Children's Achievement Level Research Articles

(En‐)‘lightening’ children: Assessing the impacts of access to electricity on learning achievement levels

AbstractThe welfare impacts of electrification are well documented in the literature, including the effects of electricity on school enrolment. However, the spillover effects of electrification on children's achievement levels are scarce. We use three complementary but distinct econometric models to establish a causal relationship between electrification and test scores using nationally representative household panel data from India. We find positive results irrespective of the choice of econometric model, and these results seem to be mediated by changing time‐use patterns of children with access to electricity. We first exploit the plausibly exogenous variation in access to electricity due to a universal electrification program in the state of West Bengal in India and we find positive effects of electrification on children's test scores. By age group, we find that younger cohorts benefit more in terms of their reading scores than older cohorts. Then, to ascertain external validity of these results, we replicate them over a nationally representative sample using fixed effects and instrumental variables estimation and find similar results. At the intensive margin, we find that access to more hours of electricity positively affects test scores. We identify an increase in time spent by children on study‐related activities as the potential channel for these results.

Meningkatkan Kemampuan Fisik Motorik Halus Anak Kelompok B Melalui Metode Demonstrasi

The purpose of this study was to determine students' level of success in the Physical Fine Motor aspects through the Demonstration Method. The approach used is a qualitative approach where research is based on descriptive data from spoken words or observable behavior. Demonstration assessment techniques can be carried out using a checklist and rating scale. This research was conducted at Kemala Bhayangkari Kindergarten with ten students. Applying the demonstration method by making cow puppets can improve children's fine motor development, which previously only 30% of children's achievement levels increased to 90%.

초등학생의 지구의 운동과 태양계 학습 발달과정의 타당성 검증: 구인 타당도 및 결과 타당도를 중심으로

이 연구는 '지구의 운동과 태양계' 학습 발달과정의 타당성을 2가지 측면에서 검증하고자 하였다: 첫 번째는 구인 타당도로서 학생들이 학습하는 동안에 본 연구의 학습 발달과정에서 설정한 가설적인 발달 경로에 따라 실제로 학생들의 발달이 나타나는가를 조사하였다. 두 번째는 결과 타당도로서 학습 발달과정에 기반한 적응적 교수활동이 대부분의 학생들에게 향상된 학습효과를 산출하는가를 조사하였다. 이를 위해 서울, 강원, 광주 지역 소재 6개 초등학교에서 5학년 학생 373명과 교사 17명이 연구에 참여하였다. 초등학교 5학년의 태양계와 별 단원에서 지구의 운동과 태양계 관련 내용을 포함하는 적응적 교수활동을 개발하고, 교수활동 사전과 사후에 순위 선다형 문항(13개)으로 구성된 검사지를 투입하여 그 결과를 비교 분석하였다. 구인 타당도를 알아보기 위해 실험군 학생들을 대상으로 사전과 사후의 수준 변화를 분석한 결과, 약 64%에 해당하는 학생들이 적응적 교수활동에 의해 가설적으로 설정한 경로를 따라 발달하는 것으로 나타났으며, 사전/사후 검사 결과를 Rasch 모델로 적용한 분석 결과도 이를 뒷받침하였다. 결과 타당도를 알아보기 위해 실험군과 대조군의 사전검사를 공변량으로 한 공변량분석(ANCOVA)을 실시한 결과, 실험군 학생들의 수준 향상이 대조군 학생들의 경우에 비해 비해 통계적으로 유의미하게 높은 것으로 나타났으며(F=30.819, p=0.000), 실험군이 대조군보다 정적(+) 수준 변화 경향이 더 뚜렷하게 나타났다. 또한, Rasch 모델을 적용하여 결과 타당도를 검증한 결과, 실험군이 대조군보다 학생 능력치 상승이 더 높게 나타났으며, 이러한 차이는 통계적으로 유의미한 것으로 분석되었다(F=11.632, p=0.001). The purpose of this study is to validate learning progressions for Earth's motion and solar system from two different perspectives of validity. One is construct validity, that is whether a hypothetical pathway derived from our study of LPs is supported by empirical evidence of children's substantive development. The other is consequential validity, which refers to the impact of LP-based adaptive instruction on children's improved learning outcomes. For this purpose, 373 fifth-grade students and 17 teachers from six elementary schools in Seoul, Kangwon province, and Gwangju participated. We designed LP-based adaptive instruction modules delving into the unit of 'Solar system and stars.' We also employed 13 ordered multiple-choice items and analyzed the transitions of children's achievement levels based on the results of pre-test and post-test. For testing construct validity, 64 % of children in the experimental group showed improvement according to the hypothetical pathways. Rasch analysis also supports this results. For testing consequential validity, the analysis of covariance between experimental and control groups revealed that the improvement of experimental group is significantly higher than the control group (F=30.819, p=0.000), and positive transitions of children's achievement level in the experimental group are more dominant than in the control group. In addition, the findings of applying Rasch model reveal that the improvement of students' ability in the experimental group is significantly higher than that of the control group (F=11.632, p=0.001).

Class Size Effects on Reading Achievement Using PIRLS Data: Evidence from Greece

Background/ContextThe effects of class size on student achievement have gained considerable attention in education research and policy, especially over the last 30 years. Perhaps the best evidence about the effects of class size thus far has been produced from analyses of Project STAR data, a large-scale experiment where students and teachers were randomly assigned to smaller or larger classes within schools. Researchers have also analyzed observational data to examine the effects of class size, but the results have been mixed.Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of StudyIt is generally difficult to draw causal inferences about class size effects with observational data because of the omitted variables problem. This shortcoming can be overcome with instrumental variables (IV) methods that are designed to facilitate causal inferences. The present study uses IV methods to examine the effects of class size on reading achievement using data from the 2001 fourth-grade sample of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) in Greece. We took advantage of Greece's nationwide rule about maximum class size in elementary schools to construct IV estimates of class size.PopulationPIRLS was designed to monitor children's achievement levels in fourth grade worldwide. We used reading achievement data from 2001 in Greece. The sample was a national probability sample of fourth graders. The use of appropriate weights helped us make projections to the fourth-grade student population in Greece in 2001.Research DesignThe research design was secondary analysis. We examined whether class size predicts reading achievement for fourth graders in Greece net of student, teacher/classroom, and school characteristics. We used multilevel models to capture the dependency in the data (i.e., students nested within schools). We also used instrumental variables methods to facilitate causal inferences about class size effects.ConclusionsWe investigated the effects of class size on reading achievement for fourth graders in Greece in 2001 using rich data from PIRLS. The results produced from the multilevel and the IV analyses were overall similar. Generally, the results indicated a positive association between class size and achievement. However, the association was typically statistically insignificant, especially when teacher/classroom and school variables were taken into account.

Managing children learning: support-based screening procedure for motor, cognition and language communication in early childhood education

Support-based screening procedures (SBSP) for motor, cognition and language communication in early childhood education (ECE) are aimed at identifying general developmental problems in children. The difficulties associated within carrying out screening procedures in developing and developed societies are very different, as are the methods for selecting appropriate SBSP for preschool children in these two contexts. This study gathered data using Kochung’s (2000) questionnaire on SBSP, however, it was modified to suit the present research framework. To satisfy this investigation, a number of statistical analyses were conducted: descriptive statistics (percentages, mean point value, standard deviation), chi square and one-way-analysis of variance (ANOVA). This study confirmed that children from rural areas need more support than children in the urban areas and that the achievement levels of children depend on the educational level and occupational status of parents and number of siblings. The study further revealed the validity and reliability of the use of SBSP when assessing children’s support needs and general developmental problems. This study recommends that children be screened in the preschool years so as to detect any developmental problems and enable early intervention.

Teacher–child interactions and children’s achievement trajectories across kindergarten and first grade.

This study examined the extent to which the quality of teacher-child interactions and children's achievement levels at kindergarten entry were associated with children's achievement trajectories. Rural students (n = 147) were enrolled in a longitudinal study from kindergarten through first grade. Growth trajectories (initial level and slope) were modeled with hierarchical linear modeling for 3 areas of achievement: word reading, phonological awareness, and mathematics. Cross-classified analyses examined the extent to which quality of teacher-child interactions and children's starting level predicted achievement growth rates over 2 years, and they also accounted for the changing nesting structure of the data. Results indicated that achievement at kindergarten entry predicted children's growth for all 3 outcomes. Further, first-grade teachers' strong emotional support related to greater growth in students' phonological awareness. Emotional and instructional support in first grade moderated the relationship between initial achievement and growth in word reading. Kindergarten classroom organization moderated the relationship between initial achievement and growth in mathematics. The implications of schooling for early growth trajectories are discussed.

Systematic reading training in the family: Development, implementation, and initial evaluation of the Berlin Parent–Child Reading Program

Drawing on knowledge about the development of reading comprehension, and empirical insights into the effects of training on students' learning strategies and reading-related metacognition, we developed a parent–child reading program for implementation in the home environment. The results of this first quasi-experimental evaluation study indicate that it is generally possible to implement a program of this kind within the family setting, but that participation is low and selective based on family background and children's achievement level. Nevertheless, participation in the program was found to have substantial effects on the development of vocabulary and on reading-related metacognition, indicating that family-based reading programs have considerable potential. The issues of selective participation and the lack of a program effect on text comprehension are discussed, and prospects for future research on systematic reading training in the family context are considered.

Classroom interactions: Exploring the practices of high‐ and low‐expectation teachers

Early research exploring teacher expectations concentrated on the dyadic classroom interactions of teachers with individual students. More recent studies have shown whole class factors to have more significance in portraying teachers' expectations. Recently teachers having high or low expectations for all their students have been identified. The aim of the current investigation was to explore whether the classroom exchanges of high- and low-expectation teachers differed substantially and might be considered a mechanism for teachers' expectations. The participants were 12 primary school teachers from eight schools who had been identified as having expectations for their students' learning that were either significantly above or below the children's achievement level. The teachers formed three groups called high-expectation, low-expectation and average-progress teachers. The participants were observed twice in the academic year during half-hour reading lessons. Two people observed each lesson, one completing a structured observation protocol and the other a running record and audiotape. In contrast to the average progress and low expectation teachers, the high-expectation teachers spent more time providing a framework for students' learning, provided their students with more feedback, questioned their students using more higher-order questions, and managed their students' behaviour more positively. There appear to be important differences in the classroom environments for the students of high-expectation, average-progress and low-expectation teachers. The differences apply to both the instructional and socioemotional environments of the classroom. Such disparities may act as mechanisms for teacher expectation effects.

Assessment of School Functioning Among Israeli Arab Children with Hearing Loss in the Primary Grades

The study examined school functioning of Israeli Arab children with hearing impairment (HI) who were included in regular education classrooms, in comparison to their classmates with normal hearing (NH). Ninety-three children (60 NH and 33 HI), grades 1-6, participated. Teachers evaluated the children using the Arabic version of the Screening Instrument for Targeting Educational Risks (SIFTER; Anderson, 1989); they also reported children's achievement levels in Arabic and mathematics. Results demonstrated that the HI children's functioning was lower than that of the NH children. Children with unilateral and minimal hearing losses had lower functioning than those with more severe hearing loss. As grade level increased, functioning decreased among HI children. Use of the SIFTER was beneficial in detecting children with difficulties. Regular, ongoing SIFTER use and appropriate follow-up on the results may better enable each child to perform optimally in class.