Secondary Education In Flanders Research Articles

Worlds apart? An empirical assessment of education as a social boundary among young people in Flanders

ABSTRACT Educational tracking refers to the grouping of students based on their academic abilities. Although tracking has been intensively debated in terms of its impact on academic outcomes, this study assesses whether educational tracks effectively constitute a social boundary between youth. Data from 11 surveys (Total N = 38,372) gathered among pupils enrolled in secondary education in Flanders were used to assess to what extent young people’s educational track position relates to a wide range of opinions and behavior in general (471 outcomes) and the potential moderating role of gender and migration status. Subsequently, we focused on indicators that refer to intergroup processes (i.e. cross-track friendships and perceived contempt). Educational differences are especially large for tastes, indicators of lifestyle, and societal attitudes. Moreover, we find that differences in educational track position are connected with perceived status differences and constitute an important structuring factor regarding their friendships.

De Vlaamse Beweging en de patstelling van het Nederlands in de publieke overheid en het onderwijs in het jonge België (1830–1850)

Although the freedom of language use was anchored in the Belgian Constitution of 1831,in practice it led to almost complete Frenchification of public life, because civil servantscould choose their own language. Dutch thus became the language of the countryside andthe lower classes. Secondary and higher education were exclusively French speaking. TheFlemish Movement came into being as a reaction to this. Cultural associations werefounded and standards for Dutch language established. A petition in 1840 revealed theextent of the problem – the Flemish Movement demanded language equality and theestablishment of a Flemish Academy. Although there was partial success in 1850(Dutchification of primary and secondary education in Flanders), the petition alsoprovoked a hostile reaction among French speakers who accused the Flemings of antibelgitude. The Flemish Movement therefore issued a pro-Belgian manifesto. But thegovernment remained French speaking, so there was a stalemate.

Staying on track in higher secondary education in Flanders (Belgium). Mechanisms explaining social inequality in educational choice

ABSTRACT This article analyses the mechanisms that contribute to differences in educational choice in the transition from the second to the third stage of secondary education in Flanders, a highly tracked educational system. The study programme chosen in the eleventh grade, besides being quite predictable from the educational position in the tenth grade and school performance, is also affected by social class, ethnic background and gender. Using data gathered from pupils, their parents and their teachers, this study (N = 4389) tests a broad range of factors put forward by rational action theory, cultural reproduction theory and the Wisconsin status attainment model. As proposed by rational action theory, relative risk aversion affects educational choice. However, it does not explain the SES effect. Pupils’ academic self-esteem and their time perspective do have some potential to explain SES differentials in educational choice, as hypothesised by rational action theorists, and as can be expected from cultural explanations for educational inequality as well. In addition, expectations of significant others (parents, as well as teachers) are important predictors for subsequent educational choice and explain part of SES differences. Finally, classic cultural indicators of the parental home do not seem to affect educational choice beyond their effects on performance.

Distance Learning and School-Related Stress Among Belgian Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

To improve our understanding of the mental health consequences of the shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examined which factors are associated with increased school-related stress in adolescents. The sample consists of 16,093 adolescents, aged 12 to 18, who were enrolled in secondary education in Flanders, Belgium in May 2020. Stepwise binomial logistic regressions were used to investigate associations between the (online) learning environment, family-, and peer-related factors and increased stress in adolescents, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Results show that overcrowding, financial difficulties, and domestic violence are risk factors for increased stress, while social support and no material deprivation are protective factors. These findings suggest that, in addition to distributing the necessary materials for distance learning, also social policy efforts are required to compensate for the negative effects of distance learning. Without this, distance learning may fail to deliver equal educational opportunities and outcomes.

IGARSS 2021 High School Program Green in the City [Education

Supported by the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS) High School and Undergrad Student Outreach Program (HSUSO), the educational chairs of the 2021 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium IGARSS 2021 developed a remote sensing school project targeting 16- and 17-year-old pupils in the third grade of secondary education in Flanders, Belgium. HSUSO was led by Dr. Linda Bailey Hayden and Dr. Josée Lévesque. The Green in the City project focused on the role of urban green in cities. Using dedicated course materials, including knowledge clips, manuals and tutorials, and data sets for several Belgian cities, the project offered hands-on training in basic remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) skills. By exploring spectral reflectance properties of different materials, participating students learned how to map urban green from satellite data and analyze the relation between urban green and other environmental and socioeconomic variables at the intra-urban scale. The project reached more than 500 students from 20 schools. Given the success of the project, plans to roll out an international version of the program are in the pipeline.

Listening Difficulties of Children With Cochlear Implants in Mainstream Secondary Education.

Previous research has shown that children with cochlear implants (CIs) encounter more communication difficulties than their normal-hearing (NH) peers in kindergarten and elementary schools. Yet, little is known about the potential listening difficulties that children with CIs may experience during secondary education. The aim of this study was to investigate the listening difficulties of children with a CI in mainstream secondary education and to compare these results to the difficulties of their NH peers and the difficulties observed by their teachers. The Dutch version of the Listening Inventory for Education Revised (LIFE-R) was administered to 19 children (mean age = 13 years 9 months; SD = 9 months) who received a CI early in life, to their NH classmates (n = 239), and to their teachers (n = 18). All participants were enrolled in mainstream secondary education in Flanders (first to fourth grades). The Listening Inventory for Secondary Education consists of 15 typical listening situations as experienced by students (LIFEstudent) during class activities (LIFEclass) and during social activities at school (LIFEsocial). The teachers completed a separate version of the Listening Inventory for Secondary Education (LIFEteacher) and Screening Instrument for Targeting Educational Risk. Participants with CIs reported significantly more listening difficulties than their NH peers. A regression model estimated that 75% of the participants with CIs were at risk of experiencing listening difficulties. The chances of experiencing listening difficulties were significantly higher in participants with CIs for 7 out of 15 listening situations. The 3 listening situations that had the highest chance of resulting in listening difficulties were (1) listening during group work, (2) listening to multimedia, and (3) listening in large-sized classrooms. Results of the teacher's questionnaires (LIFEteacher and Screening Instrument for Targeting Educational Risk) did not show a similar significant difference in listening difficulties between participants with a CI and their NH peers. According to teachers, NH participants even obtained significantly lower scores for staying on task and for participation in class than participants with a CI. Although children with a CI seemingly fit in well in mainstream schools, they still experience significantly more listening difficulties than their NH peers. Low signal to noise ratios (SNRs), distortions of the speech signal (multimedia, reverberation), distance, lack of visual support, and directivity effects of the microphones were identified as difficulties for children with a CI in the classroom. As teachers may not always notice these listening difficulties, a list of practical recommendations was provided in this study, to raise awareness among teachers and to minimize the difficulties.

Bridging the Gap between Secondary and Higher STEM Education – the Case of STEM@school

Our rapidly changing society needs highly-qualified STEM professionals (experts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to develop solutions to the problems it is facing. Many of the students who graduate from a STEM programme in secondary education, however, opt out of STEM when enrolling in higher education, often due to a loss of interest. To ensure sufficiently high and qualified enrolment in higher STEM education, we need to bridge this gap between secondary and higher STEM education by showing our youngsters the relevance of science and technology to their personal life and environment. To this end, the project STEM@school promoted and studied the idea of integrated STEM in secondary education in Flanders, Belgium. In integrated STEM education, learning contents from the separate STEM courses are linked in an authentic way, as they often are in our environmental challenges. This approach encourages students as well as their teachers to acquire a robust understanding of STEM concepts, and a creative, inquisitive, and collaborative mindset. For the design of integrated STEM curricula, STEM@school united secondary-school STEM teachers and university researchers. This article elaborates on the principles, opportunities and challenges of the design and implementation of these curricula and discusses their promising effects on students’ conceptual understanding and attitudes towards STEM subjects. The article concludes with tips and tricks to get started with integrated STEM education in secondary schools.

Does integrating natural selection throughout upper secondary biology education result in a better understanding? A cross-national comparison between Flanders, Belgium and the Netherlands

ABSTRACT Secondary school teaching of evolution through natural selection is very important because for most people, it is the only formal introduction to the scientific understanding of this theory. However, there are major concerns over its unsatisfactory teaching. In several European countries, including the Flanders region in Belgium, natural selection is treated as a side-topic that is referred to only after all other biological content has been covered. It has been suggested that improved understanding can be achieved by teaching it in a more integrated manner throughout the biology curriculum, as is largely the case in the Netherlands. We tested this hypothesis by a standardised comparison of the understanding of natural selection between university freshmen who had completed high level biology secondary education in Flanders or the Netherlands. We used the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS), designed to measure the understanding of 10 underlying key concepts (KC), including four core concepts (CC), and the magnitude of alternative conceptions. Regression analysis was used to control for potentially confounding student parameters. Dutch graduates indeed obtained a significantly higher CINS-score than Flemish graduates. They also scored significantly higher on eight key concepts. The 10 KC were employed to varying degrees, with the relative rank being highly comparable between both student populations, and the CC origin of variation and variation inheritable, both linked to genetics, being more challenging than the CC existence of variation and differential survival. The relative frequency of alternative conceptions elicited by the CINS was almost identical in both student populations.

Classed patterns in the course and outcome of parent-teacher interactions regarding educational decision-making

ABSTRACT Educational transitions are crucial sites of social selection. Whereas social bias in teacher recommendations is well-established, less is known about teacher guidance in the process preceding the actual choice. Bridging the literature on social class and educational choice and home-school relations this study explores classed patterns in the course and outcome of parent-teacher interactions regarding educational decision-making (EDM) at the transition from primary to secondary education in Flanders (Belgium). We used a qualitative research design combining observational data from 104 parent-teacher conferences in two schools in the final year of primary education, with 26 in-depth interviews with parents reflecting on educational choice and teacher guidance. Using grounded theory, our results show that the importance of teacher guidance for parents’ decision-making is strongly dependent on their social and cultural resources on the one hand and the types of educational decisions they are facing on the other. Nevertheless, teachers remained largely blind to the social dynamics in the choice market. Our results depict how teacher guidance regarding EDM is little proactive and unstandardized. In this context parents’ cultural and symbolic capital came into play. When needed, middle-class parents proved to be entitled and effective in their exchanges with the primary school. Working-class and migrant parents more often showed constraint and therefore failed to extract the necessary information. Disagreement and fear for biased recommendations further complicated the interaction, alienating those most in need of assistance.

Social pressure for religious conformity and anti-gay sentiment among Muslim and Christian youth

Research on civic education, for the most part, investigates the alleged outcomes of deliberate civic education programs. Remarkably, few types of research have investigated how the outcomes of group process (e.g. based on religion) in schools, and more specifically, the pressure to conform to in-group norms, relate to civic educational goals (e.g. promoting tolerance for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender people). Against that background, this paper has two objectives. First, we assess social variation in perceived social pressure for religious conformity among Christian and Muslim Youth enrolled in secondary education in Flanders (N = 2765). Second, we investigate the relationship between perceived social pressure for religious conformity and anti-gay sentiment. Our analyses are guided by social identity theory and rely on multilevel analysis. We find that for both Christian and Muslim youth, anti-gay sentiment is higher among young people who experience higher social pressure through the perceived expectations from talking with significant others about religion.

Effortless or less effort? Effects of tracks on students' engagement.

It is found that assigning students to a lower track during secondary education negatively affects their academic performance. As an explanation, it is often mentioned that an anti-school culture in lower tracks undermines students' effort and involvement. This study assessed whether going to a lower track affects student engagement. For if an anti-school culture is to blame for limiting lower track students' performance, lower track assignment should reduce engagement. A sample of a longitudinal cohort study during secondary education in Flanders (northern Belgium) was used to describe development in engagement with n=5,417 students in 46 schools. Four tracks were investigated across four school years. Two main methodological challenges were present in this study, different student intake in each track and many students changing from a higher to lower track over time. Accordingly, we used inverse probability treatment weights with marginal structural mean models to account for different student intake and track changes. A comparison was made per pair of tracks that are hierarchically consecutive by matching students who were comparable across these tracks. Accordingly, there were three pairwise comparisons. It was never found that being continuously in lower track negatively affects engagement. Only for one pairwise comparison, there was evidence that students who changed from the higher to lower track had lower engagement. We rejected the hypothesis that lower tracks negatively affect student engagement. This makes the anti-school culture as an explanation for lower track assignment negatively affecting academic performance implausible.

Social class and educational decision-making in a choice-driven education system: a mixed-methods study

Social class differences in educational decision-making form an important explanation for persisting educational inequalities, particularly in choice-driven systems with early tracking. Nevertheless, little is known about the process preceding these choices, especially when school and track choice are interrelated. Building on school choice literature, this study aims to explore how parents from different social backgrounds shape their decision-making process at the transition from primary to secondary education in Flanders (Belgium). To this end, we adopt an explanatory mixed-methods design. Quantitative findings from a parent survey conducted in 36 primary schools were complemented with 32 in-depth interviews with parents. Our findings show two parental profiles regarding educational decision-making, which can be traced back to differences in social and cultural capital. Although effective navigation of the complex field of educational decision-making proved to be strongly class related, parents’ educational and immigrant biographies led to specific approaches, transcending the middle class versus working class binary.

‘Cyriel Buysse? Neen, die ken ik niet!’

Abstract Cyriel Buysse? No, I don’t know him! The Geschiedenis van de Nederlandse literatuur (GNL) and the schoolbooks in secondary education in Flanders. Cyriel Buysse as case study Schoolbooks as they are used in secondary education in Flanders often determine the way an author is presented and taught. For most pupils these schoolbooks are the only remaining source to get into contact with literature in an educational context. Many literary authors are subject to a double reduction. Not only an inevitable quantitative reduction of their complete works but also a reduction concerning content in order to use them as typical examples of a literary period. Tools like the GNL among others can supply however a broader view on these authors. In this article we discuss the importance of schoolbooks, the way they are organised and how they can possibly benefit from the GNL. We use the author Cyriel Buysse (1859-1932) as an example.

Primary teachers’ perceptions that impact upon track recommendations regarding pupils’ enrolment in secondary education: a path analysis

In less meritocratic educational systems, teachers’ decision-making processes and their perceptions of pupils are essential for the practice of pupils’ allocation at transitory moments. The present study investigated how perceptions held by teachers impact upon teacher track recommendations regarding pupils’ enrolment in secondary education in Flanders. By means of structural equation modelling, we studied the hypothesised impact of pupils’ cognitive (i.e. maths skills, language skills and technical skills) and non-cognitive (i.e. school-appropriate behaviours and personal-social behaviours) attributes and of teacher–pupil relationships, as perceived by the teachers. Additionally, we addressed the hypothesised (mediated) impact of perceived parental involvement in education and parents’ socio-economic status (SES) and ethnicity, as social and cultural parental background characteristics. Results show that teacher track recommendations are best directly predicted by pupils’ perceived maths skills. Also pupils’ perceived school-appropriate behaviours and parents’ SES substantially and directly predict teacher track recommendations. Teacher track recommendations are further indirectly affected by perceived parental involvement in education, parents’ SES and parents’ ethnicity.

Class composition as a frame of reference for teachers? The influence of class context on teacher recommendations

Teacher recommendations are an important factor in the process of track placement, but research has shown that they are biased by pupils’ social background. Pupils from higher socio‐economic backgrounds are more likely to get the advice to enrol in an academic track than pupils from lower socio‐economic backgrounds, irrespective of prior achievement. Previous studies looked primarily at individual pupil or parent characteristics and their influence on teacher recommendations. However, in this article, the authors argue that the class context forms the frame of reference within which a teacher forms his/her recommendation for pupils. Therefore, this article investigates class composition effects on teacher recommendations at the transition between primary and secondary education in Flanders. More specifically, we look at the socio‐economic, ethnic and ability composition of a class. Multilevel logistic models were tested on data collected in 36 primary schools in the cities of Ghent and Antwerp in May 2015. The results show that only the ability composition of the classroom exerts a frame‐of‐reference effect on teacher recommendations for academically versus practically oriented tracks. A pupil with a low individual ability in a low‐ability class was more likely to get the advice to enrol in an academically oriented track than an equally able pupil in a high‐ability class. This study demonstrated the limited importance of class composition in teacher recommendations, but calls for more research on teacher bias in the process of track assignment.

The School as a Socialization Context

This study contributes to the literature on school-based strategies to prevent and reduce truancy by investigating the relationship between an authoritative school climate and class skipping. We use data from The Programme for International Student Assessment with 15-year-old pupils ( N = 2,539) in secondary education in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, to answer three research questions: (a) Is there a relationship between an authoritative school climate and class skipping? (b) Is this relationship mediated by individual school bonding? (c) Does school bonding moderate the relationship between an authoritative school climate and class skipping? In line with the authoritative school climate model, our results indicate that class skipping occurs less frequently in authoritative schools, irrespective of a pupil’s personal background or the school composition. In addition, this study demonstrates that (a) the influence of authoritative socialization at least partly acts through the enhancement of school bonding and (b) the link between school bonding and class skipping is stronger in authoritative schools. In the discussion, we elaborate on the implications of our findings.

How do students perceive the educational value of peer assessment in relation to its social nature? A survey study in Flanders

This study explores the relationship between students’ perceptions of peer assessment (PA) and its social nature. A quantitative survey study (N=3680) was conducted in secondary education in Flanders, examining the students’ perceptions of PA interpersonal variables and their beliefs on the educational value of PA. The structural equation modeling (SEM) results show that the educational value students attribute to PA was positively predicted through trust in their own and their peers’ evaluative capabilities, awareness of negative interpersonal processes (e.g. fear of disapproval and friendship marking), and beliefs about PA accuracy. The importance attributed to anonymity appeared to be a negative predictor of PA conceptions. Tests of mean latent differences were performed to explore the differences between educational levels, PA experience and gender.

Comparing acceptance and rejection in the classroom interaction of students who stutter and their peers: A social network analysis

PurposeRecent work has reported adverse effects of students’ stuttering on their social and emotional functioning at school. Yet, few studies have provided an in-depth examination of classroom interaction of students who stutter (SWS). The current study uses a network perspective to compare acceptance and rejection in the classroom interaction between SWS and their peers in secondary education. MethodsThe sample comprised 22 SWS and 403 non-stuttering peers (22 classes) of secondary education in Flanders (Belgium). Students' nominations regarding three acceptance and three rejection criteria were combined. Social network analysis offered procedures that considered direct and indirect interaction between all classmates. ResultsWe found few significant differences: SWS and their peers were distributed similarly across positive and negative status groups. Both considered and were considered by, on average, six or seven classmates as ‘a friend', who they liked and could count on, and nominated or were nominated by one or two classmates as ‘no friend', somebody who they disliked and could not count on. On average, SWS and their classmates also did not differ in terms of structural position in the class group (degree, closeness and betweenness), reciprocated rejection, and clique size. However, SWS do tend to be slightly more stringent or more careful in nominating peers, which led to fewer reciprocated friendships. ConclusionOur results suggest that SWS are quite accepted by peers in secondary education in Flanders. Such positive peer interaction can create a supportive and encouraging climate for SWS to deal with specific challenges.

Social Differences in Leisure Boredom and its Consequences for Life Satisfaction Among Young People

In recent years we have seen a growing interest in young people’s leisure time. Since leisure boredom is consistently associated with different emotional and societal problems, concerns about the occurrence of leisure boredom are an integral part of this interest. Against that background, this paper studies social variation in boredom during leisure time and its consequences for life satisfaction among pupils following secondary education in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium; N = 1598). In general girls, younger pupils and pupils who are enrolled in vocational education experience leisure boredom more often. In-depth analyses, however, show interesting interaction effects between these characteristics. In addition, leisure boredom correlates positively with a weak social network and a lack of parental monitoring. After taking these characteristics into account there remains no direct relationship between material and cultural deprivation and the occurrence of leisure boredom. We also find that leisure boredom, even after taking into account many other characteristics of young people’s social, economic and cultural living environment, significantly predicts low life satisfaction. In the conclusion we discuss the implications of our findings.

Upper secondary and first-year university students’ explanations of animal behaviour: to what extent are Tinbergen’s four questions about causation, ontogeny, function and evolution, represented?

ABSTRACTIn 1963, the Nobel Prize-winning ethologist Niko Tinbergen proposed a framework for the scientific study of animal behaviour by outlining four questions that should be answered to have a complete understanding: causation, ontogeny, function and evolution. At present, Tinbergen’s framework is still considered the best way to guide animal behavioural research. Given the importance in science instruction of demonstrating how scientists work and ask questions, we investigated to what extent Tinbergen’s questions are addressed in biology textbooks in secondary education in Flanders, Belgium, and represented in upper-secondary and first-year university students’ explanations of behaviour in general and of specific animal behaviours. Our results revealed that teaching of animal behaviour mainly addresses ontogeny and causation, and that Tinbergen’s framework is not explicitly referred to. Students typically addressed only one or two questions, with the majority addressing causation or both causation and ontogeny when explaining behaviour in general, but function or causation and function when explaining specific animal behaviours. This high prevalence of function may be due to teleological thinking. Evolution was completely neglected, even in university students who had recently completed an evolution course. Our results revealed that transfer of the concepts of ontogeny and evolution was (almost) absent. We argue why Tinbergen’s framework should be an integral part of any biology curriculum.