Secondary Schooling Research Articles

Artificial intelligence for SDG 4 of the 2030 agenda: Transforming education to achieve quality, equality, and inclusion

The objective of this article is to discuss the possibility of using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance teaching practices and pedagogical support to improve the quality of education provided to young people in elementary and secondary schooling. This issue is linked to the global perspective of a shortage of teachers, which directly affects the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), concerning the enhancement of education quality as a target for global sustainable development. From this viewpoint, the potential use of AI may also relate to the improvement of educational quality and the reduction of social inequalities, yielding indirect effects on other sustainable development goals. As a method, we intend to conduct an extensive theoretical discussion addressing the challenges for teacher education and work worldwide, utilizing existing data from databases such as UNESCO, the UN, and the OECD, among others. In addition to data on teachers, we plan to analyze the potential for creating an artificial intelligence, based on existing ones but trained for the specific contexts of each country’s educational system. The goal is to examine the potential for formatting artificial intelligence to provide pedagogical support for teachers, such as: grading of objective and discursive assessments, individualized intelligent tutoring, analysis of students’ individual pedagogical development, preparation of individual student diagnoses, suggestions of specific pedagogical actions based on curricula and materials used, and all other pedagogical actions that support teachers in their educational journey. This work was funded by CAPES, CNPq and FAPEMIG.

The Multidimensional Student Well-being (MSW) instrument: Conceptualisation, measurement, and differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous primary and secondary students

Enabling children’s and youth’s well-being is widely valued by families and communities worldwide. However, there is no general agreement about the structure and measurement of well-being in schooling contexts, nor in particular for Indigenous students who comprise some of the most educationally disadvantaged populations in the world. We theorised a multidimensional student well-being model and the Multidimensional Student Well-being (MSW) instrument, grounded on recent research. We investigated its structure, measurement, and relation to correlates of well-being for a matched sample of 1,405 Australian students (Indigenous, N = 764; non-Indigenous, N = 641) at three time-points, 10–12 months apart. Analyses supported an a priori multidimensional model of 6 higher-order domains of well-being, represented by 15 first-order factors. This structure was invariant across Indigenous and non-Indigenous, male and female, and primary and secondary schooling levels. Correlates provided support for convergent and discriminant validity. There was a downward trend in well-being over time, which calls for attention to multidimensional domains of students’ well-being to promote healthy development throughout school life and beyond. The results support a multidimensional model of student well-being appropriate for primary and secondary schooling and both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

Food insecurity and sociodemographic factors in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To understand the association of food insecurity with sociodemographic factors in a sample population in Latin America during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted in 10 countries in Latin America using an online survey through various digital platforms from October 14, 2020 to February 15, 2021. Statistical analysis of data was performed by applying descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis. Of a total of 6 357 surveys, 58.2% of respondents experienced food security, 29.3% were slightly food insecure, 9.2% were moderately food insecure, and 3.3% were severely food insecure. Concerning the association food insecurity and sociodemographic variables, there is a significant association in the variables studied, including area of residence, education level, occupation, number of persons in the household, household with children younger than 10 years of age, and socioeconomic level. These findings indicate that sociodemographic factors associated with food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America were rural residence; complete and incomplete basic and secondary schooling; occupation (homemaker, unemployed, and self-employed); low, medium-low, and medium socioeconomic level; household with more than four persons; and household with children younger than 10 years of age.

School Entry-Age Effect on Student’s Affective–Motivational Attitudes in German Elementary Schools

AbstractThe effect of school entry age on children’s later performance is a long-debated topic without any convergence. Besides, existing studies have mostly limited themselves to examining the impact of entry age on children’s cognitive achievements. In Germany, where different entry-age regulations exist across federal states and academic tracking takes place very early, it is crucial to investigate whether these differential school entry ages affect children’s outcomes. This study, based on the longitudinal data available from the National Educational Panel Study, investigates the possible entry-age effect on children’s willingness to make an effort and their school enjoyment in the German elementary school context. The study found a positive entry-age effect only for willingness to make an effort but not for school enjoyment, and the existing entry-age effect decreases over time. Therefore, empirical evidence confirms that, in Germany, the entry-age effect persists in the short run and some child outcomes seem more sensitive to entry age than others. These are important findings in the German context where students’ academic tracking starts from lower secondary schooling and entry-age effects may significantly influence it.

PROTOCOL: Effectiveness of public-private partnerships on educational access and quality of primary and secondary schooling in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.

This protocol serves as a guiding source for a Campbell registered systematic review aiming to assess the effectiveness of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in education in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The primary question for this review is: What is known about the impact of PPPs on improving access (i.e., enrolment, attendance, drop-out, and completion) and quality (i.e., students' learning outcomes and teachers' teaching practices) of primary and secondary schooling in LMICs? Using a predefined search query, we will retrieve studies from various databases including Scopus, Campbell Library, EBSCO Education Research Complete, NBER, Dissertation and Theses Global (ProQuest), along with other sources of grey literature. Covidence will be used for screening and extraction. A bias assessment tool will be used for the included studies. A standardised mean difference (SMD) effect size of Hedges' g will be calculated for the outcome variables using RevMan. This review will provide updated evidence about the impact of PPP in school education across LMICs, which will be instrumental for policy and practice level decisions for education improvement.

Territorial Disparities in the Governance of Policies Promoting the School-to-Work Transition: An Analysis of the Italian Case

The school-to-work alternance responds to the critical issues linked to the mismatch between school learning and labour market needs, aiming to enhance adolescents’ employability. However, recent studies have shown that in Italy, school-to-work transition pathways are diversified at the territorial level, reflecting regional disparities in opportunities that risk increasing inequalities. In this regard, this paper presents the main evidence emerging from an analysis on multilevel governance of the Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation (PCTOs), which are mandatory for Italian students in their last three years of upper secondary schooling. This focus is part of the national research project “Evaluating the School-Work Alternance: a longitudinal study in Italian upper secondary schools”, that aims to evaluate this policy. This part of the study, conducted through semi-structured qualitative interviews at the national, regional, and local level with stakeholders of public institutions, has examined PCTO implementation strategies, pointing out the transition mechanisms between the school and labour market, as well as roles, activities, and way of coordination between public and private sectors. The different perspectives that emerged underline the complexity of establishing networks that relate central and local governance in education systems. The results of the analysis provide a dynamic portrait of the PCTO in Italy, identifying relevant aspects that could enhance future planning or implementation of this policy.

School absences, academic achievement, and adolescents’ post-school destinations

ABSTRACT Most research on the consequences of school absenteeism has focused on academic achievement rather than post-school outcomes. Using the Scottish Longitudinal Study (n = 2,941), we investigated the link between overall absences, truancy, sickness-related absences, and upper secondary school leavers’ post-school destinations. We also examined how upper secondary school achievement explains these associations. Overall school absences during the first year of upper secondary schooling decreased the likelihood of continuing further and higher education. However, they increased the likelihood of being employed or not being in education, employment, or training (NEET). Sickness absences and truancy also reduced the likelihood of pursuing further and higher education. Truancy did not significantly increase the risk of NEET, but sickness absences did. Both absence types did not significantly influence the likelihood of being employed. Academic achievement mediated 78%-100% of the link between overall absences, sickness absences or truancy and entry into further and higher education versus being employed. While achievement explained 38%–55% of the link between all absences and further and higher education versus NEET, it did not explain the link between absences and NEET versus being employed. The study emphasises the necessity of reducingunexcused and excused school absences and mitigating their effects.

An education revolution: The privatisation of schooling in capital city conurbations in Sub-Saharan Africa

This article focuses on one of the most significant and yet generally unreported developments in schooling provision in Sub-Saharan Africa during the last two decades, namely the rapid privatisation of primary and secondary schooling in capital city conurbations across the continent. In a majority of countries, this has led to the emergence of a spatially segmented education system with, on the one hand, increasingly privatised schooling provision in these conurbations and, to a lesser extent, other urban areas and, on the other hand, the predominance of generaly very poorly resourced public schooling in rural areas.

Education in Sri Lanka: A Historical, Administrative, and Contemporary Overview with Emphasis on Secondary Schooling

Aims: This research aims to comprehensively explore the historical evolution, administrative intricacies, and current state of secondary education in Sri Lanka, with a particular focus on the post-independence era. It seeks to provide valuable insights into the challenges, initiatives, and policy measures that have shaped the educational landscape in the country.
 Study Design: The study adopts a historical research design, meticulously tracing the trajectory of education in Sri Lanka from ancient times through the colonial periods to the contemporary era. It places a particular emphasis on the post-independence period, scrutinizing administrative reforms, decentralization efforts, and the structure of secondary schooling.
 Place and Duration of Study: The research is conducted in Sri Lanka, encompassing various regions and educational institutions across the country.
 Methodology: Grey literature, including historical documents, archival records, and unpublished reports, serves as a pivotal source for this study. Government reports, policy documents, and contemporary educational sources are analyzed to provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges and initiatives in Sri Lanka's education system. Internal memos, working papers, and non-peer-reviewed literature are utilized to dissect administrative structures, policy measures, and curriculum development.
 Results: The research reveals the intricate historical journey of education in Sri Lanka, highlighting the impact of colonial rulers on the traditional education system. Post-independence challenges and initiatives, such as decentralization efforts and administrative reforms, are scrutinized. The contemporary education system, including diverse school categories and the flow of education from preschool to tertiary levels, is comprehensively analyzed. Key policies, such as free education, medium of instruction, and compulsory education, are detailed to showcase the government's commitment to inclusive and accessible education.
 Conclusion: In conclusion, this study provides a holistic understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of education in Sri Lanka. By examining historical roots, administrative intricacies, and the current state of the secondary education sector, the research sheds light on the enduring pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment in Sri Lanka's educational journey. The findings offer valuable insights for scholars, policymakers, and those interested in the dynamic evolution of education in the country.

On the uses and use of NAPLAN: the hidden effects of test-based data-centric accountabilities

ABSTRACT This paper engages, Sara Ahmed’s theorising on ‘the uses of use’ to frame an analysis of the hidden, embedded effects of standardised testing policy that have become normative practice/s in Queensland, Australia. It (re)examines data from an ethno-case study into the datafication of assessment and learning over one school year, in primary and secondary schooling contexts, to understand the uses of the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in a new, critical light. We explore schools’ contemporary uses of NAPLAN – intended or otherwise – to demonstrate how the policy effects of NAPLAN have become insidiously submerged within the daily practices in schools. Drawing on interviews with 27 teachers and seven school leaders, classroom and staff meeting observations, and artefact data, we reveal the invisible yet profoundly altering presence of NAPLAN and its consequences. Specifically, we analyse the ways in which NAPLAN practices, structures and technologies are both hidden and yet manifestly altering as a) practices that disappear into their uses, becoming unidentifiable and routine; and b) practices that follow well-used pathways that further embed particular uses. We counter rhetoric of NAPLAN normativity and complacency, instead demonstrating that its current uses, while not originally intended, are insidious and profound.

Perceived gender disparity issues in secondary schooling: Internal and external conditions

The study aims to investigate the impact of internal and external learning conditions on gender disparities in secondary education in the South Ethiopia Region (SER), highlighting the lack of documentation on the key elements contributing to these disparities. The author employed the theoretical framework of education production functions to investigate the sources of perceived gender imbalances in secondary school through a cross-sectional survey research design. Further, the study employed a random sampling technique to draw 550 subjects. Among the 550 questionnaires distributed, 507 (92%) were filled out and returned. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS-20. Lastly, the study investigated that quitting the classroom, detesting the teachers, and learning adaptability in cramped classroom settings were the gender influence variables in secondary school internal conditions. Rather, the external factors that had a detrimental influence on female students relative to male students were attitudes toward secondary school and early marriage. Subsequently, students' personal qualities are responsible for perceived gender inequality that exacerbates internal secondary schooling conditions, whereas, the socio-cultural norms, beliefs, attitudes, and values are considered peripheral circumstances that intensify perceived gender disparities in the secondary schooling process. To conclude, regarding gender disparity conditions in secondary schooling, school internal learning conditions are somewhat favorable for female compared to male students, whereas the external learning environments are conducive for male compared to female students.

CHARACTERIZING PUBLIC CLASSICAL SCHOOLS: PROMOTIONAL LANGUAGE IN MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS

Little is known about primary and secondary public classical schooling in the United States despite a history of over 30 years and the increasing influence of classical organizations on individual states’ curriculum. The lack of information is ascribed to the lack of salient literature on the implementation of the classical approach in public school contexts. To begin to characterize classical public schooling, the researcher conducts a comparative content analysis of mission and vision statements from 47 classical and 50 non-classical public schools. Pointwise mutual information (PMI), an association metric, is used to meaningfully differentiate the promotional language employed by the classical and non-classical school groups to appeal to prospective families in a competitive public education market. Results indicate that classical public schools advertise curricular emphases on challenging academics and character formation, demonstrating an intriguing connection to the available literature on classical education despite the focus of that literature on private and religious contexts for learning.

Demand for secondary schooling in Pakistan: A cross income group analysis

Secondary education for all is one of the UN’s attainable goals. Many countries, including Pakistan, are struggling to achieve this target. Earlier research has attempted to analyze the determinants of secondary schooling by taking the total income of households. However, households of different income groups respond differently to varying socio-economic factors. This study attempts to identify the household-level socio-economic determinants of secondary schooling across different income groups in Pakistan. It utilizes national survey data from the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) Survey 2019-20. We selected households from the dataset that had at least one member of secondary school age (13-20 years). Households that enrolled a secondary school-age member in school or whose member achieved secondary schooling were categorized as having demand for secondary schooling. Furthermore, instead of taking the total income of households, study takes six categories of income. The results of logit estimation show that demand for secondary schooling increases across successive income groups, indicating secondary schooling is a normal commodity. The proportion of male school-going age members and having a female head increase the likelihood of demand for secondary schooling. The study recommends that policies to increase enrollment at the secondary level may focus more on lower-income groups and on the education of females.

'Everyone would freak out, like they’ve never seen a boy before’: young people’s experiences of single-sex secondary schooling in NSW

Although gender expansive views are increasingly evident amongst young people, segregation according to binary notions of gender underpins the organisational structures of single-sex secondary schools. While claims of educational benefits are common, particularly for girls, gender is difficult to disentangle from socioeconomic advantage and other factors. Evidence suggests that such schools contribute to homogenised and limiting notions of gender. While some schools are moving towards desegregation in response to parental demand, little is known from the perspectives of young people in non-elite schools who have experienced segregated schooling. This paper turns to the accounts of 14 recent school leavers in NSW to consider the underpinning logics of segregated schooling, including the imbrication and erasure of socioeconomic dis/advantage, cultural, social, and locational factors that complicate claims about segregated schooling. Affective intensities of single-sex schooling are traced through micronarratives that touch on relations with peers, teachers, school spaces and practices, learning experiences, and their implications for gendered subjectivities and gender justice. Their accounts suggest that student experiences of segregated schooling are ambivalent and do not support claims of educational advantage and that configurations of single-sex schooling may be anachronistic for these times.

Teaching culture in a competitive market

Abstract In 2012, the White Paper Australia in the Asian Century urged governments across Australia to improve access to Asian studies in schools. Despite this, schools still struggle to maintain interest and success for secondary students, particularly those without an Asian family background. In response to the low numbers of non-Chinese-background students graduating from secondary schools with proficiency in Chinese language, the Victorian government launched a new Chinese Language, Culture, and Society subject in 2017. This study focuses on the teaching of this subject, which is taken in the last two years of secondary schooling during the pre-tertiary Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). Drawing upon interview data with administrators, teachers and students during the first years of its implementation, the article presents the views and challenges of stakeholders involved in this subject and argues that the inherent limitations of the VCE system will make it difficult for the new subject to achieve its stated aims.

Is the practice of autonomy support the missing element in teacher training at university? A study on the effects of an intervention based on self-determination theory on biology preservice teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and intentions.

Teacher education at universities often lacks practice although preservice teachers should be equipped with effective teaching methods. We conducted an intervention to convey and practice autonomy-supportive teaching behavior (ASTB) with 63 preservice teachers. The first control group (n = 76) did not receive any information on ASTB. A second control group (n = 54) had their regular seminar on ASTB without practicing what they had learned. Significant differences in the participants’ (Mage = 24.18 ± 3.26 years; Msemester = 7.61 ± 1.84; 63% female) knowledge, beliefs, and intentions were found. Participants of the intervention had higher theoretical and practical knowledge regarding ASTB and a higher level of perception that ASTB is easy to implement than a seminar without information on ASTB (first control group) and the regular seminar (second control group). That is, their knowledge acquisition and their belief about the ease of implementation were positively affected by the intervention in comparison to both control groups. Although no significant differences were found, preservice teachers in the intervention group also showed the highest level of agreement with the belief about the effectiveness of ASTB and the most pronounced intention to implement ASTB. The results of our study show that the developed intervention based on self-determination theory had a positive impact on preservice teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about ASTB as well as their intention to apply it in the future. Since teacher education at university often lacks practice, the development of such effective theory- and practice-based interventions for preservice teachers is especially important. The practical skills acquired in our study are of particular importance for one central challenge teachers face in their profession: the need to counteract the decreasing trend of student motivation during secondary schooling.

MOTIVATING SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TO LEARN GRAMMAR THROUGH GAME-BASED STUDENTS RESPONSE SYSTEMS (GSRS) APPLICATION : STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION IN INDONESIA

The present study aimed to perceive students’ perception in learning grammar through GSRS in secondary schooling context in Indonesia. GSRS can help the students to boost their engagement and motivation. Qualitative case study was used as research design. 12 students participated in this study. They were selected by using purposive random sampling. Questionnaire and interview were used to collect the data regarding students’ perception in using Kahoot application. The questionnaire comprises 20 questions and the interview consists of 9 questions. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively. The findings of the study showed that the students’ responses toward Kahoot! Application use in learning grammar were positive. The students felt enjoyable during the class (75%) and they were motivated to learn tenses or grammatical point (58,3%). Another finding found is Kahoot! could reduce the boredom of learning process in grammar class (58,3%). While Kahoot! Application provided positive impact on students’ motivation in learning grammar, the sudentts also experienced challenges in learning grammar during the class such as unstable network and limited time to response the questions. The study empirically shows that students’ perception toward Kahoot! application in learning grammar is positive. It can encourage secondary school students to learn grammar more enjoyable.

Access to Higher Education and Adolescent Fertility in Chile.

This study investigates gender differences in the association between adolescent fertility and the likelihood of initiating higher education among young Chilean men and women. We adopt an entropy balancing strategy to estimate the association between adolescent fertility and the likelihood of starting higher education while accounting for potential selection into early childbearing due to socioeconomic status and prior academic achievement. We use data from official national registers that cover a cohort of Chilean students who attended publicly funded schools and who successfully completed secondary schooling between 2011 and 2022. Our results indicate that adolescent mothers are 15 percentage points less likely to initiate higher education than their peers who did not give birth during adolescence. In comparison, teenage fathers are 20 percentage points less likely to do so than their childless counterparts. Our findings stand in contrast to previously identified disadvantage patterns for secondary school completion, whereby adolescent fertility more significantly hinders schooling completion for women relative to men. We contend that this reversal may be related to traditional gender-role expectations in Chile, which encourage young fathers to act as providers and, therefore, may be prevented from continuing on their education path into tertiary studies.

Feasibility first: Expanding access before fixing learning

The first SDG4 target is to both expand access to universal secondary school and to ensure that all children achieve minimum learning outcomes in primary school. To the extent that action must be prioritized, this article argues that achieving universal secondary education is both more feasible at scale and has clearer benefits than improving learning outcomes in primary schools in developing countries. Removing barriers to access such as fees and exam requirements has been demonstrated to have consistent impacts at scale, even in contexts of weak state capacity. By contrast, efforts to improve school quality have been much less consistent. Wage gains from secondary schooling have been demonstrated repeatedly, even in contexts of low quality education. Wage gains from improving primary school quality have not. Governments should thus focus on reforms that reliably expand access, rather than complex interventions to improve learning that often fail at scale.

Seroepidemiology of Treponema pallidum, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum in fertility treatment-seeking patients in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

BackgroundSeveral genital pathogens affect fertility. The study estimated the seroprevalence of Treponema pallidum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Mycoplasma hominis and identify specific factors associated with exposure to at least one of these pathogens in patients seeking fertility treatment in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. MethodsA seroepidemiological survey was conducted in a major fertility clinic in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Serum samples were screened for eight immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, and IgA) against T. pallidum, U. urealyticum, and M. hominis using enzyme-linked immunoassays. Factors associated with seropositivity to at least one of the pathogens were investigated. ResultsThe study surveyed 308 patients seeking fertility treatment (mean age: 36.1 ± 6.8 years). Most patients were female (88.0%), 24.9% had at least one chronic comorbidity, 19.3% had a previous genital infection, and 68.1% had been diagnosed with infertility for ≥ 6 months. Ig seroprevalence of T. pallidum (IgG: 3.0%, IgM: 3.2%), U. urealyticum (IgG: 2.6%, IgM: 2.0%), and M. hominis (IgG: 33.9%) was 6.4%, 4.6%, and 49.0%, respectively. Nearly one quarter (23.0%) and one decile (9.2%) of the patients exhibited evidence of ongoing infection (IgM seropositivity) or recent infection (IgA seropositivity) with M. hominis, respectively. Overall, 53.0% of the patients were seropositive for at least one of the screened immunoglobulins. Patients with an education level of secondary schooling or below (66.2%) or those who were unemployed (61.1%) had a higher seroprevalence of IgG antibodies compared with patients with college or higher-level education (48.4%) or those who were employed (48.1%) (p < 0.05). ConclusionExposure to T. pallidum or U. urealyticum was relatively low, whereas that to M. hominis was common in the surveyed patients. Enhanced awareness and screening programmes for genital pathogens are crucial to prevent and control the transmission of infections and reduce the growing burden of infertility.