Pupil Achievement Research Articles

Impact of Parental Involvement on Academic Performance of Pupils among Primary Schools in Kabiira Sub-County, Mitooma District, Uganda

This study assessed the effect of parents’ involvement on the academic performance of pupils among primary schools in Kabiira subcounty Mitooma district - Uganda. Particularly, the study examined factors such as: parents’ academic level, occupation, and their socio-economic level. The sample size was 60 pupils selected based on simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. The findings revealed that educated parents give more support for the academic achievement of pupils. That some occupations do not allow parents time to interact with their children. Parents with good income do not only support their children but also support school development programs. The study concluded that parental involvement was vital for the academic success of pupils. It is recommended that guidance sessions be organized for parents on the importance of their involvement in the education of their children.

Differences in Mathematical and Verbal Achievement Between Girls and Boys: The Heuristic Potential of the Structural Typing Approach in Large‐Scale Studies

ABSTRACTThe results of total testing from the years 2015–2022 on the mathematical and verbal achievement of Lithuanian pupils (N ≈ 250,000) are presented. These are the standardised tests from grades 4 to 12. The K‐Means method has discovered six types of achievement. The highest achievement type is dominated by girls (61.1%) who perform well on both mathematical and verbal tasks. The lowest achievement type is dominated by boys (57.4%) who solve both mathematical and verbal tasks extremely poorly. Each of these types makes up 1/5 of the population, and the gap between the means of their groups is about 2.5 standard deviations. The remaining four types of achievement are in the 20th to 80th percentile and make up about 60% of the population. Differences in means within the same type between mathematic and verbal achievement average 0.85 standard deviations or span one quartile. Gender differences are clearly visible in this subgroup: boys solve mathematical tasks better and verbal tasks worse; girls solve verbal tasks better and mathematical tasks worse. Big data may form a mixed distribution. It is appropriate to first discover the basic types of achievement and only then look for gender‐specific differences. Such a type‐building approach is heuristically superior to the conventional approach of working only with the mixed dataset.

Does Early Childhood Education Matter on Reading Achievement Among Arab Countries

Our research focuses on the impact of Early Childhood Education (ECE) in the reading achievement of pupils in primary schools in MENA countries. The study employed the international data from PIRLS 2016 to identify the effect of early literacy practices on later reading attainment. Leveraging data from the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, we utilize ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and quantile regression to estimate education production functions for each country individually. This approach enables us to assess how coefficients on explanatory variables vary across the spectrum of test scores. The results show that in MENA countries, early childhood education, which develops pupils’ skills acquisition before formal schooling, improves their reading performance. In sum, The Early childhood education effect can be reinforced through government policy and family background. In addition, we recommend a universal access to early childhood education., concentration of early childhood services in the private sector makes the programs confined only to wealthy people who can afford them, especially people living in urban cities and improve the quality of early education by implementing appropriate curricula and modern teaching.

Pre-service Teachers’ Preparedness for In-service Science Teaching in Primary Education – A Case Study in Croatia

An experimental science curriculum for primary school was introduced in Croatia for the 1st time in the 2023/24 school year. This is taking place against the backdrop of a shortage of teachers from various science subjects, especially physics. They are increasingly being replaced by non-professional teachers, often those with a Master of Primary Education, which gives access to the profession of primary junior grade teacher. In this study, the subject matter knowledge (SMK) in science of 44 pre-service teachers aiming for the above-mentioned degree is examined using the SMK test. The test contains 40 trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) items from the 4th-grade science content domain Physical Science and allowed us to compare the achievement of our respondents with the achievement of pupils who participated in the TIMSS assessments. The results show that the percentage correctness of the pre-service teachers on the SMK test was statistically significantly higher than that of the 4th-grade pupils. However, the correlation coefficients showed that the pre-service teachers had greater difficulties with the items with which the pupils had greater difficulties, and vice versa. This applies in particular to the items on forces and motion and to the items from the cognitive domain of reasoning. The reason for the unsatisfactory science SMK of our respondents could be the incompatibility of the university science curriculum with the demands placed on pupils in the relevant school subjects and International science assessments such as TIMSS. The results of this study confirm and extend the contribution of existing research and should serve as a basis for subsequent research as well as for the design of a further course of science education reform in Croatia and in the countries of the region.

Against the odds: predictors of academic success and excellence in majority-minority schools

ABSTRACT Although schools with a high concentration of ethnic minorities often underperform, not much is known about the factors that predict high and even excellent achievement of pupils within these schools. Therefore, we examined which concrete diversity practices and key psychological processes increase or decrease the likelihood/odds for high and excellent performance on a standardized mathematics test, thereby utilizing multivariable logistic regressions among 855 10–12-year-olds in 18 majority-minority schools in Flanders, Belgium. While the odds for high and excellent mathematics scores were unaffected by language spoken at home or religiosity, they were negatively related to deficit-based assimilationist school practices, inconsistently related to meritocratic neutrality-based practices, and positively related to a strengths-based anti-racist school curriculum. Furthermore, while higher school belonging and a growth mindset increased the odds of high and excellent achievement, students’ experiences of peer or teacher discrimination decreased these odds dramatically. Implications for school effectiveness policies are discussed.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Home Science Experiences as Mental Scaffold in the Teaching and Learning of Basic Science

The study evaluated the effectiveness of children’s home experiences as mental scaffold in teaching and learning of Basic Science in Primary schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The research design was Quasi Experimental. A sample size of 458 primary five pupils from public and private schools was used. The instrument for data collection was the Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT), which was trial tested and analyzed using Kuder Richardson 20 (Kr20) formula and a reliability co-efficient of 0.78 obtained. Twelve intact classes were used for data collection ; 6 from urban and 6 from rural schools; 6 private and 6 public. One of the classes sampled constituted the experimental group and the other one the control group. Pre-test was then administered to the two groups and after three weeks of treatment, a post-test administered. A retention test was further administered after two weeks. The scores obtained from pre-test, post-test and retention test were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The result revealed that children’s home experiences which served as mental scaffold significantly enhanced their ability to retain and recall scientific concepts. The result further revealed that school location had significant effect on the learning achievement of pupils in the study as subjects in rural schools performed significantly better than those in urban areas. Also, pupils in public schools outperformed their counterparts in private schools. It was then recommended among others that educational authorities and organizations should offer professional development through seminars and conferences to support the use of mental scaffold.

A CRITICAL STUDY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL VOLUNTEERING AND SOCIAL WORK TO INCREASE ACADEMIC SUCCESS

This important investigation explores the crucial contribution that social work and school volunteering make to improving pupil achievement. The investigation successfully reveals a substantial positive association between active school volunteering and engagement in social work programmes and higher academic success through a thorough analysis that uses both descriptive and regression approaches. According to a descriptive analysis, students who volunteered at their schools had better attendance, more involvement in class, and greater quantities of motivation, all of which contributed to their achievement in school. This association was clarified using regression analysis, which also demonstrated that social work and active involvement in school volunteerism had a beneficial effect on students GPAs.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS BETWEEN SPECIALIST AND GENERALIST TEACHING OF SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY IN THE ANGLOPHONE SUB-SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN CAMEROON

The study was designed to investigate the academic achievement of primary school pupils between specialist and generalist teaching of science / technology in the anglophone sub-system of education in Cameroon. The study employed a concurrent triangulation mixed – method combining both a quasi - experimental design and a survey design. Two generalist classrooms and two specialist classrooms with 60 students each were equally shared between the North West and South West Regions. The head teachers of the four schools were interviewed. The instruments for data collection was the Achievement Test for Level three Primary School pupils (ATLPS) and an interview guide for school heads. Quantitative Data was analysed with the support of SPSS 21.0 while qualitative data went through thematic analysis. Findings showed that the specialist class had a performance of 75.2 over 100, very significantly higher than the 47.1 over 100 recorded in the generalist class (P=0.000). The hypothesis here stated is then rejected, thus implying that specialist approach of teaching is much more appropriate in enhancing pupils’ academic performance than the currently and unfortunately sustained generalist approach. It was generally perceived that teaching method, assessment and pupils’ academic achievement were more effective in the specialist classrooms. Supervision was perceived more challenging in generalist classrooms. It was recommended that there should be a gradual integration of specialist teaching in the educational system, generalist teachers should be upgraded in subject where they are more comfortable in prospect of specialist teaching, and an improvement on administrative supervision and decision making, Training of specialist teachers to be included in the curriculum of Teacher Training Colleges.

Science Achievement of Multilingual Pupils: A Study on the Effectiveness of a Read-Aloud Assessment Accommodation

To date, empirical investigations of the effects of test accommodations on the actual achievement of multilingual pupils have been inconclusive. In this present study, we investigated whether read-aloud accommodation contributes to better results in terms of science achievement for multilingual pupils. A computer-based science test, conducted with or without read-aloud accommodation, was administered to 1022 5th-grade pupils in 36 Flemish primary schools. We assessed the hypotheses that, first, pupils in a condition with accommodation perform better than their non-accommodated peers, and second, certain background characteristics are related to science achievement for different groups of pupils. The results indicate that read-aloud accommodation in language education does not significantly contribute to making assessments fairer. Overall, parental job status, grade retention, migration status, and self-reported oral proficiency significantly predicted pupils’ science achievement. For pupils taking an accommodated test, their age of arrival and the language they spoke at home did not significantly relate to their science achievement, but their self-rated literacy skills in the language of schooling did.

EFFECTS OF USING DISCUSSION SUPPLEMENTED WITH MUSIC ON INTEREST AND PERFORMANCE OF HOME ECONOMICS PUPILS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

The study investigated the effects of using discussion supplemented with music on the interest and academic achievement of Home Economics pupils in Primary Schools in Abia State. The study was guided by two research questions and two null hypotheses formulated and tested for the study. The design of the study was a quasi-experimental research design.. A sample size of eighty (80) which consist of 38 pupils (17 males and 21 females) that was assigned to the experimental group and 42 pupils (20 males and 22 females) that was assigned to the control group of primary five drawn from the population involving two intact classes using purposive sampling technique. The instruments used for data collection were Home Economics Achievement Test (HEAT) and Measure of Home Economics Interest Scale (MHEIS), determined using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) statistic and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that Pupils taught with discussion supplemented with music had more interest in Home Economics than the pupils in control groups. This is evident in the table 1 were both of the experimental and control groups had the mean gain score for experimental group I as 11.400 while that for control group was 0.750. Music teaching method has relative effect on Pupils achievement in Home Economics in terms of interest. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that teachers should be encouraged to make use of the supplementation of music in teaching for better interest and academic achievements in Home Economics.

Wealth and learning achievement of pupils in primary schools in Uganda: Implications for government economic empowerment programs

This paper examines the possession of family wealth and its impact on the academic achievement of primary school students in Eastern Uganda. A correlational survey design was employed to analyse UWEZO secondary data collected from eight districts in the eastern region of Uganda, encompassing 6,302 children and 6,031 families. Descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square tests were employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that socio-economic factors positively influence children's literacy and numeracy achievements. Families possessing solar lighting, mobile phones, tables, chairs, textbooks, and a reliable source of water demonstrated higher proficiency in literacy and numeracy skills. It is likely that children in households with these possessions were able to engage in private study at home, given the conducive study environment, well-lit rooms, essential furniture, and access to textbooks. Furthermore, these children were more likely to receive additional tutoring after school and had access to the internet through mobile phones and computers, allowing them to access crucial educational information. Based on these findings, we recommend that the government provide sustainable livelihood options for struggling families.

Common Teaching Strategies of Mathematics Teachers and Learning Achievement of High School Students at Tacurong National High School

Students' academic experiences are greatly influenced by effective teaching methods, especially in topics like mathematics. This study explores the opinions of math teachers about using different teaching pedagogies with high school pupils. Without an organized plan, information could be shared that isn't relevant to the interests of the students, which highlights the need of using a variety of techniques to create positive discipline and encourage student motivation. Twenty-two high school math instructors from a public school in New Isabela, Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, were chosen as respondents using a Purposive Sampling Technique. The study uses a validated questionnaire to measure teacher impressions and uses a quantitative comparative design. To evaluate the collected data, statistical methods such as mean, One-way-analysis of Variance, and Tukey-Kramer were used. The computed F-value of 3.238 indicates that the results show a significant difference in the learning achievement of High School pupils in Mathematics when exposed to diverse teaching styles. This emphasizes how crucial it is to modify teaching strategies to meet the various needs of students. The study provides insightful information about how different teaching methods can improve students' academic performance in mathematics, laying the groundwork for further research and possible advancements in teaching methods. Comprehending the viewpoints of educators about these tactics can facilitate the creation of focused interventions aimed at enhancing the educational experience for High School Mathematics pupils.

The Suitability Of The Educandy Studio App To Improve Students'senior High School Grammar Achievement

The study aimed to evaluate how effectively the Educandy Studio Application works to improve grammatical knowledge of senior high school students, particularly focusing on the simple past tense within the context of Narrative Text. Employing a pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design, the impact of the application on the grammar achievement of tenth-grade pupils at SMAN 1 Kesamben Blitar in classes X–H was examined. The research procedure consisted of pre-tests, application of the treatment, and post-tests, with data gathered through test administration. A trial test was conducted to ensure validity and reliability. Results revealed a significant enhancement in students' grammar proficiency in narrative text, with scores rising from 71.87 in the pre-test to 81.90 once the Educandy Studio program was put into use. The statistical examination employing paired sampled T-tests verified a substantial variance between the data collected before and after the intervention (Level of significance < 0.05). These results imply that the implementation of Educandy Studio successfully improved grammar attainment within the narrative text at SMAN 1 Kesamben Blitar. The study recommends integrating the Educandy Studio Application into English teaching, encouraging students to explore its use across subjects. Subsequent studies ought to investigate the feedback from students and teachers and conduct comparisons with similar applications to ascertain the most appropriate resources for improving grammar proficiency in English classrooms.

EFFECTS OF USING DISCUSSION SUPPLEMENTED WITH MUSIC ON INTEREST AND PERFORMANCE OF HOME ECONOMICS PUPILS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

The study investigated the effects of using discussion supplemented with music on the interest and academic achievement of Home Economics pupils in Primary Schools in Abia State. The study was guided by two research questions and two null hypotheses formulated and tested for the study. The design of the study was a quasi-experimental research design.. A sample size of eighty (80) which consist of 38 pupils (17 males and 21 females) that was assigned to the experimental group and 42 pupils (20 males and 22 females) that was assigned to the control group of primary five drawn from the population involving two intact classes using purposive sampling technique. The instruments used for data collection were Home Economics Achievement Test (HEAT) and Measure of Home Economics Interest Scale (MHEIS), determined using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) statistic and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that Pupils taught with discussion supplemented with music had more interest in Home Economics than the pupils in control groups. This is evident in the table 1 were both of the experimental and control groups had the mean gain score for experimental group I as 11.400 while that for control group was 0.750. Music teaching method has relative effect on Pupils achievement in Home Economics in terms of interest. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that teachers should be encouraged to make use of the supplementation of music in teaching for better interest and academic achievements in Home Economics.

Improved water, Sanitation and Hygiene Facilities at School and their effect on educational achievement in basic level students in Nepal

ABSTRACT Schools with Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities can contribute to the well-being and educational achievements of pupils. The study aims to assess whether introducing WASH facilities in schools influences the educational achievements of pupils in Nepal. This research utilized a controlled before-and-after study with a quantitative, causal-comparative design. The research was conducted among 768 respondents, split between 384 in the schools with improved WASH facilities and 384 in the schools without improved school group. This study applied a stratified random sampling design, and the data were collected using a face-to-face method and administered through the structured survey tool. School WASH facilities have a significant association with educational achievements. Similarly, gender, ethnicity, grade, score, subjective norms, and intention have also significant association with educational achievements as do religion, attitudes, and self-efficacy. Students from improved school WASH facilities are more likely to obtain higher educational achievement (crude Odds Ratio (cOR) = 2.77; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.06 to 3.72, p < 0.001), even after adjusting for attitude, subjective norms, self-efficacy, and intention (adjusted OR (aOR) = 2.70; 95% CI: 1.99 to 3.67, p < 0.001), than those who are from the unimproved schools, keeping all socio-demographic characteristics constant. The effect is approximately four times larger (aOR = 8.31; 95% CI: 5.08 to 13.59, p < 0.001) than that exhibited by the above model, after adjusting for all socio-covariates and theory-based variables. In conclusion, improving school WASH facilities may need additional school interventions to overcome low educational achievements among students.

Exploratory spatial analysis: Understanding the geography of risks for trafficking and preventive efforts through the implementation of kNOw MORE!—: an educational program in middle and high schools in San Diego, California

Human trafficking (HT) violates human rights and brings long-lasting consequences for victims. This study aimed to geographically and statistically analyze (1) the implementation of a youth educational prevention program, kNOw MORE! (kM!) located in San Diego County (SD); (2) clusters of student participants who desired to talk further about trafficking after participating in kM!; (3) clusters of SD regions that included protective factors based on mental and social services for survivors of HT and similar populations; and (4) the low and high risk clusters for trafficking within SD. kM! is a preventive program that seeks to increase knowledge and self-efficacy to prevent trafficking. kM! is designed to increase knowledge and self-efficacy among middle and high school students to prevent HT. Databases used included the U.S. Census, the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, kM!’s (2016–2020), among others. Results indicate that kM! was implemented throughout the six regions of SD. These presentations reached a total of N = 11,586 participants. Analysis of ZIP codes highlighted the South and East regions as representing the highest cluster for kM!’s presentations. Central, North Inland, and South Regions of SD are among the ones with highest percentiles of HT vulnerability scores. Regarding protective factors, the Central Region of San Diego contains the highest clustering of mental health and social services. These findings can assist diverse stakeholders and leaders to geographically strategize their anti-trafficking efforts. However, complete and uniform open databases at multiple levels are required to best inform the associations between geographical spaces and HT vulnerability.

Comparative Analysis of Pupils’ Academic Achievements in Public and Private Schools in Ekiti State

The study observed the comparative analysis of pupils’ academic achievements in public and private schools in Ekiti State. The study used a descriptive research design of survey type. The sample consisted of one hundred and eighty-two (182) respondents that were selected from the private and public primary schools in urban and rural areas of Ekiti State. A simple random sampling technique was employed in the selection of the 182 respondents and gender equality was considered in selecting respondents for the study. Two instruments were developed and used for the study. Based on the data analyses, findings revealed that there was a significant difference in academic achievements of private and public primary school pupils in favour of private schools. It was further revealed that there were significant effects of the factors responsible for difference(s) in academic achievements between private and public primary school pupils. The outcome of the study showed that the public primary schools which were established, financed and managed by the government have not been performing up to expectation with respect to academic achievements of pupils. Sequel to the findings of the study, it was recommended that government should give adequate priority and proper attention to the education industry, particularly, the public primary schools to enhance proper pupils’ academic achievement.

Instructional Materials Usage as Correlates of Reading Comprehension Achievement of Pupils with Dyslexia in Buea Sub Division, Cameroon.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between instructional materials usage, and reading comprehension achievement of pupils with dyslexia in Buea sub-division, Cameroon. The study adopted a correlational survey design. One research question and one null hypothesis guided the study. Twenty-one (21) primary five pupils with dyslexia were taken as the sample size. Two instruments were used for data collection; Instructional Materials Usage Scale (IMUS), and Reading Comprehension Achievement Test (RECAT). To ensure the face validity of the instruments, they were given to three experts from the Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka for validation. Cronbach Alpha was used to determine the internal consistency for instructional materials usage scale while Kuda’s Richardsons 20 was used to determine the internal consistency for reading comprehension achievement test. The instructional materials usage scale, and reading comprehension achievement test yielded an alpha of 0.85, and 0.78 respectively indicating that the instruments were reliable. The data collected were analyzed using simple linear analysis to answer the research question while regression ANOVA was used in testing the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The results of the study showed that there is a positive high relationship between instructional materials usage and reading comprehension achievement of pupils with dyslexia. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that schools should be equipped with instructional materials to meet the reading needs of pupils with special needs in general and pupils with dyslexia in particular. The government should mandate professional bodies such as the Ministry of Basic Education, Regional Delegations of Basic Education, Divisional Delegations, and Inspectorates of Basic Education among others to organize seminars and conferences to train teachers on the effective usage of instructional materials to meet the needs of pupils with reading comprehension challenges. The limitation of the study is that the administration and collection of instruments might affect the results of the study since research assistants participated.

The Effect of Suchman Strategy as a Style in Cognitive Skill (TEOSSAASICS)

The goal current study is to determine how the Suchman strategy effects on EFL Iraqi intermediate pupils achievement. When implemented well, they will have real effect on pupils' performance and provide diversity in the method that pupils process new knowledge. In order to achieve the study aims, the following hypotheses have been formulated. In the post achievement test, there is no statistical significant difference between the mean scores of experimental group, which is taught using Suchman strategy and control group, which is taught using prescribed method. A sample of sixty pupils have been randomly selected from the first intermediate class at AL-Marab Intermediate School for Boys at Kirkuk City for the academic year 2022-2023 in order to carry out the pupils' and validate its assumptions. Both groups are equalized in some important factors including educational levels of the parents, the age of pupils', their test results from their previous schooling year, and their pretest scores for both groups. The researcher himself has taught both groups. The two groups are equally divided into the experimental group, group (A), that made up of (30) pupils which have been taught according to the Suchman strategies. The control group, group (B), made up of (30) pupils which have been taught according to the prescribed method. According to the results, there is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test achievement. Moreover, the pupils in the experimental group were guided by the Suchman strategy to attain better achievement at the post tests. Finally, appropriate conclusions, recommendations and suggestions for further studies are put forward.

Tren Toxic Productivity Sebagai Gejala Terjadinya Burnout Syndrome Terhadap Prestasi Akademik pada Remaja Rentang Usia 18-23 Tahun di Kota Bandung

This research discusses the phenomenon of toxic productivity in teenagers aged 18-23 years who are classified as pupils and university students. It was found that one of the causes of toxic productivity is fear and anxiety about lagging behind other people's achievements, apart from that, the toxic productivity that is being experienced is also a cause of burnout syndrome. The aim of this research is to reveal the factors behind the influence of toxic productivity on academic achievement for pupils and students and how it influences the learning process in the classroom. This research method uses a descriptive qualitative approach, where the data sources used are supported by systematic and objective analysis of text content, such as articles, news, interviews, or notes, to identify the phenomenon that is the focus of the research. The results of the research show that the toxic productivity trend occurs due to the FOMO (fear of losing moment) phenomenon which is consumed by many teenagers on social media, especially those related to achievement, efforts to be equal to or more than what other people have achieved, which often leads to burnout.