School Characteristics Research Articles

Determinants of Household Choice of Pre-Tertiary Education in Ghana

Purpose: This research examined the factors influencing household decisions between public and private pre-tertiary education in Ghana, focusing on the relationship between socioeconomic household variables and school characteristics. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study employed data from the Ghana Living Standard Survey Round 7 (GLSS7), which comprised a sample of 15,000 households drawn from 1,000 enumeration areas. It employed an explanatory research design and used a binary logistic regression technique for analysis. Findings: The research found that though higher spending on pre-tertiary education decreases the likelihood of choosing private schools, higher school fees, transportation costs, and proximity to schools increase the likelihood of opting for private schools. It also revealed significant disparities between urban and rural households, with rural families less inclined to choose private schools due to lower income levels and limited access to private schools. Financial inclusion, reflected by households' bank accounts, was a key factor enabling private school choices. Research Limitation: Although credible, the use of secondary data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GLSS 7) suffers from the usual problem of not asking all the questions that the research would have asked. Social Implication: This research has the potential to inform the policies of the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to implement strategies that enhance the accessibility and affordability of quality education nationwide. Practical Implication: This includes expanding transportation infrastructure in rural areas to reduce distance barriers and improve access to public and private schools. Additionally, efforts to expand financial inclusion should be intensified to empower parents to make school choices for their children. Originality/ Value: This research focused on socio-economic and school-related factors affecting school choice in Ghana, analysing how financial inclusion and regional disparities influence household educational decisions.

Associations Between Socioeconomic, Spatial and Educational Factors and Midlife Periodontal Disease Risk:Evidence From 'High School and Beyond'.

Periodontal disease (PD) is a prevalent, preventable and treatable oral infection associated with substantial morbidity globally. There is little information from population-representative cohort studies about the sociodemographic, educational and other early life factors that stratify PD risk. We used data from the U.S. 'High School and Beyond' (HS&B:80) study, which has followed a nationally representative sample of 26,820 people from high school in 1980 through midlife in 2021. Data from the 1980s include information about education, early life circumstances, spatial location and demographic attributes. Data from 13,080 sample members who responded in 2021 include indicators of self-reported PD diagnosis. People with higher degrees and course grades have a lower risk of midlife PD. Rural adolescents and those who attended private schools are also at lower risk. We find little evidence of heterogeneity in correlates of midlife PD by gender or race/ethnicity. The quantity and characteristics of people's schooling and their location of residence are associated with midlife PD.

School Segregation and Native Flight: Evidence from School Catchment Area Borders

Abstract Although extensively theorized, determining the mechanisms that produce ethnic or racial segregation in schools and neighborhoods has proven difficult. We investigate one potential mechanism behind ethnic segregation; native flight from schools. In contexts where school enrollment is determined primarily by geographic proximity to schools, Native or White parents with a preference for schools with low minority concentrations may choose to move away from schools with higher minority concentrations among students, contributing to both residential and school segregation. Using detailed, population-wide, geo-coded register data on families and school catchment areas for elementary schools in Oslo, Norway, we investigate whether native parents move away from schools with higher shares of students with non-Western immigrant backgrounds. We first show that native origin families systematically move away from schools with high shares of students with non-Western immigrant backgrounds. Employing a Geographic Regression Discontinuity design, exploiting the fact that catchment area borders sort neighboring children into different schools, our results indicate that such moves may be causally linked to local school characteristics, not just their neighborhoods. This may contribute to segregation in schools and neighborhoods. However, the results are ambiguous and sensitive to model specifications, and more research is needed to draw firm conclusions.

두 지역의 IB 인증학교와 IB 후보학교 근무 경험에 대한 자문화 기술지 연구: 세 가지 측면의 갈등을 중심으로

This study aims to provide an understanding of how the introduction of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme affects the operation of the curriculum and teachers’ lives through the experience of one teacher. The researcher worked as an elementary school teacher at an IB world school and IB candidate schools in different regions. The autoethnographic research method was applied to reveal the researcher’s unique experience and explore its meaning, and conflicts were described with a focus on three aspects: relational, structural, and internal conflicts. First, the researcher experienced relational conflict, wherein teachers competed with or were alienated from each other depending on their expected roles in the IB school. Second, the researcher experienced structural conflict that arose from the formation of different commun ities between schools depending on the IB accreditation stage. Third, the researcher experienced internal conflict because of the burden of having to inform and persuade about the effectiveness of the IB along with the desire to be recognized as an IB education expert. On the other hand, the researcher experienced that the special characteristics of elementary schools can be expressed by restructuring the curriculum centered on transdisciplinary topics, which increased the actual cooperation of teachers and improved the quality of education. Therefore, indicators for teachers to develop their professionalism and a practical system for managing the quality of school education should be established.

학교자율시간 운영을 위한 드론 활용 교육프로그램 개발 및 학생 행위주체성 신장 효과

This study aims to develop and implement a drone-based education program for 4th-grade elementary school students during school autonomous hours and to evaluate its impact on student agency. This involved surveys of the educational community and analyses of school infrastructure and characteristics. Using the ADDIE model, a 22-session program was developed. Pre- and post-tests measuring student agency were administered to an experimental group (17) and a control group (32). Additionally, reflections and self-assessment journals from the experimental group were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings are summarized as follows: First, the democratic consensus within the educational community played a key role in the design and implementation of the program. By synthesizing the inputs from students, parents, and teachers, a drone education program aligned with environmental and sustainable development education was developed. The program’s activities included theory and piloting practice based on safety education, using drones to solve school problems, and lessons on career and ethics. This process contributed to a sense of responsibility and cooperation among all stakeholders, especially boosting student motivation and interest in learning while maximizing the program’s effectiveness. Second, the analysis of pre- and post-test results on student agency in both the experimental and control groups, as well as the progression reflected in self-assessment journals, revealed improvements across all four domains of student agency—community agency, learning interaction, purposefulness, and responsibility. Third, the study demonstrated the potential of the developed drone education program as a valuable resource for school autonomous hours. It provided a learning experience where students took the initiative to participate, reorganizing the drone utilization from a briefly covered topic in practical arts or creative classes into 22 lessons to cover related contents in depth and foster cooperation within the educational community. The study found that the developed program positively impacted elementary school students' agency. Moreover, the materials are expected to serve as useful references for developing drone programs for elementary school students and structuring autonomous school hours.

Do we get sick because we are getting old, or do we get old and therefore get sick? Kharkiv Gerontological School - eighty years later

Abstract. Interest in understanding the ageing processes has always existed. The choice of methods for investigating the mechanisms of this fundamental biological phenomenon is determined by the general development of the methodology of biological and medical research. The study of highly dynamic self-organising biological systems developed along the inevitable path of reductionism, which contributed to the discovery of various stages of molecular processes and the formation of such new areas as a set of -omic sciences (genomics, transcriptomics, lipidomics, etc.). The success in understanding the molecular mechanisms of biological systems' functioning led to the realisation of the impossible complexity of integrating private mechanisms into a unified whole, particularly in the development processes and ageing as the final stage of ontogenesis. In the author's opinion, this situation has led to low efficiency of cognition of ageing processes. In this respect, it is reasonable to recall and make a retrospective analysis of the research results of one of the oldest gerontological scientific schools, such as the Kharkiv ontophysiological school of A.V. Nagorny. The review gives the characteristics of the scientific school, the stages of its formation, and the creative environment at the Kharkiv University of the 19th century, based on which the scientific school of A.V. Nagorny was formed.

Personality and interest in general practice: results from an online survey among medical students

BackgroundThe growing shortage of General Practitioners (GPs) is a Europe-wide challenge, particularly in rural areas. In Germany, the situation is worsened by an ageing workforce of GPs and insufficient training of new doctors. Many newly qualified physicians choose careers outside primary care or prefer to work part-time to balance work and family life. To address this problem, it is essential to understand the factors that influence medical students’ specialty choice, and then to take action to encourage them to specialise in General Practice (GP). In addition to medical school experiences, rural placements, or characteristics of the specialty, personality traits have been shown to influence students’ specialty decisions. A well-researched approach to assessing personality is the Five-Factor Model, which measures personality on the dimensions openness (to experience), conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Using the findings about the links between students’ personalities and an increased interest in a career in General Practice may be an approach to raising the number of GPs.ObjectivesWe aimed to examine how students’ personality traits influence their interest in General Practice and their current intention to pursue General Practice as a specialty.MethodsIn March 2021, we started an ongoing online survey among medical students at the University of Würzburg and assessed cross-sectional data about the ‘Big Five’ personality traits and aspects of career choice. Until December 2022, we invited three cohorts of first-year beginners, and one cohort each of third-, fifth- and sixth-year students via email to participate in the survey. For statistical analysis, we performed linear regression and extended it into a path model to examine the relationship between students’ personality traits, their interest in General Practice, and whether they would currently choose General Practice for their future specialty. We controlled for possible confounding effects of age, gender, and current semester by using covariates.ResultsHigher levels of agreeableness and neuroticism predicted greater interest in GPs, whereas higher levels of conscientiousness and openness predicted less interest in GPs. The effects of extraversion were unclear. Age was a significant predictor of interest, with older age associated with greater interest in General Practice. Gender was not a significant predictor of interest in General Practice, and the results for semester were inconclusive. The interest in General Practice is a predictor of the intention to choose GP as a specialty. The personality dimensions show an indirect predictive effect on the intention to choose GP, mediated by interest in GP. In total, R² = 7.7% of the variance of the interest in GP was explained by the combination of personality dimensions and covariates.ConclusionOur study reveals that students’ personality traits predict their interest in General Practice and their intention to choose it as a specialty. Personality assessments can be integrated into counselling services to help students better understand their traits. Our findings highlight the great potential of considering personality in career counselling during medical education or even the extent of admission criteria to medical school by personality-related criteria.

The Moderating Effect of the School’s Policies on School’s Characteristics and University’s Brand Equity in Viet Nam

Higher education is a cornerstone of sustainable development in any nation. In Vietnam, educational policies are constantly evolving to keep pace with societal progress. The rise of private higher education and the implementation of tuition policies have contributed to improved educational quality, prompting the government to establish regulations promoting university autonomy. This study aims to determine the moderating effect of university policies on the relationship between school characteristics and brand equity. Using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), data from 699 respondents in Vietnam were analyzed to identify key factors linking policy to university brand equity. The findings reveal that brand equity is significantly shaped by the interaction between school policies and school characteristics, highlighting that policy, particularly those related to services, play a critical role in enhancing a university’s brand. These results suggest that universities should prioritize the clarity and strategic alignment of their service policies to strengthen brand equity. By doing so, higher education institutions can enhance their competitive advantage and better serve their stakeholders in an increasingly competitive environment.

HARMONI Profile: Examining Levels and Predictors of Student Well-Being in Indonesia

The HARMONI provides a multicomponent approach to measure Indonesia student well-being adapted from the PROSPER framework. We used the measure to describe the overall well-being and the seven components of HARMONI: outcomes, resilience, relationships, purpose, positivity, strengths, and engagement. A cross-sectional study was conducted with socio-demographic and school characteristics as predictors of student well-being. A total of 1579 students from 511 senior high schools completed an online survey. We found that overall well-being based on the HARMONI profile was positive (M=3.92; SD=0.53), with all components showing a trend of optimal well-being. Student well-being is significantly predicted by gender, school area, and school type but not associated with parent income, parent education, grade level, and student major (R2model 1 = .0299). The effect of gender and school type varies by grade level (R2model 2 = .0342;R2model 3 = .0347). The HARMONI can be used not only for measuring well-being but also as a structure for character education. The findings suggest that designing HARMONI-based character education needs to accommodate gender differences, grade levels, school areas, and school types.

코로나19를 경험한 전환기 청소년의 학교적응에 대한 잠재집단 분류와 전이 영향: 잠재전이분석을 적용하여

The purpose of this study is to identify the patterns of school adaptation transition among adolescents who experienced both the COVID-19 pandemic and a school level transition, and to longitudinally examine the factors influencing this transition. To this end, latent transition analysis was conducted using data from the 2018 Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey for 2018 (first year of middle school), 2020 (third year of middle school), and 2022 (second year of high school). The study found that, first, school adaptation profiles were identified as four types in the first year of middle school (teacher relationship-centered maladjustment, maladjustment, low adaptation, high adaptation), three types in the third year of middle school (maladjustment, low adaptation, high adaptation), and four types in the second year of high school (academic-centered maladjustment, maladjustment, low adaptation, high adaptation). Second, the transfer patterns of adolescent school adaptation were represented by three models, and 12 representative transition types were derived. Third, individual and school characteristics, parents' affectionate and autonomous parenting attitudes, and academic apathy were confirmed to influence school adaptation transfers during the first, third, and second years. This study is significant as it provides basic data on school adaptation by clarifying the developmental processes through which transitional adolescents either adapt to or become maladjusted in school.

Competence beliefs using technology in school and teaching - How can we use variance and covariance to identify teachers’ profiles?

This study aims to cluster teachers based on their professional digital competence beliefs using Latent-Profile-Analysis (LPA) and to examine relations to teacher and school characteristics. We also explore the significance of two approaches to varying the variance-covariance-matrix (VCM). Data from n = 698 German teachers was used. We identified a relatively low, medium, and relatively high profile. The means of competence beliefs and the links to teacher and school characteristics between both approaches differed. Across analysis, however, higher age, lower interest, and being female predicted the probability of being in the relatively low profile relative to the other profiles.

Effort-reward imbalance and burnout among German school leaders. Representative study findings and implications for an underserved occupational group.

This study examines the relationship between gratification crisis and burnout syndrome in German school leaders and explores how sociodemographic and school-level factors relate to burnout. Additionally, it investigates how these factors influence the likelihood of experiencing burnout and engagement based on sociodemographic and school characteristics. The research design focuses on the relationship between the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model and latent profiles of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Statistical analyses include group comparisons and logistic regression to examine the relationships between variables, such as ERI and sociodemographic and school-level characteristics. The ERI ratio significantly associated with burnout, indicating higher risk as the ratio rises. Sociodemographic and school-level factors showed significant variations by student numbers and school type. Regression models revealed a positive relationship between ERI and burnout, while age negatively correlated, suggesting lower burnout risk in older leaders. Logistic regression highlighted associations between age, gender, and engagement, with increasing age positively associated with engagement and lower ERI scores associated with higher engagement. The results of the study demonstrate a significant relationship between perceived reward crisis as measured by the ERI model and burnout syndrome among school leaders in Germany. School leaders who feel undervalued and overburdened are more susceptible to burnout. The reported ERI depends on specific contextual variables, including the type of school, the number of students, and the age of the school principal. It is important for schools and educational institutions to address the multiple factors that influence burnout and work engagement among school leaders.

A multilevel analysis of student and school characteristics associated with 15-year-olds’ reading performances: a Southeast Asian perspective

This paper explores student and school level factors associated with 15-year-old students’ reading performance in five Southeast Asian (SEA) countries. It investigates predictors of reading performance, including student gender, economic, social, and cultural status (ESCS), social well-being, and experiences of bullying at the student level. It also explores the school sector, school climate and the proportion of socioeconomically disadvantaged students at the school. Using Hierarchical Linear Modelling (HLM), this study identifies significant relationships between these student-level factors and learning outcomes, illustrating the complex associations that shape academic success. The findings align with prior research, highlighting disparities in reading skills between genders and the negative association of bullying with academic performance. Additionally, the study emphasizes the positive association of ESCS and social well-being on reading achievements, underlining the importance of socioeconomic status and socio-emotional wellbeing in students’ learning success. The associations with school level factors vary across Southeast Asia.

The relationship between interschool social networks and student achievement

ABSTRACT Various forms of networks in education have been proposed by scholars, policymakers, and educational administrators as a strategy for school improvement. However, there are few empirical studies on the effect of interschool networks. We analyzed data from 76 elementary schools in a Midwestern state to examine the association between interschool relationships and student achievement by employing social network analysis and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). After controlling for school and district demographic characteristics, we found that (a) schools that reported to have a stronger relationship with other schools had better math achievement, and more growth in reading achievement; (b) schools with reciprocal relationships had better math and reading achievement, and more growth in reading achievement; and (c) schools that connected to more influential schools in the network had better math and reading achievement, and more growth in reading achievement. We discussed the implications for research, policy, and practice.

Examining the Influence of Demographic Factors on Problem-Solving Ability: A Study of Gender, Family Structure, and School Characteristics

Problem-solving involves overcoming obstacles that hinder goal attainment and finding optimal solutions to issues. This ability empowers learners to address challenges they encounter effectively. Consequently, problem-solving has become one of the most crucial 21st-century skills for better future adjustment in a complex society. This paper examines gender, family type, school type, and locality as correlates of problem-solving ability. The researchers conducted descriptive research with 1,200 secondary school students from the Thoubal district of Manipur. They used the Problem-solving Ability Test (PSAT), which they constructed based on five dimensions of problem-solving ability, to collect data. The findings reveal that male students significantly outperformed female students in the PSAT. Although students from joint families performed slightly better than those from nuclear families, the difference was insignificant. Additionally, students in private schools significantly outperformed those in government schools. Moreover, students from urban schools substantially outperformed those in rural schools on the PSAT.

Persistence and variation of schools as housing amenities

Research from the 1980’s to early 2000’s documents that home values reflect characteristics of neighborhood schools, but recent shifts in education and housing could be changing these patterns. In this paper, I first revisit an old question: how are neighborhood school characteristics capitalized into the value of housing? I then ask, how has this capitalization effect changed over time? In particular, I explore variation from 2008–2023, a period marked by rapid change in school choice, recovery from a housing bust, pandemic-related disruptions, and an increasingly competitive housing market. I use a boundary discontinuity design to compare property sales on either side of elementary school boundaries and explore variation in the capitalization of a variety of school characteristics across years and school and housing conditions. Overall, I document average patterns that are highly consistent with past literature, where test scores and student racial and socioeconomic demographics significantly affect housing sales prices but measures of school growth do not. I also find that the capitalization of test scores and student demographics varies over time, coinciding with the prevalence of school choice and the competitiveness of the housing market.

Associations between School-Based Vision Program Outcomes and School Characteristics in 410 Schools.

School-based vision programs (SBVPs) deliver vision care services directly to students at school, helping address disparities in access to pediatric vision care. We aim to evaluate the associations between SBVP outcomes and school-level characteristics. Retrospective cross-sectional data analysis PARTICIPANTS: Public schools with at least 50 SBVP-enrolled students 5 to 22 years old with complete demographic data. Schools with fewer than 60% of total grade levels served by the SBVP were excluded, resulting in a sample of 410 schools. Vision screening and eye exam data were extracted from Helen Keller International's United States Vision Program dataset from 2016 through 2022. Individual student data were aggregated to characterize each school's SBVP outcomes and analyzed with schools' publicly available socioeconomic and demographic data (student body race and ethnicity composition, proportion of students qualifying for free and reduced-price meals [FARM%], and proportion of English Language Learners). Descriptive statistics summarized SBVP outcomes. Fractional regression models were utilized to understand associations between SBVP outcomes and school characteristics. SBVP outcomes were rates of vision screening failure, eyeglasses prescription, and community eye care referral among each school's SBVP-enrolled students. We evaluated 151 (36.8%) elementary, 155 (37.8%) middle, and 104 (25.4%) high schools, with a median FARM% of 87.4% and a plurality of Hispanic students in 61.0% of schools. Overall median rates of vision screening failure, eyeglasses prescription, and referral were 38.4%, 25.2%, and 5.4%, respectively. High schools were associated with increased screening failure and eyeglasses prescription rates and a decrease in referral rate, compared with elementary schools. In multivariate analysis, each 10% increase in FARM% was associated with a 2.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.54-3.65), 1.8% (CI: 0.87-2.74), and 0.86% (CI: 0.36-1.36) increase in screening failure, eyeglasses prescription, and referral rates, respectively. There is significant vision care demand among public schools, especially those with student populations from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. SBVPs are important in bridging the gap in pediatric vision care access in such populations. Our findings demonstrated opportunities to allocate program staffing and equipment resources according to schools' anticipated needs, thus maximizing SBVPs' impact in delivering pediatric vision care.

How Sexism in Institutions and Everyday Interactions Shapes Early Childbearing

Early childbearing is associated with poor outcomes for parents and children, potentially exacerbating inequality within and across generations. Building on the structural sexism and health perspective, we argue that systemic gender inequality is a conceptually important—and understudied—factor in early childbearing. Using survey data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health ( N = 5,052 female respondents and 32,595 person-years) merged to state, county, and school characteristics, we investigate how exposure to structural sexism during adolescence shapes early childbearing. We measure structural sexism in institutional domains with state and county-level measures of economic, cultural, and reproductive health. We also generate a novel measure of structural sexism in interactional domains, capturing gendered expectations, power dynamics, and conservative religious beliefs among school peers. We find that institutional sexism is associated with a higher likelihood of early childbearing among young women racialized as Black, but not among those racialized as White. Interactional sexism is also a significant predictor of early childbearing, and is especially salient for adolescents as they turn to peers for social cues about gender roles. Our results underscore the importance of institutional and interactional forces for shaping families and raise questions about increasingly polarized gender climates post- Dobbs.

Capturing the Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors of Supportive Relationships in Early Adolescence

Guided by self-determination theory and the bioecological model, this latent class analysis explores the patterns and predictors of supportive relationships in a national sample of early adolescents ( N = 6,469). A six-class solution emerged: youth with (1) emotional, informational, and academic support from various adults and peers across home, school, and community settings; (2) emotional and informational support from school friends; (3) low support; (4) emotional, informational, and academic support from parents and school friends; (5) emotional and informational support from out of school friends, and (6) emotional and informational support from family. Multinomial logistic regression results indicate the unequal distribution of relational support was predicted by individual, home, or school characteristics: being female, extracurricular participation, and higher socioeconomic home or school contexts were associated with membership in classes with a pattern of greater relational support in comparison to the low support class. The importance of targeting subgroups of adolescents in need of relational support and enhancing home and school settings are discussed.

A Study on the Relationship between Confucius Institutes and Kenya’s Agricultural Economy in the Belt and Road Perspective: A Case Study of Confucius Institute at Egerton University

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has attracted attention from all sides since it was proposed. As one of the bridges connecting China and the countries along the Belt and Road, Confucius Institutes have also received attention for their declining popularity and role in recent years. To explore whether Confucius Institutes can seize the new development opportunities brought by the Belt and Road, to realize innovative development and achieve better economic cooperation between China and the countries along the route. This paper takes Kenya’s economic structure as an entry point and focuses on the relationship between Kenya’s economic and agricultural development and the development of Confucius Institutes. Using the case study method, it analyzes the agricultural cooperation mechanism of the Confucius Institute Egerton University in Kenya--”Chinese + Agriculture” schooling characteristics. The paper concludes that under this mechanism, the Confucius Institute does have the possibility of further development. Based on this, this paper puts forward the following suggestions. The future development of Confucius Institutes should not be purely as a platform for cultural export but should pay more attention to the development mechanism that combines with the actual economic needs of the local community to have a more long-term development.