Dutch Primary Schools Research Articles

Taalvariatie en onderwijsprestaties van autochtone kleuters

Abstract Language variety and educational achievement of indigenous primary school pupilsThis article explores the relations between language and mathematics test performance and a range of language related characteristics. The sample consists of 3,639 grade 2 pupils from 437 Dutch primary schools. Data were collected in 2014. The main question is whether pupils who speak Standard Dutch at home perform better than pupils who speak Frisian, a Dutch regional language or dialect. Results of the present analyses were compared with those from analyses performed on similar data collected in 1994. Between 1994 and 2014 the share of children who mostly speak standard Dutch with their mother and father has increased with 8 percent points to 95 percent. The share of mothers and fathers who mostly speak standard Dutch to each other has increased with 17 percent points to 91 percent. No correlation was found between language choice, i.e. speaking Standard Dutch or speaking Frisian, a regional language or dialect, and language and mathematic test performance. One remarkable finding was that children from the province of Limburg perform well while they speak Standard Dutch least.

Can ethnic diversity have a positive effect on school achievement?

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the impact of ethnic diversity on test scores, on top of the effect of the share of non-native pupils. We use a rich survey of Dutch primary school students and exploit variations between subsequent cohorts within the same school as our identification strategy. We find that ethnic diversity has a positive impact on the test scores of minority students, in particular for language skills. We also find some evidence of a negative relationship between ethnic diversity and school social integration. We suggest that ethnic diversity stimulates language proficiency and increases the time students spend studying.

Primary education teachers' self-efficacy beliefs for teaching Geography lessons

ABSTRACTThis study was carried out to investigate the primary education teachers' self-efficacy regarding geography education, their beliefs regarding the classroom learning environment, and how these beliefs were related to each other and to teachers' background characteristics. Questionnaire data were collected from 489 Dutch primary school teachers. Primary education teachers displayed moderately strong self-efficacy for teaching geography. The overall results suggested that teachers believed that surface learning is relatively an important parameter of teaching geography. The study found out that support from their colleagues was considered less important by teachers in promoting geography education. Teachers' beliefs concerning geography education quality and students' attitudes and motivation were the most important predictor variables for explaining differences in teachers' self-efficacy.

Self-adapting the success rate when practicing math

Use and benefits of the possibility to choose a success rate are studied in a math-practice application that is used by a considerable percentage of Dutch primary school children. Study 1 uses data that were collected with the application, using children's practice data (N=40,329; grades 1–6). Children differed in their preference for a high, medium, or low success rate. Preferences were associated with gender, age, and ability, matching expectations that follow from the literature. Study 2 is an experimental study with 192 children from grades 3–6, using a pretest, training phase, and posttest. The possibility to choose a success rate was manipulated. Unexpectedly, beneficial effects for math practice, improvement of math skills, and self-belief concerning math were absent. Results suggest an appreciation of the possibility to choose, although beneficial effects of choosing were not observed for motivation to practice, skill improvement, and self-belief concerning math.

Managing All Quarters of the Compass? How Internally Oriented Managerial Networking Moderates the Impact of Environmental Turbulence on Organizational Performance

The present study seeks to answer the question how, and to what extent, environmental turbulence—measured as percentage change in the number of pupils—affects organizational performance. We examine how different managerial networking orientations moderate the effect of percentage change in number of pupils on school performance. We hypothesize that percentage change in the number of pupils negatively affects school performance. We further hypothesize that different managerial networking orientations moderate the effect of percentage change in the number of pupils on school performance. The hypotheses are tested on a dataset of Dutch primary schools ( n = 546), which includes information about school principals, school characteristics, and school performance. Results of the analyses show that our measure of environmental turbulence negatively affects school performance. Moreover, internally oriented networking activities (team involvement and networking for coproduction), rather than externally oriented networking activities, attenuate the negative effect of environmental turbulence on school performance.

Constrained by Red Tape

Extant public management studies examining the management of environmental challenges predominantly concentrate on the management of the erratic dimension of environmental challenges, that is, shocks. Whereas there is strong evidence that environmental shocks can be effectively managed, much less is known about more predictable environmental constraints that, likewise, challenge the organization’s functioning. The present article studies the moderating effects of managerial networking on the negative relation between environmental constraints—that is, red tape—on organizational performance. We hypothesize that red tape negatively affects public service performance. We further hypothesize that “downward,” “upward,” “sideward,” and “outward” managerial networking orientations attenuate the negative effect of red tape on public service performance. The hypotheses are tested on a data set of Dutch primary schools ( n = 523), which includes managerial networking and perceived red tape variables as well as objective, independently measured, school performance data. The results show that perceived personnel red tape negatively affects school performance but that perceived general external red tape positively affects school performance. The negative effect of personnel red tape on school performance is attenuated by “outward”-oriented managerial networking.

Colonized Curriculum

Although U.S. scholars have long documented the stereotypical appearance of Africa in textbooks, scant research does so in the Netherlands. The Dutch, internationally recognized for generous aid, contributed to Africa’s historical underdevelopment by kidnapping, trading, and enslaving Africans. In this study, the author uses content and discourse analysis to examine how Africa, African independence, and European, particularly Dutch, aid organizations operating in Africa are represented in all Dutch primary school history textbooks published since 1980. A Eurocentric neocolonial master narrative homogenizes and essentializes Africa as a poor, primitive, and violent continent; discursively denies Dutch historical responsibility for African underdevelopment; excludes African nationalist efforts; and depicts the Dutch engaging in benevolent aid efforts toward African nations and peoples unable to help themselves. These textbooks, in constructing and perpetuating racialized conceptions of Africa and African peoples, constitute a continued legacy of colonialist conceptions that justify neoliberal intervention and exploitation. Given the denial of race and racism among both academics and the general populations in the Netherlands, these findings have critical implications for contemporary conceptions of Africa, Africans, and Afro-Dutch people living in the Netherlands today.

Associations of Perceived Sibling and Parent-Child Relationship Quality With Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: Comparing Indian and Dutch Early Adolescents

The aims of the present study were (a) to examine whether Dutch and Indian early adolescents differ concerning sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems, and (b) to compare the associations between sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems for Indian and Dutch early adolescents. Our sample consisted of 274 Dutch (mean age = 10.9 years) and 236 Indian early adolescents (mean age = 10.8 years). Questionnaires were administered in the final grades of 15 Dutch primary schools and six Indian English-language middle schools. Indian early adolescents reported more sibling warmth and parental negative interaction than Dutch early adolescents. However, associations between sibling and parent-child relationship quality and externalizing and internalizing problems were similar. Our study indicates that cross-cultural differences may exist in quality of sibling and parent-child relationships, but not in their impact on externalizing and internalizing problems. More cross-cultural research concerning family relationship quality and its impact on early adolescent psychosocial development is needed to confirm our findings.

Developing classroom formative assessment in dutch primary mathematics education

In the last two decades Dutch primary school students scored below expectation in international mathematics tests. An explanation for this may be that teachers fail to adequately assess their students’ understanding of learning goals and provide timely feedback. To improve the teachers’ formative assessment practice, researchers, curriculum experts and teachers worked together to develop a model for classroom formative assessment (CFA). In three pilot studies, six teachers from three different schools implemented the CFA-model and evaluated its feasibility together with the researchers by means of checklists. The CFA-model was primarily changed with regard to the assessment techniques. Teachers indicated that classroom management and preparation time were preconditions for an optimal implementation. Analysis of covariance was used to explore students’ learning outcomes. The results showed that a correct implementation of the CFA-model might result in the enhancement of students’ mathematical performance. The implications of the three pilots for the implementation of the CFA-model on a larger scale are discussed.

The perceived value-relevance of open data in the parents’ choice of Dutch primary schools

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceived value-relevance of open data published by the Dutch Inspectorate of Education in the parents’ choice of Dutch primary schools.Design/methodology/approach– Empirical data were collected through a mixed method strategy including quantitative and qualitative methods: quantitative surveys among parents of pupils in 25 primary schools; and semi-structured in-depth interviews using a topic list.Findings– Parents make little use of the Inspectorate’s website compared to other information sources. The perceived usefulness of this website to parents choosing a primary school is also relatively low. Personal information gathered by school visits, written information from schools and information from other parents are more important sources.Research limitations/implications– Subjective considerations, such as the atmosphere and ambience of a school, play an important role in parents’ choice behavior. Pragmatic considerations also play a role, such as a school’s nearness. This study shows that it is necessary to rethink the rational assumptions behind publishing performance data.Practical implications– This study observed a mismatch between the demand and supply of open data about primary schools. The Inspectorate’s publication strategy is based on “hard” and “written” data presented on a website, but parents also appreciate “soft” and personal “oral” data. Parents state that the Inspectorate should not only focus on negative school results for censuring (“naming and shaming”), but also give attention to schools that perform well (“naming and faming”).Originality/value– Research about parents’ and citizens’ use of quality information in general is scarce. These findings show that parents’ choice behavior is less rational than assumed. Relativistic notions about decision-making processes are recognized in other studies also, but they suggest that highly educated parents are over-represented in the group of parents who actively make school choices, whereas this study found no indications that parents’ educational level affects their choices.

Non-formal mechanisms in mathematical cognitive development: The case of arithmetic

The idea that cognitive development involves a shift towards abstraction has a long history in psychology. One incarnation of this idea holds that development in the domain of mathematics involves a shift from non-formal mechanisms to formal rules and axioms. Contrary to this view, the present study provides evidence that reliance on non-formal mechanisms may actually increase with age. Participants – Dutch primary school children – evaluated three-term arithmetic expressions in which violation of formally correct order of evaluation led to errors, termed foil errors. Participants solved the problems as part of their regular mathematics practice through an online study platform, and data were collected from over 50,000 children representing approximately 10% of all primary schools in the Netherlands, suggesting that the results have high external validity. Foil errors were more common for problems in which formally lower-priority sub-expressions were spaced close together, and also for problems in which such sub-expressions were relatively easy to calculate. We interpret these effects as resulting from reliance on two non-formal mechanisms, perceptual grouping and opportunistic selection, to determine order of evaluation. Critically, these effects reliably increased with participants’ grade level, suggesting that these mechanisms are not phased out but actually become more important over development, even when they cause systematic violations of formal rules. This conclusion presents a challenge for the shift towards abstraction view as a description of cognitive development in arithmetic. Implications of this result for educational practice are discussed.

School Characteristics and Teacher Turnover: Assessing the Role of Preferences and Opportunities

Job characteristics can affect worker turnover through their effect on utility and through their effect on outside job opportunities. The aim of this study is to identify and estimate the roles of these two channels separately. Our method exploits information on job changes, and relies on an augmented sample selection correction. To illustrate our approach, we use an exhaustive register of Dutch primary school teachers and show a detailed picture of preferences for school characteristics. We also find that the dependence between current and outside job attributes can affect turnover and thus the allocation of teachers across schools.

Multilevel Latent Class Analysis for Large-Scale Educational Assessment Data: Exploring the Relation Between the Curriculum and Students’ Mathematical Strategies

ABSTRACTA first application of multilevel latent class analysis (MLCA) to educational large-scale assessment data is demonstrated. This statistical technique addresses several of the challenges that assessment data offers. Importantly, MLCA allows modeling of the often ignored teacher effects and of the joint influence of teacher and student variables. Using data from the 2011 assessment of Dutch primary schools’ mathematics, this study explores the relation between the curriculum as reported by 107 teachers and the strategy choices of their 1,619 students, while controlling for student characteristics. Considerable teacher effects are demonstrated, as well as significant relations between the intended as well as enacted curriculum and students’ strategy use. Implications of these results for both more theoretical and practical educational research are discussed, as are several issues in applying MLCA and possibilities for applying MLCA to different types of educational data.

Data-based decision making for instructional improvement in primary education

Data-based decision making can help teachers improve their instruction. Research shows that instruction has a strong impact on students' learning outcomes. This study investigates whether Dutch primary school teachers use data to improve their instruction. Four aspects of instruction were distinguished: purposeful teaching, adaptive instruction, feedback and learning time. Data were collected by means of a survey (n=318) and through interviews with teachers (n=18). The results show that although almost all teachers use data with the intention of improving their instruction, they skip important steps in the data use process. They do not make optimal use of all available data and fail to carry out all the relevant analyses. Teachers mainly use data when their own students have disappointing learning outcomes. They are, however, less interested in using data related to the functioning of the school as a whole.

Effect of a school library on the reading attitude and reading behaviour in non-western migrant students

There is a lack of clarity as to the effects of school libraries on children with a non-western background in the Netherlands, an educationally disadvantaged group. Using a longitudinal design involving an experimental and a control school, the present study examined whether an integrated library facility in a Dutch primary school has an effect on the reading attitude and reading behaviour of non-western migrant students ( n = 140). The results showed no statistically significant effect on the degree in which students think reading is fun. On the other hand, over time, students attending the experimental school considered reading more useful than students visiting the control school. With regard to reading behaviour, no statistically significant effect of the school library was found. However, the school library programme was not implemented in the most optimal form, which may have affected the findings. Reading climate at home was found to be an important predictor of both reading attitude and reading behaviour, stressing the importance of parents as partners for school libraries when it comes to reading promotion.

Sun Exposure and Sun Protection at Primary Schools in The Netherlands: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In The Netherlands, skin cancer incidence rates have dramatically increased during the last decades. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the most important environmental risk factor for developing skin cancer. The present study aimed to determine the level of sun exposure and sun protection of children at Dutch primary schools. Registered members of an Internet panel of a private research company with a child 6 to 12 years of age completed a standardized questionnaire on sun exposure, sun protection and sunburn for their child on school days during the spring and summer. A total of 1103 parents completed the questionnaire. Most parents reported that their child spent 31 minutes to 1 hour (39.7%) or 1 hour to 1.5 hours (26.1%) outside at school during the spring and summer, 29.3% reported that sunscreen is always or often applied to the skin of their child in the morning on school days, 37% reported that they always or often paid attention to sun protection when selecting their child's outfit, 19.3% of the parents stated that their child could not play in the shade outside at school, and 19.9% of the parents reported that their child had ever had a sunburn at school. With most children, this consistent and repetitive pattern of sun exposure at school will probably lead to damage of exposed skin, because sun protection is insufficiently achieved among children during school days in the spring and summer. Future school-based interventions are necessary to alert and change behavior of parents, children, and primary school teachers.

Personality traits of expert teachers of students with EBD: clarifying a teacher's X-factor

Teaching students with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) is a challenge for many teachers in inclusive education. Much research has been done to find out what differentiates expert teachers from their less skilled colleagues. Recent evidence points to personality as an underlying core factor influencing teacher performance. In this study, the predictive value of teacher personality for teacher quality in teaching students with EBD was examined among a sample of Dutch primary school teachers. Personality was measured using a self-report questionnaire based on the personality dimensions of the Five Factor Model of personality: Extraversion; Agreeableness; Conscientiousness; Neuroticism; and Openness to Experience. Different dimensions of teacher quality in teaching students with EBD were measured using an observation instrument, a self-efficacy questionnaire, and a nomination procedure. The dimensions of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience were found to predict teacher quality in teaching students with EBD measured by the self-efficacy questionnaire. Altogether, personality explained 35% of the variance in teacher quality in teaching students with EBD measured by the self-efficacy questionnaire. The results relate to issues about teacher education and employment. Directions for future research are discussed.

The Contribution of Segmental and Suprasegmental Phonology to Reading Comprehension.

The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between decoding and segmental and suprasegmental phonology, and their contribution to reading comprehension, in the upper primary grades. Following a longitudinal design, the performance of 99 Dutch primary school children on phonological awareness (segmental phonology) and text reading prosody (suprasegmental phonology) in fourth-grade and fifth-grade, and reading comprehension in sixth-grade were examined. In addition, decoding efficiency as a general assessment of reading was examined. Structural path modeling firstly showed that the relation between decoding efficiency and both measures of phonology from fourth- to fifth grade was unidirectional. Secondly, the relation between decoding in fourth- and fifth-grade and reading comprehension in sixth-grade became indirect when segmental and suprasegmental phonology were added to the model. Both factors independently exerted influence on later reading comprehension. This leads to the conclusion that not only segmental, but also suprasegmental phonology, contributes substantially to children's reading development.

The design and validation of an instrument to measure teachers’ professional development at work

ABSTRACTAfter graduation, it is essential for teachers to continue working on their professional development since they need to be prepared for the requirements of tomorrow's knowledge- and technology-based society, a more varied student and pupil population creating new responsibilities, and higher social expectations from schools and the society as a whole. Although attention for teachers’ professional development at work is increasing, the availability of valid survey instruments that measure their participation in professional development at work is still limited. Based on a literature review, such an instrument was designed. This 21-item self-report measure, using a 4-point rating scale, makes an inventory of teachers’ participation in activities contributing to professional development. The purpose of the instrument is to make teachers, school leaders and other stakeholders aware of whether, and to what degree, teachers engage in learning at work. This is important because ultimately the quality of education depends on it. A survey was administered in 9 Dutch primary schools and 15 Dutch secondary schools. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed a six-factor structure, and augments earlier findings in the field. The reliabilities of the six subscales were sufficient to good.

Primary school pupils’ performances in understanding historical time

This study focuses on the development of the understanding of historical time of pupils in primary school. We present a developmental model with three stages: emergent, initial and continued understanding of historical time. Based on this model, we constructed an instrument to measure how pupils aged 6–12 perform. The participants were 1457 pupils from 7 Dutch primary schools. The analysis of the data showed that in all three stages pupils in higher grades significantly outperformed pupils in lower grades and that pupils’ performances were influenced by the variables gender and parents’ education. In all grades, there seemed to be room for improvement, especially in the lower grades (ages 6–9) where pupils have hardly had any teaching on the understanding of historical time. However, in the higher grades as well (ages 10–12), pupils could improve on the level of continued understanding of historical time.