Do educational aspirations and expectations matter in improving school achievement?

Nierówności edukacyjne i szkolne segregacje czyli szkoła publiczna wobec wyzwań spójności społecznej w lokalnym systemie edukacji

10.31338/2657-6007.kp.2021-1.2 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 19-53

Author(s):

Roman Dolata

Keyword(s):

Social Status ◽

Educational Aspirations ◽

School Achievement ◽

Preschool Education ◽

Social Background ◽

The Other ◽

Family Status ◽

Financial Capacity ◽

Other Hand ◽

The Impact

Challenges that schools face in relation to social cohesion include the need to minimise the impact of students’ social background on their educational career and ensuring that the public school is a place of contact between children from different social groups and class. Research supporting local policy in this area should therefore monitor the social status-based determinants of students’ educational careers and other processes of intentional as well as spontaneous between school and between classroom segregation. The following facts were found in the local educational system analysed. The measures of SES dimensions of students’ family are significantly related to their school achievement. In Ostrołęka, this connection was found to be considerably stronger than the national average. However, which is certainly an optimistic result, the financial resources of the students’ families, with other SES dimensions controlled, did not affect school achievement. Parents’ educational aspirations for their children, on the other hand, are related to all aspects of socio-economic status. In this case, also the financial capacity of the students’ families is significantly related to the level of these aspirations. Including students’ school grades along with the SES dimensions in the analysis of the determinants of educational aspirations shows that they determine aspirations to the same degree as family status does. Sadly, there is no evidence that pre-school education helps low SES students catch up with their peers with high SES families. This means that the key to effectively support the development of children from educationally at-risk backgrounds is in the quality of preschool education and not just its universality. Schools in Ostrołęka differ in their social composition in terms of the parents’ education status and the financial capacity of their families, but the scale of these differences is not considerable. On the other hand, between classroom within school differentiation due to parents’ social status is in some schools much stronger than inter-school differences, which poses a serious problem.

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Does health literacy explain the link between structural stratifiers and adolescent health?

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz011 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 919-924 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Leena T Paakkari ◽

Minna P Torppa ◽

Olli-Pekka Paakkari ◽

Raili S Välimaa ◽

Kristiina S A Ojala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Disparities ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Health Behaviour ◽

Educational Aspirations ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

School Achievement ◽

Health Indicators ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

Positive Health

Abstract Background The concept of health literacy (HL) may help us to better understand the mechanisms leading to health disparities, and to focus on the factors that can be influenced. However, not much is yet known about how HL is related to health disparities, or whether the association exists among adolescents. The aim of the study was to examine the associations between structural stratifiers, HL and health indicators among adolescents. Methods The nationally representative Finnish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey data (n=3833) were collected from 13- and 15-year-old pupils in the spring of 2014. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated, and separate path models were estimated for the perceived health and health behaviour measures. Results HL was found to be an independent factor explaining disparities in health. Higher HL was related to positive health outcomes. HL also acted as a mediator between health behaviours and structural stratifiers, except for gender. School achievement and educational aspirations were among the factors explaining the HL level, which in turn, explained the health indicators. Conclusion The concept of HL is of use in understanding health disparities. In particular, HL provides a mechanism via which school achievement and educational plans affect health outcomes. Low HL places adolescents who have poor school achievement and who do not intend to continue on an academic path in an unequal position with respect to their health.

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Subjective health literacy among school-aged children

Health Education ◽

10.1108/he-02-2017-0014 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 118 (2) ◽

pp. 182-195 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Olli Paakkari ◽

Minna Torppa ◽

Jari Villberg ◽

Lasse Kannas ◽

Leena Paakkari

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Educational Aspirations ◽

School Achievement ◽

Learning Difficulties ◽

Total Sample ◽

Subjective Health ◽

Family Affluence ◽

Content Type ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Nationally Representative

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore Finnish adolescents’ subjective health literacy (HL) in association to school achievement, learning difficulties, educational aspirations, and family affluence. Design/methodology/approach Nationally representative data were collected in Finland as a part of the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. The respondents consisted in total of 3,833 adolescents (7th and 9th graders) from 359 schools. The Health Literacy for School-aged Children instrument was applied to measure adolescents’ subjective HL, while the Family Affluence Scale was used to measure adolescents’ socioeconomic status. Information was gathered on school achievement, learning difficulties, and educational aspirations. Findings Approximately one-third of the adolescents manifested a high level of HL, around 60 per cent had a moderate level of HL, and about one-tenth had low HL. The HL level was lower for boys than for girls, and lower for 7th graders than for 9th graders. In the total sample, the strongest explanatory variables for HL were school achievement in the first language, and educational aspirations. Originality/value This study provides the first nationally representative examination of adolescents’ subjective HL levels, and how these vary across age and gender groups. In drawing conclusions and presenting suggestions for HL interventions, it is important to verify the nature of the HL examined in any given study, and how it was researched.

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Discrimination at School? When Stereotypes Affect Track Recommendations

10.31219/osf.io/qcw4y ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Gilgen

Keyword(s):

Social Class ◽

Educational Aspirations ◽

School Achievement ◽

Lower Class ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Statistical Discrimination ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

Classroom Behaviour ◽

The Hierarchical Structure ◽

Minority Girls

This article examines whether teacher discrimination is an additional source of disadvantage for lower class and minority children, while also considering differential treatment by gender. Primary teachers in Bern, Switzerland, were asked to state the probabilities of recommending fictitious sixth graders – described in vignettes – to either the lower or higher track in secondary school. The factorial survey experiment, especially suited for addressing problems of social desirability bias, while enabling a direct measure of attitudes, included the dimensions: social class, minority status, gender, ability, motivation, classroom behaviour and parental educational aspirations. The results from the ordinary least squares regression models, accounting for the hierarchical structure (each respondent evaluated four vignettes so that N=216) with clustered standard errors, were mixed. While teachers lean towards treating ethnic minority girls favourably, they are significantly harsher on minority boys, compared to their Swiss counterparts. Throughout, teachers respond somewhat differently to girls and boys; sex-specific effects emerge for motivation, classroom behaviour and parental educational aspirations. In regard to social class, teachers tend towards a downward bias for lower class children in general, but it is yet again the boys that have a substantial disadvantage if they come from a lower class background. On the whole, the results indicate that discriminatory behaviour by teachers may indeed be one of the reasons for the lower school achievement of lower class and minority boys. While the theories of preference-based and statistical discrimination fail to account for the findings, the theory of statistical discrimination proves valuable in explaining the results.

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Aspiracje edukacyjne rodziców i dzieci a osiągnięcia szkolne

Studia Edukacyjne ◽

10.14746/se.2018.47.19 ◽

1970 ◽

pp. 313-328

Author(s):

Waldemar Kozłowski ◽

Ewa Matczak

Keyword(s):

Primary School ◽

Significant Relationship ◽

Strong Correlation ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Educational Aspirations ◽

School Achievement ◽

Primary School Students ◽

School Students ◽

Level Of Education ◽

Parents And Children

Numerous studies have found an association of educational aspirations of parents and children with their school achievement. The study verifies these relationships for about 5,000 people, a representative sample of parents and their children-primary school students. Three aspects of aspirations were taken into account: the maximum (desired), the feasible (expected) and the lowest acceptable. Expected aspirations of parents are mostly related to the achievements of children; students’ achievements are associated with both their feasible and maximum aspirations. There was a significant relationship between aspirations of parents and children and a strong correlation between parental aspirations and their level of education.

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Incongruence between parental and adolescent educational aspirations hinders academic attainment

Longitudinal and Life Course Studies ◽

10.1332/175795921x16324800210845 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ingrid Schoon ◽

Kaspar Burger

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Educational Aspirations ◽

School Achievement ◽

Later Life ◽

Birth Cohort Study ◽

Academic Attainment ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Related Factors ◽

Life Chances

Previous research has shown that parental educational aspirations for their children are an important predictor of children’s academic attainment. However, recent studies have pointed to potential negative effects, in particular if there is a mismatch between parental educational aspirations and the aspirations of their children. This study examines (1) the role of socio-demographic and school achievement–related factors in shaping a potential (mis)match between parental educational aspirations and the aspirations of their children, and (2) whether incongruence between parental and their children’s educational aspirations hinders academic attainment in times of social change. We use data collected for the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study (BCS70) and Next Steps (formerly known as the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England), a cohort of young people born in 1989/90. We find that in both cohorts socio-demographic and achievement-related characteristics are associated with incongruent aspirations, and that incongruent aspirations between parents and their children are associated with a decreased likelihood of participating in and completing higher education. The study contributes to current debates regarding the causes and correlates of discrepancies in educational aspirations and how such discrepancies affect later life chances.

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Objective health literacy skills among ninth graders in Finland: outcomes from a national learning assessment

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/14034948211019798 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 140349482110197

Author(s):

Anna-Mari Summanen ◽

Juhani Rautopuro ◽

Lasse K. Kannas ◽

Leena T. Paakkari

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Linear Model ◽

Educational Aspirations ◽

School Achievement ◽

Hierarchical Linear Model ◽

Demographic Factors ◽

Educational Background ◽

Ninth Graders ◽

Language Of Instruction ◽

Socio Demographic Factors

Background: Health literacy (HL) is an important determinant for maintaining and improving health throughout the lifespan. This underlines the need to monitor HL, including among adolescents, and to understand the factors explaining HL, with a view to decreasing differences in HL. The aim of this study was to objectively measure HL, and the relationship between HL and socio-demographic factors (gender, language of instruction, pupils’ educational aspirations, parents’ educational background and pupils’ school achievement) among pupils ( n = 3652) at the end of basic education in Finland. Methods: A nationally representative assessment, which included 55 items on HL, was conducted as a traditional paper-and-pencil test in schools. The data were analysed via descriptive statistics and a two-level hierarchical linear model to determine how the socio-demographic factors affected HL. Results: The pupils’ average score on the HL test items was 58.9%, indicating a satisfactory HL level. A two-level hierarchical linear model showed that the variables (gender, language of instruction, pupils’ educational aspirations, parents’ educational background and pupils’ school achievement) predicting the HL level had statistically significant effects. Conclusions: Among ninth graders (15–16 years old), almost one third of the boys and 8% of the girls exhibited an unsatisfactory HL level. The study also confirmed the importance of school-related factors in explaining HL differences. Since low HL has been linked to several unfavourable health indicators and has been viewed as an underestimated problem in times of pandemic and other health crises, the findings suggest that the HL level of Finnish ninth graders is a clear public-health issue.

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