloted the surveys with two elementary schools in Manga Sub County that have certain demographic and social characteristics with the study area. Pearson's Product Coefficient was used to verify reliability. Co-efficient. If the dependability co-efficient was lower than 0.7, then the instruments would need to be improved. The instruments' validity and reliability were established by having them crafted under the watchful eyes of the supervisors and by consulting with subject-matter experts. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to analyse the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the quantitative approaches. Descriptive statistics included measurements of central tendency and dispersion, such as means and standard deviations. Chi-square tests and spearman rank order correlations were used for inferential statistics. Analysing qualitative data required making sense of the responses and contrasting them with prior research. Frequency tables, percentages, and other numerical were used. Ethical considerations were taken into account during the investigation. The vast majority of respondents agreed that their schools' ability to provide necessary teaching and learning resources was facilitated by adhering to a schedule of events. The majority of respondents said that BOM members are capable of accurately forecasting and budgeting for physical infrastructure on their own. All respondents said that those working in BOM were trustworthy because of their moral rectitude and upright character. The research concluded that the Ministry of Education should institute safeguards to guarantee that only qualified individuals serve on public elementary school governing boards. It is imperative that steps be taken to guarantee the exchequer allocates sufficient funds for the purchase of physical infrastructure for public elementary schools

Individualist-collectivist profiles in secondary school: an exploratory study of trait emotional intelligence and academic achievement

An individualist (I) or collectivist (C) cultural orientation affects individuals’ attitudes, behaviours and values. This study aimed to identify the first-year secondary-school students’ I–C profiles and explore their implications for students’ trait emotional intelligence (EI), emotions towards school and academic achievement (GPA) throughout the 3-year secondary-school cycle. A total of 222 secondary-school students (58.6% females; Mage = 15.4; SD = .63 in the 10th grade) were enrolled in a longitudinal study. The cluster analysis identified three distinct I–C profiles: high individualist-low collectivist students, low individualistic-midlevel collectivist students and high individualist–high collectivist students. The results revealed significant differences between the I–C profiles regarding students’ trait EI, emotions towards school and GPA throughout secondary school, in particular favouring the high individualist–high collectivist profile. These findings are discussed based on the practical implications for students’ outcomes in the current secondary school system.

Kindergarten Predictors of Third-Grade Reading, Math, and Science Achievement: The Influences of Self-Regulation and Early Language Development

Young children’s self-regulation (executive function; approaches to learning) and early language functions have been shown to independently predict children’s achievement in school, particularly reading and mathematics. Controlling for SES, gender and age at kindergarten entry, hierarchical multiple regression was used to test the hypothesis that children’s executive functions, approaches to learning, and early language functions at the beginning of kindergarten would predict third-grade reading, mathematics, and science achievement. Third-grade is a benchmark year as it usually marks the beginning of standardized testing and plays a pivotal role in determining children’s academic trajectories. Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011 (ECLS-K: 2011) were used to test the hypotheses. The hypothesized models suggest that executive function, approaches to learning, and language functions measured at the beginning of kindergarten are predictive of third-grade academic achievement. While the factors were individually predictive, the regression model was the strongest when it included the factors collectively. Implications for both policy and practice are noted.

Which learning techniques supported by cognitive research do students use at secondary school? Prevalence and associations with students’ beliefs and achievement

Research in cognitive science has highlighted the effectiveness of several learning techniques, and a number of studies have analyzed their prevalence among university students and their relationship with academic achievement. In this study, we surveyed a large, heterogeneous sample of secondary school students to reveal how often they use research-supported techniques in comparison with other frequent techniques, and we analyzed the association between their study strategies and school achievement. We also assessed the associations between study techniques and several students’ beliefs and attitudes toward learning (self-efficacy, goal orientation, control beliefs, growth mindset, and examination anxiety). Results showed that, except for distributed practice, only those techniques that are supported by previous research yielded an association with achievement, and they exhibited higher associations with self-efficacy, growth mindset, control beliefs, and learning goal orientation than non-supported techniques.

Beyond School Climate: Conceptualizing the School as a Protective Factor Approach.

The school climate concept has been promising, but has long-standing critiques that have not been adequately addressed to date. The School as a Protective Factor approach represents one attempt to offer a new approach that builds on and extends beyond the concept of school climate while addressing previously identified limitations. The School as a Protective Factor approach offers a new framework for conceptualizing, measuring, and establishing protective school social and learning environments that co-promote academic achievement and student health in schools, especially student mental health and substance use/abuse prevention. This new framework includes clear definitions, explicit goals, firmly established constructs, validated measures, and an intentionally parsimonious approach that prioritizes the implementation of well-established, high-impact constructs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND EQUITY: The School as a Protective Factor approach presents a simple, easy-to-use means of ensuring a school social environment that meets the developmental, academic, and health needs of all children and adolescents while maximizing protection across a range of desired outcomes. Perhaps most importantly, it does so in a manner that is manageable and easily integrated into every aspect of schooling, resonates with the practical experience of school personnel, and includes brief, effective, and free measurement tools.

Predictive analysis of college students’ academic procrastination behavior based on a decision tree model

Predicting academic procrastination among college students in the context of a public crisis could provide essential academic support and decision-making strategies for higher education institutions to promote student psychological health. Notably, research focusing on predicting academic procrastination behavior among college students in the context of a global crisis is still limited. The purpose of this study is to address this gap by constructing a predictive model based on the decision tree algorithm to predict academic procrastination behavior among college students. A total of 776 college students from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China participated in this study. The study gathered data from multiple aspects relevant to academic procrastination behavior, including demographic information, academic achievements, subjective well-being, smartphone addiction, negative emotions, self-esteem, life autonomy, pro-environmental behavior, academic achievement, and sense of school belonging. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted utilizing SPSS version 26.0, and decision tree model analysis was performed with Modeler 18.0. The findings of this study identified eight predictive factors of college students’ academic procrastination in order of importance: subjective well-being, smartphone addiction, negative emotions, self-esteem, life autonomy, pro-environmental behavior, academic performance, and sense of school belonging. The model accuracy was 85.78%, and indicating a relatively high level of prediction. The findings of this study not only provided a new perspective for understanding academic procrastination but also offered practical guidance for educators on how to mitigate this behavior.

Relations between motivation, social and emotional learning (SEL), and English learning achievements in Hong Kong primary schools

ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of declining motivation and growing social and emotional challenges in English learning experienced by Hong Kong primary school students, the study aimed to profile an interactive pattern between relevant motivational beliefs (i.e., self-efficacy, interest, and growth mindset), social and emotional learning (SEL) skills and English learning achievements. Data was collected from 913 4th graders with questionnaires and an English test. Results indicated a medium-high level of motivation among the participants, and a high level of self-awareness and social awareness skills but a medium level of self-management and social management skills in terms of SEL. More importantly, structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses confirmed the intricate interplay where the motivational beliefs predicted English learning achievements through the mediation of self-awareness and self-management skills. Our findings also underscore the relatively higher importance of interest and growth mindset than self-efficacy in English learning for young children. Pedagogical implications are discussed.

Assessing the Potentials of Compurized Adaptive Testing to Enhance Mathematics and Science Student’t Achievement in Secondary Schools

This study focuses on Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT), designed to provide Mathematics and Basic Science teachers in secondary schools with an innovative method of assessment, that can enhance student’s achievement. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Three research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Using purposive sampling technique, a sample size of four hundred (400) Junior secondary three (JSS3) students and four private schools with computer laboratories in Akwa Ibom State were selected for the study. Each group had 100 members with mixed Mathematical and Basic Science competencies of high, medium, and low. The instrument for data collection was a Mathematics and Basic Science Computerized Adaptive Test (MABSCAT) developed by the researchers, tested, and modified after trial testing.Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA was used to analysed the data. Results indicated that: test lengths, testing times, and Mathematical and Basic Science competencies were significantly different at p=0.05 among four groups of stopping criteria (SEE ≤ 0.20, SEE ≤ 0.30, SEE ≤ 0.40 , and SEEm- SEEm-1 ≤ 0.005); test lengths and testing times were significantly different at p=0.05 among the three groups of Mathematical and Basic Science competencies (low, moderately high, and high); and there were 72.25 %, 16.75%, and 8% of the students having a moderately high, low, and high Mathematics and Basic Science achievement respectively. It was recommended among others that, Government should establish item banks, CAT should be introduced in assessment of learning for the actual abilities of the students to be tested with sufficient accuracy.

Effects Of Jolly Phonics Strategy on Pupils’ Reading Achievement and Attitudes in Lagos State Lower Basic Schools

This study investigated the effectiveness of implementing the Jolly Phonics strategy on pupils’ reading achievement and attitude within the context of lower basic schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted the quasi-experimental pre-testing, post-test, control group experimental design. The population of the study consisted of all basic 1 pupil in public lower basic schools in Lagos State. While the sample size was Three hundred and twenty-four (324) pupils of Lower Basic 1 and Nine (9) teachers who were randomly and purposively selected using Simple Random sampling technique. The sample size was drawn from three schools from three Local Government Education Authority Areas (LGEAs) in Lagos State public lower basic schools. Two research questions were used and three instruments used for eliciting responses were Achievement Test in Reading (ATR), Pupils’ Attitude to Reading Questionnaire (PARQ) and Pupils’ Verbal Ability Test (PVAT). The instruments were validated by experts in early childhood and measurement and evaluation. The test re-test method was adopted for instrument reliability at 0.75. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Mean and Standard deviation) Variance and Analysis Covariance (ANCOVA) Findings revealed that Jolly Phonics had significant effect on the academic achievement in reading of basic 1 pupil in lower basic schools and their attitude. Pupils taught with Jolly Phonics strategy performed better in reading achievement and had positive attitude than those taught with conventional method. It was recommended that Jolly phonics instructional strategies should be incorporated into basic school reading curriculum. This will help them develop reading skills easily. Individual differences in pupils’ reading ability should be identified and addressed through variation of reading strategies as was provided for in the experimental groups with jolly phonics strategy. Government, school managers and administrators should provide adequate instructional materials that will motivate pupils to easily adapt to jolly instructional strategy.

Prıncıpal Leadershıp And Teacher Performance On Student Success

The determinants of student achievement in schools are widely studied, including factors at school. Research on principal leadership, teacher performance, and student success has been carried out by many other researchers with varied results. This study aims to explain these two factors on student achievement based on teacher and student assessments. The research method used is quantitative through survey techniques. Statistical analysis used is non-parametric statistic Mean-Withney test. This research compared perceptions of teachers and students, male and female, from two school institutions. The comparison results show that both teachers and students agree that the principal has an effect on student achievement (U = 364,000; p = 0.229). In addition, teachers and students agreed that teacher support affected student achievement (U = 369,000; p = 0.266). These results indicate that both students and teachers see a relationship between the leadership role of school principals and teacher performance with student success. These findings can contribute to the development of psychology and education.

Teachers’ Job Satisfaction and School Academic Achievement

The study analyzed the relationship between teachers’ job satisfaction and academic achievement in the elementary schools in Leyte Division, Philippines. The study adopted a descriptive research design. It utilized the job satisfaction survey questionnaire and the National Achievement Test results. The statistical tools included the weighted mean and Pearson correlation coefficient. It was revealed that teachers were satisfied with their job assignments. Whereas, academic achievement showed an average mean percentage score (MPS), indicating an achievement that is moving towards mastery. Moreover, it was disclosed that there was no significant relationship between teachers’ job satisfaction and school academic achievement. To enhance the level of teachers’ job satisfaction and further improve school academic achievement, school administrators may consider strategic initiatives that support teachers’ career development. Thus, it is suggested that school heads should look into the personal and professional well-being of teachers. Future studies, including additional variables such as teachers’ information and communication technology (ICT) literacy skills and ICT facilities, should correlate it with school achievement.

Principals’ Management Skills and School Academic Achievement

School management skills are seen as the dominant indicating factors for the success of the school, such as academic achievement. This study examines the relationship between management skills and academic achievement in the respondents’ schools in Leyte Division, utilizing a descriptive research design. Questionnaires and documentary analysis were used in gathering the relevant data. The school principals with at least three years of experience were involved in the study. The weighted mean and Pearson correlation coefficient were used in the data analysis. Results revealed that the principals had very high management skills in technical, conceptual, human relations, administrative and supervisory, resource generation and fiscal management, and networking and linkages. Overall, the school principals possess the necessary management skills to govern the school. On the other hand, the academic achievement of the selected schools was categorized as moving towards mastery. This indicates that the schools had their best practices in place. Moreover, findings showed that there is no significant relationship between management skills and school academic achievement. For the continual improvement of quality education, future studies, including additional variables such as schools’ ICT facilities, may be correlated with school achievement.

SINGLE SHIFT IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN LOWER PRIMARY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN RWANDA, A CASE OF KARONGI DISTRICT

The research investigated the single shift implementation strategies and students academic performance in lower primary public schools in Rwanda, a case study of Karongi district. According to the data, 77.6% of respondents strongly agreed that the first objective of the implementation of single shift in their school is well organized and effectively managed 82.2% strongly agreed that the necessary infrastructure and facilities are available to support the implementation of single shift in our school and 90.0% strongly agreed that the teaching staff in their school is adequately trained and prepared for the implementation of single shift. This result reveals that the schools single-shift implementation is well organized, there is the availability of necessary infrastructure, and the teaching staff is adequately trained, which are indicators of the single-shift implementation strategies. For the second objective, the study found that 79.8% strongly agreed that the academic performance of students in our school has improved since the implementation of single shift. The study found a strong positive relationship between enhanced teacher-student interaction, improved school infrastructures, improved class attendance, increased qualified teachers, curriculum design and improved grades. These findings suggest that enhanced teacher-student interaction, improved school infrastructure, improved class attendance, improved grades, and improved curriculum design all contribute to improved outcomes. Lastly, as the p-value is smaller than 0.05, the aforementioned characteristics are positively correlated with academic achievement in lower primary public schools in the Karongi district of Rwanda. It is advised that reconsidering students take responsibility for their learning, attend regularly, seek help, develop good study habits, participate in extracurricular activities, and implement student-centred pedagogies. Teachers should provide individualized support, use various methods, collaborate, and continuously update their skills.

English

Based on observations and interviews, it was discovered that junior high school students' achievement in measuring object material remained low. To improve students' achievement, innovative learning media such as hologram media can be implemented. This research aimed to produce hologram media that is decent and effective in improving student achievement. The hologram media products development follows the ADDIE model, including 3D hologram animation videos creation and a teaching module to aid the learning process. A range of tests were conducted on various products, including justification tests, perception tests, and student achievement tests. The participants consisted of experts, teachers, and students. According to experts, both products were successfully developed and received very decent justification. Teachers and students have also reported excellent perceptions when using the products for learning purposes. According to the achievement test results, students' average post-test score (81.85) is higher than their pre-test score (50.74). The results indicate a normal distribution and significant differences through a normality test and paired sample t-test. According to the N-Gain test results, it showed a 63.41% effectiveness rate, indicating that the learning on the measuring of object material using our hologram media is capable of enhancing student achievement in junior high school.

Microsystem and intrapersonal variables associated with middle school achievement: The important role of engagement

Through an ecological theory lens, the purpose of the current study was to examine variables that most strongly influence middle school academic achievement among a sample of 240 sixth-eighth graders in the Midwest. The purpose was to explore whether student academic organizational practices uniquely predicted middle school achievement, and whether intrapersonal variables (engagement, metacognition, and student organization/academic practices) moderated relationships between contextual factors (parent, teacher, and peer support) and achievement. The combination of contextual and intrapersonal variables accounted for variance in achievement. Engagement was the intrapersonal factor that consistently contributed to the models. Metacognition moderated peer support and academic achievement. When school engagement becomes a primary focus, versus only attempting to remediate metacognitive and organizational deficits, this can pave a more accessible path for both educators and parents to teach other skills that are essential to educational attainment and occupational success. Implications for interventions targeting student participation, attention, and effort are discussed.