Social Capital and Student Achievement: An Intervention-Based Test of Theory

2021 ◽  
pp. 003804072110402
Author(s):  
Adam Gamoran ◽  
Hannah K. Miller ◽  
Jeremy E. Fiel ◽  
Jessa Lewis Valentine
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
First Graders ◽  
San Antonio ◽  
First Grade ◽  
After School ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Children's Achievement ◽  
Achievement Outcomes ◽  
Family Based ◽  
And Mathematics

Social capital is widely cited as benefiting children’s school performance, but close inspection of existing research yields inconsistent findings. Focusing on intergenerational closure among parents of children in the same school, this article draws from a field experiment to test the effects of social capital on children’s achievement in reading and mathematics. When children were in first grade, their schools were randomly assigned to an after-school family-based intervention that boosts social capital. A total of 52 schools in Phoenix, Arizona, and San Antonio, Texas, containing over 3,000 first graders, participated in the study, with half the schools in each city assigned to the treatment group and half serving as no-treatment controls. Two years later, no differences in third-grade achievement were evident between children who had been in treatment schools versus control schools. By contrast, nonexperimental analyses of survey-based measures of social capital suggest positive effects on achievement, indicating that naïve estimates based on survey measures may be upwardly biased by unobserved conditions that lead to both stronger ties among parents and higher test scores. This article adds to a growing literature that raises doubts about the effects of this type of social capital for achievement outcomes among young children.

scholarly journals Development of logical-mathematical thinking in first graders by using ict

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Hernando Sanabría-Pérez ◽  
María Eugenia Villamizar-Mendoza
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
First Graders ◽  
Mathematical Thinking ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
First Grade ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Teaching Learning

Nowdays the implementation of teaching strategies, incorporating the most well-known Information and Communication Technologies such as ICT in the teaching-learning process have increased in different areas of knowledge, and mathematics is not exception, it allows the strengthening of logical-mathematical thinking in students and it is essential to start from the first grade of the basic primary. Taking in account that ICTs are now part of the daily lives of most of students, it was concluded that by taking advantage of the interest that students have in ICTs today, no matter their age, this interest can be channeled to strengthen logical-mathematical thinking from an early age, as ICTs allow the teaching-learning process to be more enjoyable and participatory, also the process can continue, outside the classroom.

scholarly journals Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-43
Author(s):  
Guan K. Saw
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Native Americans ◽  
Stem Education ◽  
Low Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
After School ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
K 12

Broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is critical to the nation’s economic growth and national security. In K–12 and higher education, researchers and educators increasingly employ the concept of social capital to develop programs for improving STEM learning, motivation, and participation of young students. STEM social capital in education comprises STEM-oriented resources—whether instrumental, informational, or emotional—that students access through their social networks. Major theoretical perspectives, research evidence, and promising practices are associated with the concepts of social capital in STEM education. Students’ social capital in STEM education (derived from families, peers, teachers, and professional networks) demonstrably promotes their STEM educational outcomes and career paths. Inclusive STEM schools, mentoring, and after-school programs are some promising approaches that can enhance STEM social capital and outcomes of underrepresented students, particularly women, Blacks/Hispanics/Native Americans, youth with low socioeconomic status, and persons with disabilities.

Incorporating Touch-Based Tablets into Classroom Activities

2016 ◽  
pp. 378-406
Author(s):  
Woonhee Sung ◽  
Junghyun Ahn ◽  
Shi Ming Kai ◽  
Ahram Choi ◽  
John B. Black
Keyword(s):  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
After School ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
After School Program ◽  
And Mathematics

This chapter explores the role of computational thinking in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning and proposes effective classroom strategies that foster computational thinking. In a study conducted in an elementary after school classroom, the authors found that incorporating Computational Perspective Practice (CPP) to STEM subjects fosters higher-level cognitive thinking skills as well as learning in STEM domain. The 10 week-long after school program demonstrates positive effects of incorporating CPP to embodied activities in mathematic units prior to programming practice on learning coding as well as mathematics. The chapter concludes with recommendations for interweaving physical activities and a tablet-based programming application into elementary-level STEM classrooms.

Living with grandparents: Multi-generational families and the academic performance of grandchildren in China

2021 ◽  
pp. 2057150X2110283
Author(s):  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Yuxiao Wu
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Social Stratification ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Nuclear Family ◽  
Single Parent ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Single Parent Families

Previous studies on social stratification and intergenerational mobility have mostly focused on the effects of parents on their children’s socioeconomic status (SES) attainment, but less attention has been paid to the important role played by grandparents in the life chances of their grandchildren, and its underlying mechanism. By analyzing a national survey sample data of junior high school students in China, this study examines the influence factors of living with grandparents and their effect on the academic performance of adolescents, and the intermediate mechanism. The study finds that (a) three-generation cohabitation occurs when there is a functional need for the nuclear family, and children with lower SES, working mothers, or single-parent families are more likely to experience cohabitation between grandparents and grandchildren; (b) living with grandparents has significant positive effects on adolescents’ academic performance after controlling for other factors; (c) the effect of living with grandparents is moderated by the family’s SES and family structure, and students from lower-SES or single-parent families benefit more from living with grandparents; and (d) living with grandparents to a certain extent benefits grandchildren’s academic performance by enhancing family social capital investment. Households in which grandparents cohabit invest significantly more in the social capital of children than those who do not have grandparents cohabiting. The results of this study show that in modern society, family kinship networks still play a very important role in the status attainment and social mobility of individuals. Therefore, scholars should pay more attention to the important role of extended families in social stratification and mobility and its micro-mechanisms.

“I am not a guinea pig”: Parental opportunity hoarding and tracking reform in Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-82
Author(s):  
Lana Apple ◽  
Mira Debs
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Guinea Pig ◽  
Education System ◽  
Educational Inequality ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
School Structure ◽  
Student Background ◽  
Achievement Outcomes

PISA test data from 2000 to today have shown Germany’s education system is one of the most inequitable within the OECD, with high correlations between student background and achievement outcomes. Scholars have identified the highly differentiated school structure, which tracks students as young as 10 years old, as a central cause. This scholarship has not evaluated why German tracking has proved difficult to reform over the last 20 years, despite evidence of negative outcomes. Using a case study of parents’ actions in Hamburg, this paper employs a discourse analysis of debates surrounding a tracking reform to argue that opportunity hoarding—that is, parents with more social capital maintaining certain advantages through ingrained systems that are theoretically open to all—may contribute to why Germany’s early tracking system persists despite evidence showing that it increases educational inequality. The findings presented have implications for an international discussion of tracking reform and opportunity hoarding.

scholarly journals Effective Programs in Elementary Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis

AERA Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233285842098621
Author(s):  
Marta Pellegrini ◽  
Cynthia Lake ◽  
Amanda Neitzel ◽  
Robert E. Slavin
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Elementary Mathematics ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Classroom Organization ◽  
Benchmark Assessment ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Organization And Management ◽  
Achievement Outcomes

This article reviews research on the achievement outcomes of elementary mathematics programs; 87 rigorous experimental studies evaluated 66 programs in grades K–5. Programs were organized in six categories. Particularly positive outcomes were found for tutoring programs (effect size [ES] = +0.20, k = 22). Positive outcomes were also seen in studies focused on professional development for classroom organization and management (e.g., cooperative learning; ES = +0.19, k = 7). Professional development approaches focused on helping teachers gain in understanding of mathematics content and pedagogy had little impact on student achievement. Professional development intended to help in the adoption of new curricula had a small but significant impact for traditional (nondigital) curricula (ES = +0.12, k = 7), but not for digital curricula. Traditional and digital curricula with limited professional development, as well as benchmark assessment programs, found few positive effects.

scholarly journals The influence of expressive and instrumental social capital from parents on women and underrepresented minority students’ declaration and persistence in engineering majors

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Puccia ◽  
Julie P. Martin ◽  
Chrystal A. S. Smith ◽  
Gladis Kersaint ◽  
Rebecca Campbell-Montalvo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Minority Students ◽  
Transition To Adulthood ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
White Women ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Engineering Majors ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Parental Encouragement ◽  
And Mathematics

Abstract Background Social capital, defined as the people one knows and the resources available through that network of people, has been a key variable in research examining the participation of women and underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study focuses on two types of social capital: instrumental (concrete advice and resources) and expressive (emotional support and encouragement). The analysis of interviews with 55 White women and women and men underrepresented minority engineering undergraduate students shows how the instrumental and expressive social capital received from parents influenced their students’ declaration of and persistence in the engineering major. Within this analysis, we considered students’ transition to adulthood and the corresponding expectation that parents would still provide support but allow their children to independently determine their own paths. Results Participants shared the advice they received from people in their social networks, with the majority of participants highlighting parents as a major contributor of instrumental and expressive social capital. Instrumental social capital was helpful in students’ major declarations and offered them an opportunity to further develop their interests and aptitude in STEM as well as a pathway for obtaining an engineering degree. During the first year of their engineering major, students relied heavily on the expressive social capital of parents when considering whether to stay in engineering; parental encouragement of “you can do it” became a common resource. Conclusions These findings offer nuance to explanations of social capital’s influence on STEM degree major declaration and persistence, which often use deficit approaches. In highlighting the resources of social capital, especially expressive support, this work offers educators a new frame of reference for building upon the valuable advice offered by parents to their children completing engineering majors.

scholarly journals Active Play in After-school Programmes: development of an intervention and description of a matched-pair cluster-randomised trial assessing physical activity play in after-school programmes

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. e016585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsti Riiser ◽  
Sølvi Helseth ◽  
Hanna Ellingsen ◽  
Bjørg Fallang ◽  
Knut Løndal
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
First Graders ◽  
Randomised Trial ◽  
Matched Pair ◽  
After School ◽  
Cluster Randomised Trial ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Active Play ◽  
Cluster Randomised

IntroductionInterventions delivered in after-school programmes (ASPs) have the potential to become a means of ensuring adequate physical activity among schoolchildren. This requires a motivational climate, allowing for self-determined play. If trained, ASP staff may represent a valuable resource for supporting such play. Increasing knowledge and supportive skills among ASP staff may also potentially increase their motivation for work. The purpose of this article is to describe the development of the ‘Active Play in ASP’ intervention, which aims to promote physical activity among first graders attending ASP, and to present a protocol for a matched-pair cluster-randomised trial to evaluate the intervention.Methods and analysisInformed by experiences from practice, evidence-based knowledge and theory, the intervention was developed in a stepwise process including focus group meetings and a small-scale pilot test. The intervention contains a course programme for ASP staff to increase their skills in how to support physical activity through play. In a cluster randomised controlled trial, the ASPs will be matched and randomly allocated to receive the 7-month intervention or to a control group. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, after 7 and 19 months. First graders attending the ASPs included are eligible. The primary outcome will be accelerometer-determined minutes in moderate to vigorous physical activity in the ASP. The study uses a mixed methods approach including observations and interviews to provide rich descriptions of the concept of children's physical activity in ASP. Moreover, the trial will assess whether the ASP staff benefits from participation in the intervention in terms of increased work motivation. Lastly, process evaluations of programme fidelity, satisfaction and suggestions on improvement will be performed.Ethics and disseminationThe study is approved by the Data Protection Official for Research (reference no 46008). Results will be presented in conferences and peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberClinical Trials (NCT02954614), pre-results.

Factorial and Predictive Validity of First Graders' Scores on the Early Reading Screening Instrument

1997 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 207-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Perney ◽  
Darrell Morris ◽  
Stamey Carter
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Predictive Validity ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
First Graders ◽  
Early Reading ◽  
First Grade ◽  
Screening Instrument ◽  
Moderate Amount ◽  
School Year

The factorial and predictive validity of the Early Reading Screening Instrument was examined for 105 first grade students. Analysis indicated that the test is unidimensional and can predict first grade reading skills at the end of the school year with at least a moderate amount of accuracy. A previous study indicated predictive validity coefficients of .66 and .73 when the criteria were word recognition and reading comprehension. The current study yielded predictive validity coefficients of .67 and .70 for these criteria.

Advantaged/Disadvantaged School Neighborhoods, Parental Networks, and Parental Involvement at Elementary School

2017 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angran Li ◽  
Mary J. Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
First Grade ◽  
School Level ◽  
School Involvement ◽  
School Students ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Parental School Involvement ◽  
Formal Organizations ◽  
Nationally Representative

This article examines the relationship between parental networks and parental school involvement during the elementary school years. Using a large, nationally representative data set of elementary school students—the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort—and contextual data from the 2000 U.S. Census, our multilevel analysis shows that higher levels of parental networks in first grade are associated with higher levels of parental school involvement in third grade after controlling for individual- and school-level characteristics. Parental networks are positively related to school involvement activities in formal organizations that consist of parents, teachers, and school staff, including participating in parent–teacher organizations and volunteering at school. Furthermore, the positive effects of parental networks on parental school involvement is stronger for families whose children attend schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods. This suggests that well-connected parental networks can serve as a buffer against school neighborhood disadvantages in encouraging parents to be actively involved in schools.

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