Survey Of Secondary Schools Research Articles

Research on assessing and enhancing indoor thermal and air conditions within typical elementary school classrooms in southern China

The thermal design of buildings in hot summer and cold winter regions must meet the requirements of thermal insulation in summer and heat preservation in winter. As a vital component of national compulsory education, primary schools must create a good indoor thermal environment for classrooms, which is particularly important for students. Due to the lack of construction standards and limited research on Chinese regions with hot summers and cold winters, policymakers have no comprehensive and efficient approach to creating optimal indoor thermal conditions in primary school classrooms. Therefore, based on the climate conditions of hot summer and cold winter areas, this study conducted field surveys in primary and secondary schools in hot summer and cold winter areas, summarized and analyzed the current situation of the surveyed classrooms and users' subjective evaluation of the indoor thermal environment of classrooms, and summarized the current hot summer and cold winter conditions. Problems in classrooms in primary and secondary schools in the region are clarified, and the research direction of construction strategies is clarified. The study found that most of the school hours in summer and winter were in a poor indoor thermal environment without refrigeration equipment. This study adjusted the school leaving time to 17:20 in summer and 17:00 in winter by adjusting the school leaving time to reduce the time of adverse thermal environment.

Are answers affected by data collection on paper or online? The case of Belgian adolescents

Abstract Background In the early 2000s, the prevalence estimations were compared in relation with the mode of data collection, i.e. paper or online. Following the widely spread routine use of connected devices, especially in adolescents, such a monitoring is of interest. Within the 2022 “Health Behaviour in school-aged children” survey in French-speaking primary and secondary schools of Belgium, those participating could choose between paper and online collection. Our objective was to compare a large set of indicators between the two modes after adjusting for the students’ characteristics. Methods After a two-stage random selection of schools and classes, 11,751 10-to-20-year-old adolescents completed the questionnaire either on paper or online. Descriptive analysis and comparisons were conducted using chi2 and multiple logistic regressions adjusted for the students’ sociodemographic characteristics that may vary according to the questionnaire mode. Results Overall, 54.9% of the questionnaires were completed online. The choice of the collection mode provided to the schools’ headteachers was associated with the adolescents’ characteristics. Those who completed the questionnaire online were more likely to be in secondary schools, in Wallonia, and of a more favourable socioeconomic profile. After adjustments, no difference in the indicators regarding health, well-being, substance use, or sleep duration was observed. Conversely, a difference was observed for screen time (internet ≥2h/weekday: 70.4% on paper vs. 72.3% online; adjusted P-value: 0.02), some food groups (daily vegetables: 51.2% vs. 58.0%; P-value<0.001) and body weight status (overweight including obesity: 16.7% vs. 14.0%; P-value<0.001). Conclusions In some circumstances such as data collection in the school setting, mixed modes are still necessary due to operational issues. While most indicators did not show a difference between online and paper collection, potential implications for others need to be further understood. Key messages • Collecting data through online or paper questionnaires does not lead to major differences in prevalence estimates. • With the rise of online surveys, further assessment is required to understand the potential declaration biases.

ESPRIT study, analysis of the results of the pre-intervention survey in upper secondary schools

Abstract Background Sexually transmitted infections are a major public health problem, and their number is increasing in Italy. However, affective sexuality education is not yet part of the curricula. Therefore, a project entitled ESPRIT was launched, involving 3 regions (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio and Sicily), the IRCSS ‘Burlo Garofolo’ and the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, and implemented with the technical and financial support of the Ministry of Health - CCM. Methods A multicenter prospective intervention study was designed involving public upper secondary school students (grade 10-11). All target groups completed a KAP (knowledge, attitude, practice) questionnaire before and after participation in the educational intervention to measure its effectiveness. The questionnaires from the first phase were collected between January and April 2024, and the results were analyzed using R statistical software. Results The analysis of the overall results (463 students in total; female 58%, male 39%, other 2%; FVG 49%, Lazio 25%, Sicily 26%) showed that the group of upper secondary school students, targeted by peer education answered the knowledge part correctly by 56.6±13.8% on average. Applying the Kruskal-Wallis test showed that the percentage was significantly higher for females than males (p-value=0.005) and for licei students compared to technical and vocational schools (p-value=0.000). In terms of to attitudes, only 17% of students talked at length about sexually transmitted infections, and in 86.6% of cases, the interlocutors were friends or peers. Conclusions The results of the first phase show differences between the sexes and between the different types of educational institutions. The current level of knowledge still leaves much room for intervention and improvement. Analyzing the results of the follow-up phase will allow us to understand the effectiveness of the peer education intervention. Key messages • Adolescents’ knowledge of sexually transmitted infections needs to be improved. • Gender and the type of school attended affect the level of knowledge.

Back to school after COVID-19 pandemic: Resumption or transitional disruption?

Since its onset in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has globally disrupted school operations, leading to a shift to some form of homeschooling arrangements. After two years, in March 2022, the government of Malaysia officially reopened all schools, ending its homeschooling program. In this paper, we exploit a purposefully designed, nationwide, cross-sectional survey of government-owned primary and secondary schools in Malaysia to document student learning experiences during the early months of the home-to-school transition. Our empirical analysis and choice of indicators is guided by a conceptual framework that distinguishes between two competing hypotheses related to school reopening experiences: resumption vs transitional disruption. We find that 59 % of secondary and 72 % of primary level students report that they are happy to be back in school. School reopening also coincides with a significant reduction in educational-related worries (e.g., concerns over dropout, learning loss, and loss of interest in study) and indices of negative emotions (i.e., feelings of being tense, depressed, and restless), particularly among secondary school students. More importantly, those satisfied upon return to school report a statistically significant reduction in worries related to learning loss. These correlations support the resumption hypothesis. Yet our data highlights an important puzzle: Even after school reopening, one-third of students report that they do not learn more, at least one-fifth report a struggle to catch up on studies, and up to 40 % are concerned about learning loss. The majority of learners additionally report not receiving more support from teachers and parents. Recipients of public aid as well as private (i.e., parental) support report being happy about school reopening and are less likely to report “not learning more.” We conclude by discussing these somewhat paradoxical findings and the need for remedial measures beyond financial support for struggling learners to minimize post school reopening, transitional disruptions.

Use of Electronic Cigarettes among Secondary School Students and their Association with Depressive Symptoms: Findings from a National Secondary School Survey in Thailand

Objective: to describe: 1) the prevalence of electronic cigarette use among Thai secondary school students, stratified by grade levels and sex; 2) the extent that depressive symptoms were associated with former and current use of electronic cigarette.Material and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from secondary school students in Thailand in years 7, 9, and 11 of the 12-years educational system. We randomly sampled 113 schools in 21 provinces and Bangkok, randomly sampled classrooms in the school, and invited all students present in the sampled classrooms to participate in the study. All data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. We measured depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) instrument, and measured electronic cigarette use with adapted versions of existing instruments. Data analyses included descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses with adjustment for sampling weights.Results: A total of 23,659 students responded and provided adequately completed questionnaires. Approximately 12.3% of the participants reported a lifetime history of using electronic cigarette. Electronic cigarette use was more common among males and older students. There seemed to be a threshold in the association between the level of depressive symptoms and ever vs. never use of electronic cigarette, and the association was strongest at a PHQ-2 score of 6 vs. 0 (adjusted odd ratio (OR)=1.72; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.98, 3.03). A similar association was found between current vs. former or never use of electronic cigarette and having a PHQ-2 score of 6 vs. 0 (adjusted OR=1.84; 95% CI=0.96, 3.52).Conclusion: We found associations between depressive symptoms and electronic cigarette use. However, limitations with regard to the lack of temporality, measurement issues, and lack of generalizability should be considered as caveats in the interpretation of the study findings.

Life Skills Development Through Sports Among Student-Athletes: A Survey of Secondary Schools

Life skills are applicable psycho-social skills and abilities to develop desirable qualities such as self-confidence and socialization. In this context, the research aims to investigate how participation in sportive activities during secondary education affects an individual's life skills. The sample group in the study consisted of 212 students, 99 female and 113 male students, studying at Private İstek 1915 Çanakkale Schools in Çanakkale province. Life Skills Scale for Sport (LSSS) scale was used to evaluate life skills acquired through sport. Statistical package program (SPSS 21 Version) was used to analyze the data obtained in the study. The findings of the research showed that there were differences in the life skills of the sample group according to the variables discussed. According to gender, the sub-dimension of goal setting is in favor of male students. It is seen that as the years of doing sports increase and those who play in the school team have higher life skills gains. In addition, students who play team sports have higher scores than those who play individual sports in all sub-dimensions of the scale except communication, which are time management, leadership, teamwork and goal setting. As a result, it is thought that secondary school students who play sports regularly, play in a club or school team and are directed to sports starting from an early age have more positive life skills in their future lives.

A national survey of ability grouping practices in secondary school physical education in England

ABSTRACT This research sought to generate large-scale yet sophisticated data relating to ability grouping practices in physical education (PE) in secondary schools in England, with the intent of extending knowledge of the various ability grouping practices being adopted within and across schools. The prevalence of particular ability grouping practices, processes associated with their application, and factors influencing their use and non-use were explored. Data were collected via a web-based survey of all (3197 at the time of study) mainstream state-funded secondary schools in England. A total of 903 responses were received, giving a response rate of 28.2%. The findings reveal that overall, mixed-ability grouping is the most common ability grouping practice in PE, although the extent and nature of this practice (and other ability grouping practices) varied by year group, Key Stage, gender of students, and/or curriculum activities. Setting was the predominant approach in PE in Year 8 (aged 12–13) and Year 9 (aged 13–14). The use of variants on these practices (including mixed-ability grouping with a separate top and/or bottom set) and descriptions of how and why different grouping practices are enacted in specific contexts, illustrate the significance of discourses of ability, gender, and pragmatism in grouping practices in PE.

An eighteen-year longitudinal examination of school victimization and weapon use in California secondary schools.

School safety has been a major public health issue in the United States and internationally for more than three decades. Many policies and programs have been developed and implemented to prevent school violence, improve the school climate, and increase safety. There are only a few peer-reviewed studies of changes in school violence over time. The study examined changes over time in school victimization, weapon involvement and school climate, comparing change trajectories by gender and race and different change trajectories among schools. A longitudinal study of the biennial California Healthy Kids Survey in secondary schools from 2001 to 2019. The representative sample included 6,219,166 students in grades 7, 9, and 11 (48.8% male) from 3253 schools (66% high schools). All victimization and weapon involvement items had significant and substantial linear reductions. The largest reduction involved being in a physical fight (from 25.4% to 11.0%). There were reductions in weapon involvement (d = 0.46) and victimization (d = 0.38). Biased-based victimization only declined slightly (d = -0.05). School belongingness and safety increased (d = 0.27), adult support increased a small amount (d = 0.05), and student participation declined (d = -0.10). Changes were smallest among White students. Ninety-five percent of the schools showed the same pattern of reductions. The findings are in contrast to the public's concerns that school violence is a growing problem. Reductions in school violence may result from social investment in school safety. A distinction should be made between school shootings and other forms of school violence.

Mathematical Literacy Skills: A Survey in Secondary Schools

This study aims to present the abilities of junior high school students' mathematical literacy in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region Province, Indonesia. This survey used proportional random sampling to sample 428 eighth graders from fourteen schools. A mathematical literacy task for this study has been tested for validity and reliability. The data were analyzed by converting the test scores using interval scales to categorize the abilities. Based on the analysis, the mathematical literacy skills of students were generally included in the low category, with a distribution of 62.15% of students in the very low category, 13.32% in the low category, 14.02% in the medium category, 5.37% in the high category, and 5.14% in the very high category. They were: 1) in a low category for the formula and employ processes, and a very low category for the interpreting process; 2) in a low category for the Quantity and Uncertainty Data content, and a very low category for the change and relationship and space and shape content; and 3) in a low category for the Personal and Occupational context, and a very low category for the social and Scientific context. The results of this study are expected to be a consideration for related parties to improve the quality of education, especially in learning mathematics.

Parental Engagement in Schooling: A Survey of Secondary Schools in Kwara State, Nigeria

This study inquired about parental engagement (PE) in schooling, focusing on secondary schoolstudents in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study also examined the existing differentials in parental engagements based on school type, geographic location, and students’ academic level. To accomplish the objectives, a descriptive survey design was adopted for the research. One thousand two hundred and ninety-six students were sampled from 72 secondary schools with multi-stage sampling procedures. A questionnaire titled “Parental Engagement Assessment Questionnaire” (PIAQ) was utilized as a data collection instrument. Mean scores, standard deviation, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were appropriate statistical tools used in analyzing the collected data. The key finding made known was that the general level of parental engagement in schooling among secondary school students in Kwara State was moderate. Explicitly, students in private schools experienced higher PE than those in public schools; students schooling within the Kwara Central senatorial district experienced higher PE than those in Kwara-South and Kwara-North respectively; even in grade 10 students received a higher level of PE compared to those in grade 11and grade 12 respectively. The study concluded that, despite the moderate level of PE in secondary school students schooling, significant disparitiesexistbased on school ownership, geographic/senatorial distribution, and students’ academic level. Thus, further studies are needed to investigate other students’ characteristics that determine PE.

Procena zdravstvene pismenosti adolescenata

Introduction: Health literacy enables adolescents to access, understand, and evaluate health information, act on it in a relevant and competent way, make decisions, and take measures that promote health in different contexts of everyday life. The study aimed to assess adolescents' health and e-health literacy levels, evaluate the differences in adolescents' health literacy to sociodemographic characteristics and health determinants, and determine their relationship. Material and methods: The study was designed as an observational, analytical, comparative, and cross-sectional survey of secondary vocational schools and gymnasium pupils. The sample consisted of a total of N = 456 adolescents. The following research instruments were used: The Health Literacy Measure for Adolescents (HELMA), the e-Health Literacy Assessment Scale (e-HEALS) and a general questionnaire for obtaining sociodemographic data and data on health determinants created for this research. Results: The desired health literacy level was reached by 61.6% of adolescents, and 38.4% were at limited health literacy. A high level of e-health literacy was established in the majority of adolescents. Adolescents showed the highest level of health literacy in understanding health information and communicating about it, and the lowest level was in the domain of calculations. The difference in the level of health literacy was determined by age, school performance and mother's education, as well as by health determinants. The health literacy level and e-health literacy among adolescents are strongly positively correlated. Conclusion: Considering that more than one-third of adolescents have limited health literacy and the impact of health literacy on disease prevention, self-care and quality of life, it is necessary to work on raising the level of health literacy among adolescents through educational interventions.

Career Counseling Practices: A Survey of Secondary Schools of Kotli Azad Jammu and Kashmir

The current study was quantitative in nature and descriptive method was used for conducting the research. In descriptive method a survey technique was used to collect the data. The population of the study was 1016 female teachers working in all the secondary school of Tehsil Kotli. 235 teachers were selected as a sample of the study. A five-point likert scale questionnaire developed for teachers. 0.79 reliability was found which was acceptable for conducting the final survey. The researcher personally visited the selected secondary schools and collected the data. Data were analyzed by using percentage, frequency, mean and independent sample t-test. It was found that there was no mean difference found in urban and rural teachers regarding individual counseling, group counseling, telephonic counselling, face to face counselling and handbooks and manuals counselling practices. It is recommended that teachers may support students one-on-one with personal issues, career decisions, behavior formation, and motivation.

Point of care SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing in schools improves school attendance.

Background: National lockdowns have led to significant interruption to children's education globally. In the Autumn term in 2020, school absence in England and Wales was almost five times higher than the same period in 2019. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools and ongoing interruption to education remains a concern. However, evaluation of rapid point of care (POC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in British schools has not been undertaken. Methods: This is a survey of secondary schools in England that implemented PCR-based rapid POC testing. The study aims to measure the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in schools, to assess the impact of this testing on school attendance and closures, and to describe schools experiences with testing. All schools utilised the SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 testing platform. Results: 12 fee-paying secondary schools in England were included. Between September 1 st 2020 and December 16 th 2020, 697 on site rapid POC PCR tests were performed and 6.7% of these were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. There were five outbreaks in three schools during this time which were contained. Seven groups of close contacts within the school known as bubbles had to quarantine but there were no school closures. 84% of those tested were absent from school for less than one day whilst awaiting their test result. This potentially saved between 1047 and 1570 days off school in those testing negative compared to the NHS PCR laboratory test. Schools reported a positive impact of having a rapid testing platform as it allowed them to function as fully as possible during this pandemic. Conclusions: Rapid POC PCR testing platforms should be widely available and utilised in school settings. Reliable positive tests will prevent outbreaks and uncontrolled spread of infection within school settings.Reliable negative test results will reassure students, parents and staff and preventdisruption to education.

Point of care SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing in schools improves school attendance

Background: National lockdowns have led to significant interruption to children’s education globally. In the Autumn term in 2020, school absence in England and Wales was almost five times higher than the same period in 2019. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools and ongoing interruption to education remains a concern. However, evaluation of rapid point of care (POC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in British schools has not been undertaken. Methods: This is a survey of secondary schools in England that implemented PCR-based rapid POC testing. The study aims to measure the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in schools, to assess the impact of this testing on school attendance and closures, and to describe schools experiences with testing. All schools utilised the SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 testing platform. Results: 12 fee-paying secondary schools in England were included. Between September 1 st 2020 and December 16 th 2020, 697 on site rapid POC PCR tests were performed and 6.7% of these were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. There were five outbreaks in three schools during this time which were contained. Seven groups of close contacts within the school known as bubbles had to quarantine but there were no school closures. 84% of those tested were absent from school for less than one day whilst awaiting their test result. This potentially saved between 1047 and 1570 days off school in those testing negative compared to the NHS PCR laboratory test. Schools reported a positive impact of having a rapid testing platform as it allowed them to function as fully as possible during this pandemic. Conclusions: Rapid POC PCR testing platforms should be widely available and utilised in school settings. Reliable positive tests will prevent outbreaks and uncontrolled spread of infection within school settings. Reliable negative test results will reassure students, parents and staff and prevent disruption to education.

The impact of local colleges' interference in middle school students' family psychological intervention on the psychological health status of students learning at home - a case study of northern Guangdong.

Using college psychological resources, this paper attempts to intervene in the family psychology of middle school students learning at home during the epidemic in northern Guangdong. Focusing on the impact of family system on the psychological health status of middle school students learning at home, it provides reference for targeted family psychological intervention and treatment of students. The "Psychological Health Survey Questions for Middle School Students Learning at Home during the Epidemic" was compiled to conduct a class-based random sampling survey of primary and secondary schools in northern Guangdong. Family psychological intervention is provided for key groups. (1) The middle school students' psychological health level was above average on the whole, but with great individual differences. (2) Families have a significant impact on students' psychological health, among which parents' occupation, family integrity, family economy, family atmosphere, and the number of children in the family all exert a significant impact on middle school students' psychological health. (3) Stepwise regression analysis reveals that the six factors of gender, grade, ethnicity and place of residence, family economy and atmosphere in the family environment system are included in the regression equation, explaining 11.6% of middle school students' psychological health. (4) Family psychological intervention significantly improves middle school students' psychological health. Local colleges' interference in middle school students' family psychological intervention can effectively improve psychological health of middle school students learning at home. Society, families and schools should value family psychological construction, and effectively unite social forces to jointly promote students' psychological health.

Interrelations between Sport and Leisure Activities among High School Students

Research on the education, upbringing and habits of high school students is extremely varied and diversified across all areas of education. In our case, we would like to investigate students’ sporting and leisure habits, as several studies have found possible breakpoints in students’ lifestyles during this period, which is particularly true for sporting habits. Our research focuses on the leisure habits of students learning in Nyíregyháza and Debrecen. We were looking for answers to the following questions: What is the most common form of leisure time activity among the students investigated? and, what social and sport-related variables are associated with differences in leisure time use? We conducted a questionnaire survey in secondary schools in the two cities (N=450) to answer our questions. The analyses showed that screentime activities continue to play a dominant role in the leisure time of the age group studied, followed only by activities that can be linked to active leisure.

Point of care SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing in schools improves school attendance

Background: National lockdowns have led to significant interruption to children's education globally. In the Autumn term in 2020, school absence in England and Wales was almost five times higher than the same period in 2019. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools and ongoing interruption to education remains a concern. However, evaluation of rapid point of care (POC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in British schools has not been undertaken. Methods: This is a survey of secondary schools in England that implemented PCR-based rapid POC testing. The study aims to measure the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in schools, to assess the impact of this testing on school attendance and closures, and to describe schools experiences with testing. All schools utilised the SAMBA II SARS-CoV-2 testing platform. Results: 12 fee-paying secondary schools in England were included. Between September 1 st 2020 and December 16 th 2020, 697 on site rapid POC PCR tests were performed and 6.7% of these were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. There were five outbreaks in three schools during this time which were contained. Seven groups of close contacts within the school known as bubbles had to quarantine but there were no school closures. 84% of those tested were absent from school for less than one day whilst awaiting their test result. This potentially saved between 1047 and 1570 days off school in those testing negative compared to the NHS PCR laboratory test. Schools reported a positive impact of having a rapid testing platform as it allowed them to function as fully as possible during this pandemic. Conclusions: Rapid POC PCR testing platforms should be widely available and utilised in school settings. Reliable positive tests will prevent outbreaks and uncontrolled spread of infection within school settings.Reliable negative test results will reassure students, parents and staff and preventdisruption to education.

Inclusive Education in Azad Jammu and Kashmir: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Secondary Schools

Inclusive education represents the concern of the entire school and is committed to providing quality education to all students in the most effective way, so that special education and general education are consistent. The study aimed to analyze inclusive education in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The study was descriptive in nature and a cross-sectional survey was applied to collect the data. All 538 secondary school teachers and headteachers of District Pooch were the population of the study. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the sample. The researcher selected 185 secondary school teachers and 45 head teachers through a proportionate stratified random sampling technique as a sample. A questionnaire for teachers and headteachers was used as a research instrument in this study. Data were collected through personal visits and postal service. Data were analyzed through mean scores and standard deviation. Based on analysis it was found that inclusive education provides an opportunity for the enjoyment and implementation of full human rights without any discrimination because inclusive education allows understanding individual differences. It is recommended that the school Education Department of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) may introduce inclusive education at the district and tehsil level. Further, they need to plan for all teachers and headteachers to provide awareness about inclusive education.

National estimates from the Youth '19 Rangatahi smart survey: A survey calibration approach.

BackgroundSignificant progress has been made addressing adolescent health needs in New Zealand, but monitoring and gathering high quality estimates of adolescent health and social issues remains challenging and resource intensive. Previous nationally representative secondary school surveys were conducted in New Zealand in 2001, 2007 and 2012, as part of the Youth2000 survey series. This paper focuses on a fourth survey conducted in 2019 (https://www.youth19.ac.nz/). The 2019 survey had a regional sampling strategy rather than a national sampling strategy as in previous years. The survey also included kura kaupapa Māori schools (Māori language immersion schools), as well as mainstream secondary schools. This paper presents the overall study methodology, and a weighting and calibration framework in order to provide estimates that reflect the national student population, and enable comparisons with the previous surveys to monitor trends.MethodsYouth19 was a cross sectional, self-administered health and wellbeing survey of New Zealand high school students. The survey population was secondary school students of New Zealand aged 12 to 18 years (school years 9–13). The study population was drawn from three education regions: Auckland, Tai Tokerau (Northland) and Waikato. These are the most ethnically diverse regions in New Zealand and account for 46% of the adolescent population in New Zealand. The sampling design was two-stage clustered stratified, where schools were the clusters, and strata were defined by kura schools and educational regions. There were four strata, formed as follows: kura schools (Tai Tokerau, Auckland and Waikato regions combined), mainstream-Auckland, mainstream-Tai Tokerau and mainstream-Waikato. From each stratum, 50% of the schools were randomly sampled and then 30% of students from the selected schools were invited to participate. All students in the kura kaupapa schools were invited to participate. In order to make more precise estimates and adjust for differential non-response, as well as to make nationally relevant estimates and allow comparisons with the previous national surveys, we calibrated the sampling weights to reflect the national secondary school student population.ResultsThere were 45 mainstream and 4 kura schools included in the final sample, and 7,374 mainstream and 347 kura students participated in the survey. There were differences between the sampled population and the national secondary school student population, particularly in terms of sex and ethnicity, with a higher proportion of females and Asian students in the study sample than in the national student population. We calculated estimates of the totals and proportions for key variables that describe risk and protective factors or health and wellbeing factors. Rates of risk-taking behaviours were lower in the sampled population than what would be expected nationally, based on the demographic profile of the national student population. For the regional estimates, calibrated weights yield standard errors lower than those obtained with the unadjusted sampling weights. This leads to significantly narrower confidence intervals for all the variables in the analysis. The calibrated estimates of national quantities provide similar results. Additionally, the national estimates for 2019 serve as a tool to compare to previous surveys, where the sampling population was national.ConclusionsOne of the main goals of this paper is to improve the estimates at the regional level using calibrated weights to adjust for oversampling of some groups, or non-response bias. Additionally, we also recommend the use of calibrated estimators as they provide nationally adjusted estimates, which allow inferences about the whole adolescent population of New Zealand. They also yield confidence intervals that are significantly narrower than those obtained using the original sampling weights.

Strategic decision-making in secondary schools: the impact of a principal’s demographic profile

ABSTRACT Purpose Building on arguments drawn from Upper Echelons Theory, this study provides insights into how certain demographic characteristics related to principals―gender, age, tenure, and formal education―may facilitate or hinder the adoption of three generic modes of strategic decision-making: autocratic, participative, and collaborative. Design Data were collected from a survey of Spanish secondary schools. The final sample consisted of 105 schools. The survey was administered to the principals at each school. A multinomial logistic regression was used to test the relationships between the study’s main variables of interest. Findings There is a positive relationship between principals aged 41–50, those with a tenure at the school equal to or less than 10 years and the likelihood of implementing a participative/collaborative mode of strategic decision-making. The lower the principal’s formal education, the lower the likelihood of adopting a collaborative mode. The effect of a principal’s gender is not statistically significant. The adoption of a participative/collaborative mode also depends on other school factors (such as, for example, a lower staff turnover or a higher teacher training). Practical implications The measures adopted by the Spanish educational authorities might make access to the position of principal easier for younger candidates and those with a shorter tenure at the school. They might also encourage those with Master’s degree and PhD studies. As there are no significant differences in the way male and female principals make strategic decisions, the educational authorities need “not act as if there really were.” Nevertheless, considering that women are still underrepresented in leadership positions in Spanish secondary schools, our findings could also be interpreted as a further call for the adoption of measures that promote greater parity. Originality To the best of our knowledge, there is still a lack of research exploring how certain demographic characteristics and other school factors may influence a principal’s adoption of different modes of strategic decision-making. This study may also clarify how school governance works. Over the past few years, scholars, experts, and policymakers from around the world have been calling for the need to adopt models that are more participative/collaborative regarding decision-making in schools. This study could, therefore, shed light on those factors that most contribute to achieving this aim in a country with high dropout and failure rates.