Predictors Of Student Achievement Research Articles

Continuous and Placement Assessment Results as a Predictor of Student Achievement in Primary Schools

The purpose of this study was to explore the performance of out-of-school children in speed school and accelerated learning programs as a basis for success in primary schools. This research field has received very little attention. The continuous assessment and placement test results of students at risk were not used much in the literature, which this study aims to fill. The total number of students involved in the study was 624. The study used the continuous assessment average scores and placement test scores as predictor variables. The results show that the relationship between placement test and 1st-semester score in grade four was significant, r (196) = .501, p < .001. For the Accelerated Learning Program, the placement test and 1st-semester score in grade three were significant, r (111) = .413, p<.001. As a tool to forecast primary school students' future achievement, the teacher-made continuous assessment appears to be less useful than placement tests for children who come through speed school. Students from speed school backgrounds performed better than students from formal schools; students from accelerated learning program backgrounds performed almost similarly to students from formal schools except in environmental science. The study indicated that in grade four of formal primary school, continuous assessment was found to be poorly linked with student knowledge and skills. However, the results show that both comparisons found placement examinations to be a reliable indicator of children's achievement in primary schools. It can be concluded that students who joined grades three and four of formal school through speed school and an accelerated learning program are capable of achieving minimum learning competence in the subsequent educational outcomes in elementary grades.

Identifying current practices in modeling multi-year student achievement data: a systematic methodological review

ABSTRACT Assessing student achievement over multiple years is complicated by students’ memberships in shifting upper-level nesting structures. These structures are manifested in (1) annual matriculation to different classrooms and (2) mobility between schools. Failure to model these shifting upper-level nesting structures may bias the inferences researchers make about predictors of student achievement. The current study is a systematic methodological review of 59 multi-year elementary education studies that examine student achievement growth. The review focuses on studies from the previous decade with the hope of better understanding current practices in modeling student growth in multiyear educational research, the extent to which researchers account for shifting upper-level nesting structures, and the percent of variability attributed to different levels. Findings indicate that approaches to address shifting upper-level nesting structures are not consistently applied. Further, many researchers fail to recognize shifting upper-level nesting structures as a potential threat to the validity of their findings. Finally, evidence is presented that suggests even when schools are included in a model additional variability is attributed to classrooms beyond what is attributed to schools. Accordingly, it may be necessary to include multiple classroom memberships, where such data exist, in models that seek to understand contributors to student achievement.

Searching for the impact of national culture dimensions on student achievement: implications for educational effectiveness research

ABSTRACT To explore the wider educational environment included in the dynamic model of educational effectiveness, this paper reexamines the association between student achievement and two national culture dimensions: Monumentalism-Flexibility and Collectivism-Individualism. Using Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 data of 317,127 students, 12,058 schools, and 41 countries, we evaluated three-level regression models controlling for students’ socioeconomic status, gender, and grade; school’s average socioeconomic status; and countries’ wealth. The results of the multilevel regressions show significant negative associations of the two culture dimensions with student achievement in mathematics, science, and reading. However, our models indicate that Monumentalism-Flexibility is a better predictor of student achievement in mathematics and science, and that there is variation in effect sizes across domains. Implications for educational effectiveness research are drawn.

The Impact of Gamification and Individual Differences on Second Language Learning Among First-Year Female University Students in Saudi Arabia

Background The Technology-Enhanced Training Effectiveness Model (TETEM) has been used to assess the effectiveness of various technology-driven solutions in improving students’ outcomes in multiple academic fields. However, limited research is available on the use of TETEM in the context of second language learning. Using a modified TETEM, this study seeks first, to assess the direct effects of students’ attitudes and experiences with video gaming on their achievement; and second, to evaluate the effects of students’ attitudes and experiences that are mediated by their motivation. Methods This study was conducted among preparatory year students at Al-Jouf University, Saudi Arabia. Students were randomly assigned to the technology-enhanced group (Duolingo® + workbook) or the control group (classroom workbook group). We started by comparing student performance between the two groups to evaluate the effect of the intervention. Subsequently, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to establish homogenous latent variables for experience, attitude, and motivation. Finally, we used structural equation models to evaluate the presence of direct and mediated effects. Results Students in the Duolingo® + workbook group scored higher on reading, grammar, vocabulary, and writing compared to the workbook group. Positive attitude toward video gaming had both a direct and mediating positive correlation with student achievement. Additionally, motivation toward ESL learning was independently and positively correlated with student achievement. As expected, the technology-enhanced group performed better in reading, grammar, and vocabulary while the control group showed more participation and timely completion of assignments. Conclusion Technology enhancement improves students’ performance for ESL, however, adequate integration of technology in the course curriculum is needed to minimize interference with class participation. Positive attitudes toward video games and motivation toward ESL learning are positive predictors of student achievement while experience with video games has no significant effect.

Proficiency in English is a better predictor of educational achievement than English as an Additional Language (EAL)

ABSTRACT We compared two tools that have been used to capture the linguistic heterogeneity and achievement of students in England: the exposure-based distinction between English as an additional language (EAL) and monolingual learners, and the 2017–2018 five level teacher rating of proficiency in English (from “New to English” to “Fluent”). Based on a nationally representative sample of 140,000 students aged 5 to 16 years, we assessed the explanatory power of the proficiency in English rating in relation to educational achievement and compared it directly to EAL status. Our results demonstrate that proficiency in English is a significantly better predictor of student achievement than EAL status and that it accounts for up to six times more variance than other student background variables (ethnicity, gender and socio-economic disadvantage) combined. Proficiency in English was particularly (but certainly not solely) predictive for student performance in subjects such as English and reading vis-à-vis mathematics. Our findings are clear in demonstrating the value of a proficiency in English rating for assessing linguistic heterogeneity and student achievement, in contrast to the exposure-based EAL measure. We recommend the (re)introduction of proficiency in English ratings to monitor and support student progress and discuss the value of classroom-based language assessments.

School organizational factors as predictors of student achievement: Principals’ perspective

This study aimed to deepen our understanding of how school organization factors can be used to predict students’ academic performance. In particular, factors examined were leadership skills, nature of students, parental involvement and the school environment. Using stratified and simple random sampling, a total of 152 principals were selected for the study. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data whose variance and regression was analyzed using ANOVA. The findings consolidate the importance of leadership skills, nature of students, learning environment and parents in predicting students learning success. All the four aspects of school organization contributed differently to predicting students’ academic performance with the Principals' Leadership Skills having the highest impact while parental involvement made the least contribution. Findings of this study are important to educational administrators to ensure a supportive learning environment for the students. In addition education authorities both at national and local levels should enhance field inspections to rate the learning atmosphere. The study also serves to contribute to the body of knowledge on school organizational factors in addition to triggering the need for more research in this domain.

Time Perspective and Grade Expectations as Predictors of Student Achievement and Retention in the First Year of Community College

The authors examined three motivational factors (first-year grade expectations, present-focused time perspective, and future-focused time perspective) as predictors of achievement and retention outcomes for students ( N = 844) in their first semester at a predominately Hispanic-serving community college, accounting for student background characteristics. In this correlation research study, instructors administered surveys to students in a required first-year orientation course. Survey data was then merged with institutional data. The results of the multiple regression analysis suggested that first-year grade expectations, present-focused time perspective, age, ethnicity, first-generation status, and academically underprepared status were statistically significant predictors of first-semester GPA and explained 9.0% of the variation, whereas future-focused time perspective, sex, and economically disadvantaged status were not. First-year grade expectations and economically disadvantaged status significantly predicted second-semester retention; the other study predictors did not. This study expands research on malleable motivational factors educators could target to support students in their first year of community college.

The role of expressed emotions in online discussions

We investigated relationships among expressed emotions, perceived motivation, perceived emotions, and three dependent variables (i.e., behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, and student achievement) in the context of a blended online course. We defined “expressed emotions” as emotions detected by an affective computing tool in messages that students posted to online discussion forums in a blended undergraduate writing course. The results of two-step hierarchical multivariate regressions revealed that expressed emotions differentiated positive emotions from negative emotions better than perceived emotions did. Moreover, while no significant effect emerged for perceived motivation and perceived emotions, expressed fear was a significant predictor of student achievement (i.e., final score). Although affective computing is in its infancy, our findings suggest the potential use of expressed emotions for educational research and practice.

Predictive Validity of SES Measures for Student Achievement

ABSTRACTThis study aims to identify which socio-economic status (SES) variables have the best predictive validity for academic achievement, based on the international data sets of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2012, 2009, 2006, and 2003. From among 10 SES measures, two composite variables - Index of economic, social and cultural status (ESCS) and Home possessions (HOMEPOS) - showed superior predictive power for student achievement. Their pan-cultural correlations with the PISA 2012 mathematics achievement were r = .40 and r = .36, respectively. Parental occupation status (r = .33) outperformed all other single measures of SES, including parental education (r = .29). Only two SES variables (i.e., family wealth and home possessions) showed non-linear relationships with academic achievement. We conclude with practical implications and recommendations for using SES measures as predictors of student achievement in educational research and point to the importance of a theoretical alignment between SES measures and particular issues to be addressed.

Exploring Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching

Mathematical knowledge for teaching is a construct currently explored in research and is found to be one of the best predictors of student achievement in mathematics. This study assessed the readiness and characterized student teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching elementary mathematics. Data were collected through a teacher-made instrument measuring mathematical knowledge for teaching which consists of the domains common content knowledge, specialized content knowledge, knowledge of content and students and knowledge of content and teaching. Results of the study show that these pre-service teachers have very low performance in the test, an indication that they were not adequately equipped with the subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge needed for teaching elementary mathematics. In the light of the findings of the study, future elementary mathematics teachers should take courses that will help them acquire the subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge needed for teaching the subject during their teacher preparation program. Keywords: Mathematical knowledge for teaching, subject matter knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, pre-service teachers, elementary mathematics DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-12-08 Publication date : April 30 th 2019

How Principal Leadership, Disciplinary Climate, and Parental Involvement Work Collectively as Predictors of Student Achievement

This study examined how school leadership, parental involvement, disciplinary climate can collectively impact students' perceptions on reading and student achievement. The sample was obtained from the combined data of Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 package. School leadership is believed to have a positive indirect impact on student achievement through the influence of other mediating variables. It was hypothesized that the more time principals spend on accomplishing school leadership practices, the greater the degree of parental involvement and disciplinary climate, thus higher levels of students' perceptions on reading and better student achievement. The results indicated the school leadership did have an indirect positive influence on student outcomes (students' perception on reading, and student achievement.

Predicting student achievement in learning management systems by log data analysis

Previous attempts to understand the activity in learning management systems have failed to provide log data analysis methods that significantly predict student achievement. The number and frequency of keystrokes and mouse clicks have little to say about cognitive activities. On the other hand, self-reporting may include a sufficiently accurate insight into cognitive activities, but this insight is blurred by learners’ distorted self-perception during intensive cognitive activities. This study proposes a linear model that includes previous knowledge and log file-extracted online activity as predictors of student achievement. The model displayed a good fit with data collected in three different cases (CFI up to .98, RMSEA down to 0.028) and it explained R2 = approx. 0.50 of the variance in learning outcome. In conclusion, the relationship between log data and cognitive activities is discussed, and design recommendations for learning management systems are drawn.

Má rekja mun á lesskilningi kynjanna til mismikillar þátttöku í skólastarfi?

Kynjamunur á lesskilningi, þar sem stúlkur standa sig betur en drengir, er nokkuð þekktur víða um heim. Einnig er vitað að virk þátttaka stúlkna í skólastarfi er meiri en drengja en tengsl virkrar þátttöku í skólastarfi og lesskilnings eru hins vegar minna þekkt. Aukin þekking á þessu sviði getur átt þátt í að bæta lesskilning ungmenna auk þess að draga úr þeim kynjamun sem fram kemur á lesskilningi. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að kanna (1) hvort kynjamunur kæmi fram á lesskilningi og virkri þátttöku í skólastarfi, (2) að hve miklu leyti kynjamunur á virkri þátttöku í skólastarfi geti skýrt kynjamun á lesskilningi (miðlunartilgáta) og (3) hvort virk þátttaka í skólastarfi skipti jafn miklu máli fyrir drengi og stúlkur þegar kemur að árangri í lesskilningi (tilgáta um mismunandi áhrif). Rannsóknin er byggð á gögnum úr langtímarannsókninni Þróun sjálfstjórnunar og farsæll þroski ungmenna á Íslandi. Alls tók 561 nemandi þátt. Mæling á virkri þátttöku í skólastarfi fór fram við upphaf 9. bekkjar og notaðar voru niðurstöður sömu nemenda úr lesskilningshluta samræmdra prófa í íslensku við upphaf 10. bekkjar. Formgerðargreining var notuð til að prófa tilgátur rannsóknarinnar. Drengir komu verr út úr lesskilningsprófum og sýndu minni virka þátttöku í skólastarfi en stúlkur. Virk þátttaka miðlaði að fullu áhrifum kyns á lesskilning og ekki fannst greinanlegur munur á forspá virkrar þátttöku í skólastarfi um lesskilning eftir kyni. Því er hugsanlegt að kynjamuninn á lesskilningi hafi mátt rekja til skorts á virkri þátttöku drengja í skólastarfi og að aukinn stuðningur við virka þátttöku í skólastarfi sé líklegur til að skila sér í auknum lesskilningi hjá báðum kynjum.

African American student achievement and the historically Black University: the role of student engagement

Student engagement is associated with a variety of positive outcomes, including student achievement, satisfaction, and persistence to degree completion. While previous research has demonstrated a positive relationship between student engagement and learning outcomes within individual courses, the literature has yet to investigate this relationship at a historically Black college or university (HBCU). The theory of intercultural effort suggests that minority students must put forth additional effort in to their studies in order to succeed in an academic environment that favors students from the majority race or culture, such as what is commonly observed at predominantly white universities. In contrast, African American students who attend HBCUs may benefit from a campus climate that is sensitive to their needs and culture of origin. Thus, the present study examined the role of student engagement for predicting student achievement among an African American undergraduate sample from a HBCU (N = 241). Using each student’s final grade in a psychology course, a regression model predicted student achievement (R2 = .265, p < .001), and student engagement remained significant over-and-above the effect of student demographic variables. These findings highlight the importance of improving African American students’ perceptions about their ability to succeed academically, suggesting that African American students who consistently put effort in to their course and believed that they could succeed did indeed perform higher than their peers. Other significant predictors of student achievement included student age, gender, and the number of years that they had attended college. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Organizational identification and students' achievement: The moderating role of perceived organizational prestige

This study examined the relationship between teachers' organizational identification levels and students' achievement and the moderator role of perceived organizational prestige in this relationship. The universe of the study is made up of 4537 teachers working in Konya central districts. The population was 523 teachers randomly selected from 4 private and 25 public schools on the basis of 2013-2014 TEOG (Transition from Primary Education to Secondary Education Exam) results and representation of the three central districts. Data was collected using Organizational Identification Scale, Perceived Organizational Prestige Scale and 2013-2014 TEOG results' school averages to evaluate the student achievement. The results of the study revealed that teachers' organizational identification and perceived organizational prestige were significant predictors of student achievement. Besides, perceived organizational prestige moderated the association between organizational identification and student achievement, suggesting that organizational identification and student achievement positively correlated when perceived prestige was high and this association was negative when perceived prestige was low.

Student and Teacher factors as predictors of Student achievement in Federal School of Statistics Ibadan

The study aimed at assessing how students and teachers factor taken together influence students’ achievement in Statistics as well as their relative contribution to the prediction. Two research questions were raised and purposive sampling was adopted to select national diploma year 2 students since they are already in their final level in the school. All the lecturers in Statistics department and year 2 Statistics students were used for the study. Student Questionnaire (SQ), Teaching Staff Scale (TSS), and Statistics Achievement Test (SAT) were used for data collection and analyzed using descriptive and multiple regression. The results showed that the four (4) variables taken together had significant contribution to students’ achievement in Statistics and accounted for 80.8% of the variation in students’ achievement in Statistics. Lecturer experience and students attitude to Statistics were found to be significant but lecturer experience contributed mostly to the students’ achievement in statistics. It was recommended that stakeholders in provision of Statistics education at the monotechnic institutions level must consider the four variables that contributed significantly to achievement seriously during planning for the Statistics education programmes for optimum achievement of students in Statistics.

High School Teachers Perceptions of School Change and Its Implications for Student Achievement

ABSTRACTThis study sought to determine if there was a relationship between teacher perceptions of educational change and student achievement. Teacher perceptions of change represented the independent variable and the dependent variable consisted of eleventh grade math Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills scores, cohort completion rates, and math college readiness scores. The Texas Change and Trust survey was administered to 1,785 certified teachers at 38 high schools. Analysis indicated that community pressure for change and faculty anxiety to change had statistically significant relationships with all dependent variables and that community pressure for change was the best predictor of student achievement.

Teacher and School Characteristics: Predictors of Student Achievement in Georgia Public Schools

Teacher and School Characteristics: Predictors of Student Achievement in Georgia Public Schools

Effective teaching factors and student reading strategies as predictors of student achievement in PISA 2009: the case of China and the United States

This study investigated effective teaching factors and student reading strategies as predictors of student reading achievement in the United States and China. Participants were 10,348 students in the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, 5115 from China and 5233 from the United States. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed 22 effective instructional indicators in a four-factor structure in the two countries: morality, environment, strategies, and stimulation. The results from hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) indicated that both effective instructional factors and student reading strategies predicted student reading achievement in the United States and China. In particular, morality and stimulation were significant for the Chinese sample and not significant for the US sample. Environment and strategy were significant for both countries. Text-summarize was not significant for both countries. Text-discuss content was not significant for the Chinese sample and significant for the US sample. Text-underline and summary-check paragraph were significant for the US sample only. Summary-write own words was significant for the Chinese sample only. These results were explained from both economic and cultural perspectives. The high-speed economic development in China affected teachers’ beliefs and values about education. From cultural perspectives, some results may have been caused by cultural uniqueness. A typical example was Chinese teachers not advocating text-discuss content associated with Confucian beliefs of learning while the US teachers perceived this as important since they were nurtured in the Western culture. This study also proposed a notion of “cultural free factors” related to teaching and learning that may be important for culture studies.

The first OSCE; does students' experience of performing in public affect their results?

BackgroundPersonal qualities have been shown to affect students’ exam results. We studied the effect of experience, and level, of public performance in music, drama, dance, sport, and debate at the time of admission to medical school as a predictor of student achievement in their first objective structured clinical examination (OSCE).MethodsA single medical school cohort (n = 265) sitting their first clinical exam in 2011 as third year students were studied. Pre-admission statements made at the time of application were coded for their stated achievements in the level of public performance; participation in each activity was scored 0–3, where 0 was no record, 1 = leisure time activity, 2 = activity at school or local level, 3 = activity at district, regional or national level. These scores were correlated to OSCE results by linear regression and t-test. Comparison was made between the highest scoring students in each area, and students scoring zero by t-test.ResultsThere was a bell shaped distribution in public performance score in this cohort. There was no significant linear regression relationship between OSCE results and overall performance score, or between any subgroups. There was a significant difference between students with high scores in theatre, debate and vocal music areas, grouped together as verbal performance, and students scoring zero in these areas. (p < 0.05, t-test) with an effect size of 0.4.ConclusionsWe found modest effects from pre-admission experience of verbal performance on students’ scores in the OSCE examination. As these data are taken from students’ admission statements, we call into question the received wisdom that such statements are unreliable.