High School Entrance Examination Research Articles

Estimation of High School Entrance Examination Success Rates Using Machine Learning and Beta Regression Models

Education is the foundation of economic, social, and cultural development for every individual and society as a whole. Students are accepted to secondary education institutions with the high school entrance examination made by the Ministry of National Education in Turkey. In this study, the success rates of the students who took the high school entrance examination in Turkey's 81 provinces in 2019 were handled with the machine learning regression and beta regression model. The present paper aimed to model, predict, and explain students' success rates using variables such as divorce rate, gross domestic product, illiteracy, and higher education populations. Support vector regression, random forest, decision tree, and beta regression model were applied to estimate success rates. Two models with the highest R2 value were found to be beta regression and random forest models. When the prediction errors of beta regression and random forest model were examined, it seemed to be that the random forest model is relatively superior to the beta regression model in predicting the success rates. While the beta regression model was the best predictor of the success rates of Çanakkale province, the random forest model predicted the success rates of Ankara well. Also, it was seen that the variables found to be significant in the beta regression model for success rates were also crucial in the random forest model. It is recommended to use both the beta and random forest models to estimate the students' success rates.

A Longitudinal Research: Students’ Motivational Sources when Preparing for Centralized Exams in Turkey

The aim of this research is to examine the positive and negative motivational sources of students with internal and external characteristics during the preparation process for national centralized exams in Turkey in the light of longitudinal data. The research is important in terms of revealing the sources of motivation for the national centralized exams, which have an important place regarding both the education system and shaping the future of the youth in Turkey. It is clear that an educational process with high-quality carried out throughout the country has an undeniable role in future elections and school placements. The study was carried out using a longitudinal research design. In order to collect longitudinal data, the study group of the research consists of 43 eighth grade students studying in a secondary school in a province in the Aegean Region of Turkey in the 2013-2014 academic year. The data of the research were collected through an interview form with open-ended questions. By conducting focus group interviews with the students in the study group, the same 43 students who continued their education in different high schools in the 2017-2018 academic year were reached, in order to collect longitudinal data in the process of preparing for the high school entrance exam and in the following process, this time the motivation sources in the process of preparing for the university entrance exam were revealed. In order to reveal what the students thought as a source of motivation during the preparation process for the national centralized exams, the data obtained after the focus group interviews with the students were handled in comparative, thematic and classified forms and analyzed according to mixed content analysis and reflected in the findings. In the focus group interviews conducted in the research, six different themes emerged as "Family", "Teacher", "School, Lessons and Exams", "Friends and Social Life", "Career and Future" and "Psychological Factors". For each theme, the results of the quantitative analysis of internal-external weighted and positive-negative motivational sources and the results of qualitative analysis within the framework of categories and codes are included. Various suggestions have been developed with the discussion made within the scope of the results obtained in the research. The suggestions reflect that, along with the learning and studying processes for the needs of the students, they expect behaviors that will enrich their motivational sources from the people who can support them (families, teachers, school administrators, friends, etc.).

Use of Education Information Network on Mathematics Achievements of Secondary School Students: The Teachers’ Views

The main aim of the research is to determine teachers' opinions on the impact of the Education Information Network, which is continuously updated and developed, on the success of studentds’ entering high school entrance exam in Turkey by means of necessary studies. Case study which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The study group of the research consists of 25 mathematics teachers teaching mathematics in the 8th grade of secondary schools affiliated to the Ministry of Education in Sakarya province in the 2019-2020 academic year. Semi-structured interview technique, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. In the research, as a data collection tool, "semi-structured interview form" developed by the researcher was used. In order to determine whether the questions in the interview form were suitable for the purpose of the interview or not, expert opinion was consulted. Necessary corrections were made in line with the suggestions and criticisms of the experts. Due to the pandemic process involved, the interviews with the teachers in the study were made via e-mail and the data obtained were analyzed by descriptive analysis method. In line with the findings obtained from the research data, the teachers stated that the acquisitions were positive, the course content provided for the high school entrance exam was sufficient, and the evaluation process was sufficient but insecure. Ensuring active participation of students in the course, adding content suitable for individual differences, eliminating technical deficiencies, eliminating inequality of opportunity, developing and improving in terms of content and materials were suggested by the participants.

Research on the Strategies of Teaching English Reading in Middle Schools

Middle school English reading has always had an important position in teaching English. It takes up a high proportion of the score whether in domestic high school and college entrance examinations or IELTS, TOEFL and other foreign examinations. However, with the continuous deepening and full implementation of China's education reform, some of its problems gradually appear. This paper analyzes current situation and problems of teaching English reading in middle schools from the perspectives of teaching objectives, contents, difficulties and common teaching models, and puts forward relevant teaching strategies.

Examining the Differential Role of General and Specific Processing Speed in Predicting Mathematical Achievement in Junior High School

Processing speed is divided into general (including perceptual speed and decision speed) and specific processing speed (including reading fluency and arithmetic fluency). Despite several study findings reporting the association between processing speed and children’s mathematical achievement, it is still unclear whether general or specific processing speed differentially predicts mathematical achievement. The current study aimed to examine the role of general and specific processing speed in predicting mathematical achievements of junior high school students. Cognitive testing was performed in 212 junior school students at the beginning of the 7th grade year, along with assessment of general and specific processing speed. Relevant academic achievement scores were also recorded at the end of the 7th and 9th grade years. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that specific processing speed made a significant unique contribution in mathematical achievement by the end of the 7th grade and could significantly predict mathematical achievements in the high school entrance examinations by end of the 9th grade after controlling for age, gender, and general cognitive abilities. However, general processing speed could not predict mathematical achievements. Moreover, specific processing speed could significantly predict all academic achievements for both the 7th and 9th grade. These results demonstrated that specific processing speed, rather than general processing speed, was able to predict mathematical achievement and made a generalised contribution to all academic achievements in junior school. These findings suggest that specific processing speed could be a reflection of academic fluency and is therefore critical for long-term academic development.

Sekizinci Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Soru Çözerken Yaptıkları Yanlışların Analizi

Studying for the High School Entrance Examination is one of the critical periods in students' lives. In this period, which coincides with the adolescence period, students are preparing for an exam that will affect their future lives. The students who solve many questions from Mathematics, Science, Turkish, History of Revolution and Kemalism, English and Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge courses naturally make mistakes. Determining the reasons of these mistakes provides an opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes. The aim of this study is to analyze what kind of mistakes the eighth grade students make in their problem solving works. In this context, a total of 257210 questions solved by 10 students preparing for LGS in 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 in all branches and 10705 mistakes were analyzed. Reasons of making mistakes were classified as lack of attention, lack of subject matter knowledge, process/method mistakes, and comprehension mistakes. Consequently, it was found that students mostly make mistakes in Mathematics, Science, Turkish and Religious Culture courses because they could not understand the questions. The most common reason of making mistakes in History of Revolution and Kemalism is lack of subject matter knowledve and lack of vocabulary in English. According the to the findings suggestions were developed for students and future researches. Keywords: Studying for LGS, Reason of istakes, learning from mistakes

Sekizinci Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Soru Çözerken Yaptıkları Yanlışların Analizi

Studying for the High School Entrance Examination is one of the critical periods in students' lives. In this period, which coincides with the adolescence period, students are preparing for an exam that will affect their future lives. The students who solve many questions from Mathematics, Science, Turkish, History of Revolution and Kemalism, English and Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge courses naturally make mistakes. Determining the reasons of these mistakes provides an opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes. The aim of this study is to analyze what kind of mistakes the eighth grade students make in their problem solving works. In this context, a total of 257210 questions solved by 10 students preparing for LGS in 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 in all branches and 10705 mistakes were analyzed. Reasons of making mistakes were classified as lack of attention, lack of subject matter knowledge, process/method mistakes, and comprehension mistakes. Consequently, it was found that students mostly make mistakes in Mathematics, Science, Turkish and Religious Culture courses because they could not understand the questions. The most common reason of making mistakes in History of Revolution and Kemalism is lack of subject matter knowledve and lack of vocabulary in English. According the to the findings suggestions were developed for students and future researches. Keywords: Studying for LGS, Reason of istakes, learning from mistakes

Statistics and Analysis of Similar Figures Questions in Zhejiang Senior High School Entrance Examination in Recent Five Years—— From the Perspective of Core Literacy

Based on the perspective of core literacy, this paper makes a statistical analysis of the similar figures test questions in the eight high school entrance examinations in Zhejiang Province in recent five years, and analyzes the comprehensive difficulty of each year’s test questions from five dimensions of cognitive level, background, operation, reasoning and knowledge content with the help of comprehensive difficulty model. The results show that: the core literacy of the similarity test mainly includes logical reasoning, intuitive imagination and mathematical operation; Background comprehensive difficulty is lower than the other four dimensions, and the difficulty of the five dimensions is unbalanced, but the overall difficulty of the similar figure test is larger. Based on this finding, this paper analyzes the reasons for the difficulty of the test from the perspective of core literacy, and finally puts forward teaching strategies to help the development and improvement of students’ core literacy.

A study of English Writing Test in Senior High School Entrance Examination on English Writing Teaching

Writing plays a more and more important role in the English test of senior high school entrance examination, and teachers pay more and more attention to the teaching of writing. This paper attempts to start with the backwash effect of English writing test on English writing teaching, and further think about its enlightenment to English writing teaching, so as to give full play to the positive backwash effect of English writing test and minimize the negative backwash effect. Theoretical Significance: It provides a feasible teaching model and implementable design process for the current English writing teaching that pursues high scores. The integration of reading and writing based on the development of thinking quality is an important way to realize the cultivation goals mentioned in the English subject key competence, and it is a key direction to implement and deepen the concept of instrumental and humanistic courses. Through this teaching mode, students will be given a learning atmosphere of overall learning and positive thinking, and at the same time, the educational goal of developing quality education will continue to advance. Practical significance: It provides a new connection point for junior high school English teachers to teach in the reading-to-write method, and also provides a certain reference for the teaching design involved in each link part of teaching process. Through the research methods such as questionnaires, interviews and tests, we can compare the students’ classroom feedback and performance before and after, analyze and demonstrate their effectiveness in improving students’ writing ability and writing attitude. Then hope to provide a practical paths and teaching references for the future teaching.

The Impact of High School Entrance Examination Competition on Students’ Participation in Extracurricular Tutoring in the Compulsory Education Period: An Empirical Analysis Based on the Data of China Family Panel Studies

We used the Hierarchical Linear Bernoulli Model based on China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2016 data and provincial high school acceptance rate data. We explored the relationship between provincial high school entrance examination competition and students’ extracurricular tutoring participation during compulsory education. The study found that the high school acceptance rate and occupational high school acceptance rate have no significant effect on the participation rate of students’ extracurricular tutoring in the compulsory education stage. However, the high school acceptance rate has a significant positive impact on the participation rate of students’ extracurricular tutoring, and there is a heterogeneous effect on the participation rate of students’ extracurricular tutoring from families of different social classes. The higher the high school acceptance rate, the greater the probability of students from families with higher social strata participating in extracurricular tutoring. The demonstration high school acceptance rate has a significant negative impact on students’ extracurricular tutoring participation rate. It has a heterogeneous influence on students’ extracurricular tutoring participation in different school stages and social class families. The education administration department should actively expand high-quality, high school educational resources and increase the demonstration high school acceptance rate. And to increase the number of admissions for the demonstration high school to disadvantaged families with lower social strata to alleviate the pressure of families and students from the high school entrance examination competition. This can not only reduce the participation rate of students’ extracurricular tutoring during the compulsory education stage, but also promote the equalization of high-quality high school entrance opportunities for children of different classes of families.

The Impact of High School Entrance Examination Competition on Students’ Participation in Extracurricular Tutoring in the Compulsory Education Period: An Empirical Analysis Based on the Data of China Family Panel Studies

We used the Hierarchical Linear Bernoulli Model based on China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2016 data and provincial high school acceptance rate data. We explored the relationship between provincial high school entrance examination competition and students’ extracurricular tutoring participation during compulsory education. The study found that the high school acceptance rate and occupational high school acceptance rate have no significant effect on the participation rate of students’ extracurricular tutoring in the compulsory education stage. However, the high school acceptance rate has a significant positive impact on the participation rate of students’ extracurricular tutoring, and there is a heterogeneous effect on the participation rate of students’ extracurricular tutoring from families of different social classes. The higher the high school acceptance rate, the greater the probability of students from families with higher social strata participating in extracurricular tutoring. The demonstration high school acceptance rate has a significant negative impact on students’ extracurricular tutoring participation rate. It has a heterogeneous influence on students’ extracurricular tutoring participation in different school stages and social class families. The education administration department should actively expand high-quality, high school educational resources and increase the demonstration high school acceptance rate. And to increase the number of admissions for the demonstration high school to disadvantaged families with lower social strata to alleviate the pressure of families and students from the high school entrance examination competition. This can not only reduce the participation rate of students’ extracurricular tutoring during the compulsory education stage, but also promote the equalization of high-quality high school entrance opportunities for children of different classes of families.

Annelerin Bakış Açılarından Salgın Sürecinde Sınava Hazırlanma

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of students preparing for the High School Entrance Exam (LGS) during the pandemic period from the perspective of mothers. The research was planned in generic qualitative research design. The data were collected through interviews with eleven participants on online platforms. A semi-structured interview form was used in the interviews. The results of the research indicate the positive and negative effects of changing conditions during the pandemic period in areas such as learning and inter-family relationships. Research findings also point to concerns brought on by uncertainty, the increase in support needs from different sources and increased risks in certain areas.

Caracterización de las preguntas de Biología del Examen de Ingreso del Estado de Rio de Janeiro y del Examen Nacional de la Escuela Secundaria

This study aimed to characterize Biology questions on the National High School Exam and the Rio de Janeiro State University Entrance Test. The topics analyzed in this study were: Introduction to Life, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Animal Tissues, Living Beings, Compared Anatomy and Physiology, Genetics, Evolution, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Morphology and Physiology of Vegetables. As a result, we have found 320 Biology questions in the Rio de Janeiro State Entrance Test, between the years 1997 and 2020, and 396 in the National High School Entrance Exam, between the years 1998 and 2019. The Rio de Janeiro State Entrance Test was characterized by the predominance of questions related to the structure and function of the human body, while the National High School Exam was characterized by the predominance of Ecology and Environment issues. As a result, it is expected that this study be useful as a basis for better understanding of the differences between these two higher education assessment tests.

The effect of high school entrance exam reform on adolescents’ depressive symptoms in Taiwan: A closer look at gender differences

In the current study, we followed motivational theories and investigated whether granting junior high school students one more opportunity to take the high-stakes high school entrance exam alleviates students’ depressive symptoms, and whether the effect is comparable for adolescent boys and girls residing in Taiwan. We analyzed two longitudinal datasets (seventh to tenth grade) from two neighboring cohorts, in which one cohort could take the exam just once (i.e., the pre-reform cohort) and the other twice (i.e., the post-reform cohort). Using a lagged-dependent-variable difference-in-differences model to compare the level of depressive symptoms before and after the entrance exam for the two cohorts, the results revealed that the reform was associated with increases in the level of depressive symptoms for both boys and girls. Despite a higher level of depressive symptoms overall, adolescent girls in the post-reform cohort showed a slower increase in the level of depressive symptoms than boys.

Skill-based Mathematics Questions: What Do Middle School Mathematics Teachers Think about and How Do They Implement Them?

This study aims to investigate middle school mathematics teachers’ opinions about PISA-like skill-based mathematics questions, ways of implementing these questions during their in-class practices, and needs for a professional support. Adopting a mixed-method approach, at first, we collected the qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with 10 middle school mathematics teachers. Later, a questionnaire was developed depending on the qualitative data, and by using a survey method we collected the quantitative data from 217 middle school mathematics teachers working in Istanbul. The qualitative and quantitative data show that teachers have positive ideas about the nature of the skill-based mathematics questions. The frequency of using these questions in mathematics classes increases by the eighth grade and teachers generally use these questions once a week. Teachers’ ways of implementing these questions in mathematics classes appears generally as giving homework and checking, classroom discussion, and privately solving the questions coming from students. Although teachers’ ways of implementing these questions have some differentiations according to school types, but this differentiation is not statistically significant. Most of the teachers use the questions released by Ministry of National Education (MoNE) monthly and they evaluate the quality of these questions as suitable. Teachers evaluate the mathematics textbooks served out by MoNE as insufficient in terms of the quantity of involving these questions. In addition, some criticism appeared about the quality of the questions involved in the supplementary resources released by private publishers. The study also revealed that most of the teachers need a professional development course about the skill-based questions such as writing quality questions and developing their problem solving skills. The usage of PISA-like, skill-based questions in high-stakes testing (e.g., high school entrance examination) have been affecting teachers’ in-class practices, yet it is difficult to say that this effect is on the true way.

The Heterogeneous Effects of Participation in Shadow Education on Mental Health of High School Students in Taiwan.

The effect of shadow education or private supplementary education (PSE) on school achievement has been prolifically studied, but its impact on well-being remains understudied. This study examines the heterogeneous effect of PSE participation on school achievement and depression symptoms among high schoolers in Taiwan. The study uses panel data of the Taiwan Upper Secondary Database (TUSD) in the 2014 and 2015 academic years. We join the inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting (IPTW) approach and the seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) model to estimate the effects of PSE participation patterns on two correlated outcomes, comprehensive assessment of high school entrance examination and self-reported depression symptoms in the 11th grade. The latent class analysis identifies five PSE participation patterns: always-taker, early-adopter, dropout, late-adopter, and explorer, to predict the effect of PSE on the scores of entrance examination and later depression symptoms in high school (n = 7708, mean age = 15.33). The findings suggest that PSE participation in junior high is positively associated with academic achievement. However, PSE participation also increases depression symptoms, particularly in the case of always-takers. In other words, while always-takers increase their school achievement in transition into high school, their risks of suffering from depression are also higher than their peers.

High school entrance exam system evaluation from the perspective of mathematics teachers

The aim of this study was to examine the opinions of secondary school math teachers regarding the examination system for the transition to high school which was implemented for the first time in 2017-2018 academic year in Turkey. The research was conducted in the second semester of 2018-2019 academic year, a semi-structured interview form was used as data collection tool. In addition, the sample of the study consisted of 30 math branch teachers working in central secondary schools across a province in Eastern Anatolia. The interview form consisted of 6 open-ended questions prepared by the researchers after receiving expert opinions. Content analysis method was used in analyzing the data. As a result of findings, it was understood that while some of the teachers had positive opinions about this new exam, some others had negative thoughts.

Difficulties in Preparatory Process of Mathematics High School Entrance Exam (LGS) and Its Reflections on Education

Birey, doğumundan itibaren keşfetme, araştırma, sorular sorma, nesneler arasındaki ilişkileri fark etme gibi eğilimleri göstererek çevresini öğrenmeye çalışır. Başka bir deyişle çeşitli muhakemelerle yaşadığı dünyayı anlama eğilimdedir. Bundan dolayı muhakeme becerisi, matematiksel düşünme becerisi, ispat yapma becerisi, problem çözme becerisi, üst bilişsel bilgi, beceri veya nitelikleri gelişmiş bireylerin yetiştirilmesi önemlidir. Bu da ancak doğru öğretim modelleri, yöntemler, teknikler ve bunları en verimli şekilde kullanabilen öğretmenlerin varlığı ile mümkün olabileceği söylenebilir. Bu bağlamda çalışmanın amacı; ülkemizde 2018 yılından beri uygulanmaya başlanan LGS’ye hazırlık sürecinde yaşanan güçlükleri ve LGS’nin okullarda uygulanan matematik eğitimine yansımalarını matematik öğretmenlerinin görüşleri çerçevesinde tespit etmek ve bu doğrultuda önerilerde bulunmaktır. Çalışmada belli bir katılımcı grubunun bir konu üzerindeki düşüncelerini resmetmeye çalışıldığı için tarama modeli benimsenmiştir. Çalışmanın örneklemini; 2018-2019 eğitim öğretim yılında 8. Sınıflarda derse girmiş olan 110 matematik öğretmeninden oluşmaktadır. Öğretmen görüşlerinden elde edilen veriler içerik analizi yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Buna göre; öğrencilerin yeni sınav sisteminde anlama, yorumlama, düşünme ve muhakeme etme sorunu yaşadığı bununla birlikte ders kitapları ile sınavın paralel olmadığı bu nedenle öğretmenlerin çeşitli zorluklar yaşadığı görüşü ağırlıktadır. Bu doğrultuda öğrencilerin motivasyonun artırılması ve okuma alışkanlığının kazanılmasını sağlamak için çeşitli etkinlikler yapılabilir. Ayrıca öğretmenlere de sınava yönelik hizmet içi eğitimlerinin verilmesinin yararlı olacağı düşünülmektedir.

Difficulty Analysis of Physics Test Questions in Senior High School Entrance Examination Based on Bao Jiansheng's Test Question Difficulty Quantification Tool——Take the 2016-2020 Chengdu High School Entrance Examination as an example

The difficulty of test paper is an important index of test paper quality. Most existing research methods can only determine the relative difficulty of a topic, but can not explain the factors that affect the difficulty of the test paper. Therefore, Bao Jiansheng's quantitative model of difficulty is selected as a research tool, and the physics test paper of the senior high school entrance examination in Chengdu, Sichuan Province from 2016 to 2020 is taken as an example to analyze its difficulty.Get the characteristics of physics difficulty changes in recent five years, and on this basis, put forward corresponding suggestions on the test paper life system, in order to provide new ideas for scientific proposition, teachers and students preparing for exams.

2020年湖南中考数学“抽样与数据分析”专题解题分析

2020年湖南中考数学“抽样与数据分析”专题解题分析